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Texas | Texas Hill Country
Guadalupe River
Nichol's Landing to Rebecca Creek Crossing
Check current paddling conditions for this Guadalupe River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Route overview
Quick facts and what's next
Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.
Quick facts
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
Launch at Nichol's Landing and take out at Rebecca Creek Crossing for the official Upper Guadalupe whitewater trail. Use USGS 08167500 near Spring Branch with TRPA's conservative 100 cfs floor and 300-1,200 cfs ideal window, then make a same-day call on rapids, wood, weather, and group skill.
Plan a shorter segmentOptional
Access planner
Pick a shorter segment
This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.
Peltier Lake to Long Lake is the full route. Shorter access pairs are useful when wind, time, or group energy changes the plan.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
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Put-in
Nichol's Landing (Specht's Crossing)TPWD publishes all three access coordinates, but the parking areas are simple river-access and shuttle sites rather than staffed take-outs.
Take-out
Rebecca Creek CrossingNichol's Landing can charge seasonal or weekend access/parking fees, while FM 311 and Rebecca Creek parking sit uphill from the water.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- TPWD publishes all three access coordinates, but the parking areas are simple river-access and shuttle sites rather than staffed take-outs.
- Nichol's Landing can charge seasonal or weekend access/parking fees, while FM 311 and Rebecca Creek parking sit uphill from the water.
- Private shoreline is a major constraint on this navigable reach. Use public accesses and direct hazard portages only; do not treat banks as casual rest, scouting, or camping areas.
- This route uses TRPA's broad Upper Guadalupe guidance as a conservative two-sided model, not a manager-published rapid-by-rapid band. Scout visually and downgrade if the gauge trend or weather is moving the wrong way.
Watch for
- Mueller Falls about 1.5 miles below FM 311 and Rust Falls about 5 miles below FM 311; inspect chutes and portage hazards with margin.
- Flows near or below 100 cfs, when TRPA's minimum is not met and TPWD's drought warning can mean dragging and exposed hazards.
- High or rising water after rain, which can make Hill Country rapids, strainers, and private-bank portage choices more consequential.
- Wood, sweepers, strainers, slick limestone shelves, hot-weather exposure, locked or crowded access areas, and the temptation to improvise a take-out before Rebecca Creek.
Route gallery
See this route on the water
Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking
Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Guadalupe Rv nr Spring Branch, TX |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Target band | 300 cfs to 1,200 cfs |
| Low threshold | 100 cfs |
| High threshold | 5,000 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Texas Rivers Protection Association Upper Guadalupe flow guidance |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesWhat to know before you go
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Direct live gaugeUSGS 08167500 at 347 cfs / 3.28 ft
USGS Water Services returned same-day Guadalupe River near Spring Branch discharge and gage height at 2026-08-09 20:00 CDT during this implementation run.
- Official route shapeNichol's Landing to Rebecca Creek Crossing, 9.9 mi
TPWD identifies the Upper Guadalupe Nichol's Landing trail as a 9.9-mile reach with a 3-6 hour float time and an alternate FM 311 access at mile 5.4.
- Endpoint coordinates29.8794, -98.4483 to 29.8881, -98.3685
TPWD publishes GPS coordinates for Nichol's Landing, FM 311, and Rebecca Creek Crossing, along with parking/access notes for the shuttle sites.
- Threshold posture100 cfs minimum; 300-1,200 cfs ideal; 5,000 cfs maximum
TRPA publishes Upper Guadalupe flow guidance and points users to the Spring Branch USGS gauge family; Paddle Today uses the full range as a conservative two-sided whitewater model.
- Safety and accessRapids, portages, private-bank limits
TPWD says multiple rapids demand careful inspection, calls out Mueller Falls and Rust Falls, permits portage of hazards within the navigable corridor, and warns that other private-bank use can be trespassing.
- CampingNearby basecamp only
TPWD lists local outfitters and campgrounds around the trail, but the route package does not infer legal on-route camping from proximity to the river or private banks.
- Image decisionNo route-gallery image selected
Bounded TPWD, WORD, Commons, USGS, and same-route image review found route maps and contextual media but no clearly rights-clean exact Nichol's-Landing-to-Rebecca-Creek paddling asset selected for local reuse.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Guadalupe River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Guadalupe River?
Paddle Today watches Guadalupe Rv nr Spring Branch, TX and treats 300 cfs to 1,200 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Guadalupe River route start and end?
This route starts at Nichol's Landing (Specht's Crossing) and ends at Rebecca Creek Crossing, about About 9.9 mi on the water.
Is this Guadalupe River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.