Frio Canyon

The coldest, clearest water in Texas, at the far western edge of the Hill Country — and the hardest part of it to reach.

The Frio runs spring-fed off the Edwards Plateau through a canyon narrow enough that the road, the river and the ranch fences share the same floor. Garner is the busiest state park in the state on a July weekend. Twenty miles north, the same water runs past nobody at all.

This is the only region where getting there is part of the decision. Nothing here is on the way to anywhere.