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Texas | Texas Hill Country
South Llano River
Cupgrass Access to South Llano River State Park
Check current paddling conditions for this South Llano 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
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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
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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 through Bailey Creek at the TPWD Cupgrass access and paddle down to South Llano River State Park for a spring-fed Hill Country day with quiet pools, riffles, wildlife, and a campground finish.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
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Put-in
TPWD Cupgrass AccessTPWD says Cupgrass parking is by advance text reservation and that boats launch via Bailey Creek before entering the South Llano proper.
Take-out
South Llano River State Park paddling accessSouth Llano River State Park is a popular destination that can reach capacity, so day-use or camping reservations are the cleanest way to secure the take-out plan.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- TPWD says Cupgrass parking is by advance text reservation and that boats launch via Bailey Creek before entering the South Llano proper.
- South Llano River State Park is a popular destination that can reach capacity, so day-use or camping reservations are the cleanest way to secure the take-out plan.
- Use only the named public access points and direct river-portage paths because most of the shoreline between them remains private.
Watch for
- Shallow riffles, scrape spots, and woody edges when the Flat Rock gauge is near the conservative 65 cfs floor.
- Fresh strainers after storms, plus faster current and murkier water when runoff reaches the corridor.
- Bright sun, long mileage for casual groups, and limited mid-route public exits compared with the short trail splits near Junction.
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 | S Llano Rv at Flat Rock Ln at Junction, 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 |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 65 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Texas Rivers Protection Association South Llano overview |
| 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.
- Published flow guidance65 cfs minimum; 100-500 cfs broader ideal
Texas Rivers Protection Association summarizes the South Llano with a 65 cfs minimum and 100-500 cfs ideal band at the Junction gauge.
- Official flow contextSpring-fed river averaging about 75 cfs
TPWD's Texas waterway analysis says the South Llano has a healthy flow averaging around 75 cfs and that the best recreation conditions come when rain is abundant and the river is on a slight rise.
- Official route segmentCupgrass to South Llano River State Park, about 9.3 mi
The TPWD Cupgrass access page says a paddle from the lease site down to South Llano State Park is about 9.3 river miles.
- Put-in accessCupgrass Access, 30.393543, -99.886693
TPWD publishes Cupgrass coordinates and says paddlers launch through Bailey Creek after reserving parking by text.
- Take-out accessSouth Llano River State Park, 30.4498, -99.8128
The TPWD South Llano Paddling Trail page identifies the state-park access point and the state-park page confirms camping and day-use reservation context at the finish.
- Live-gauge supportUSGS 08149900 at 51.6 cfs / 2.14 ft
USGS Water Services returned same-day values for S Llano River at Flat Rock Lane at Junction, TX at 2026-07-11 09:55 CDT during this run.
- Route hazardsShallow riffles, strainers, high-water rises, private banks
TPWD says the trail includes quiet pools, gentle riffles, and runs, warns about snags at low water, and says heavy rain and high water can create dangerous conditions.
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
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More routes to check next
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Quick answers
South Llano River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling South Llano River?
Paddle Today watches S Llano Rv at Flat Rock Ln at Junction, TX and uses 65 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this South Llano River route start and end?
This route starts at TPWD Cupgrass Access and ends at South Llano River State Park paddling access, about About 9.3 mi on the water.
Is this South Llano 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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