Texas | Texas Hill Country

South Llano River

Flatrock Lane Crossing to Junction City 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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DistanceAbout 1.6 mi
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeAbout 45 min to 1.5 hr
ShuttleCar shuttle
A sandy, wooded southeast Texas river corridor.
River contextTexas river corridor context; not this route or current conditions; route imagery unavailable — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Jill Carlson via Wikimedia Commons

Need to know

Why this call
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Gauge history and hourly forecast

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Quick facts and what's next

Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.

DifficultyeasyQuiet pools and easy riffles keep the route approachable, but it is still moving water with occasional wood and changing current after storms.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is published. Use the named public accesses, follow local parking rules, and bring the normal Texas PFD and weather judgment even though the mileage is short.
CampingOptions nearbyTreat this as a short day float. South Llano River State Park and Junction lodging work as nearby basecamps, but the route itself does not include an on-route campsite.
SeasonJan-DecThis short town-edge connector can work in most seasons when the gauge is not scraping at the floor or surging after rain. Because the mileage is low, it works best as a quick outing or as part of a basecamp weekend.

Upcoming outlook

These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.

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Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Access and shuttle

Launch at Flatrock Lane Crossing and drift down to Junction City Park for the lower split of the official South Llano paddling trail. This is the quickest Junction-area option, but it still deserves the same same-day wood and flow check as the longer segments.

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Start

Put-in

Flatrock Lane Crossing
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TPWD publishes both access points and expects paddlers to stay off private banks except for direct hazard portages.

Finish

Take-out

Junction City Park
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Junction City Park is the intended public finish; do not improvise a take-out along nearby private or bridge-adjacent banks.

Plan this segment

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Access caveats and watch for

Access caveats

  • TPWD publishes both access points and expects paddlers to stay off private banks except for direct hazard portages.
  • Junction City Park is the intended public finish; do not improvise a take-out along nearby private or bridge-adjacent banks.
  • Because the route is short, groups sometimes underestimate weather changes and same-day wood. Check the gauge anyway.

Watch for

  • Shallow riffles and scraping when the gauge falls toward the 65 cfs floor.
  • Snags and fresh wood after rain.
  • Faster current and murkier water during runoff pulses, even though the route normally feels gentle.

Why this score

See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.

Read quality
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Weather inputChecking

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Today'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.

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Gauge, thresholds, and timing

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

Gauge siteS Llano Rv at Flat Rock Ln at Junction, TX
DischargeChecking
Gauge heightChecking
24h trendChecking
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Rain last 24hChecking
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Air tempChecking
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Ideal rangeNeeds paddler reports
Known low-water floor65 cfs
High thresholdNot calibrated yet
Evidence strength behind the rangeLocal route guidance
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreTexas Rivers Protection Association South Llano overview
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What 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.

    Source

  • Official route segmentFlatrock Lane to Junction City Park, 1.6 mi

    TPWD lists Flatrock Lane Crossing to Junction City Park as a 1.6-mile alternate split of the South Llano Paddling Trail.

    Source

  • Put-in accessFlatrock Lane Crossing, 30.4789, -99.7778

    TPWD identifies Flatrock Lane Crossing as a named paddling-trail access point with published coordinates.

    Source

  • Take-out accessJunction City Park, 30.4879, -99.7617

    TPWD identifies Junction City Park as a named paddling-trail access point with published coordinates.

    Source

  • Official trail cautionsLow-water snags; dangerous high water

    TPWD says the trail has quiet pools, riffles, and runs, warns about snags at low water, and says heavy rains and high water can create dangerous conditions.

    Source

  • 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.

    Source

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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 Flatrock Lane Crossing and ends at Junction City Park, about About 1.6 mi on the water.

Is this South Llano River route good for beginners?

This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.

See something outdated?

Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.