The Comal River

The Comal is spring-fed, so flow stays steady and the water holds a constant 70–72°. These are live readings, not a safety rating — after heavy rain the river can still rise and run fast, so check in person before you go and never enter high or fast water.

The shortest river in Texas, and one of the most beloved.

The Comal rises from Comal Springs in Landa Park — the largest springs in Texas — and runs only about two and a half miles through New Braunfels before joining the Guadalupe. That short, spring-fed run stays clear and a constant 70–72° year-round, which is why it's a year-round tube-and-swim river. Its name is Spanish for "basin." For families, the famous tube chute at Prince Solms Park is the main event.

The Comal, by the numbers.

Spring-fed, sensitive, and worth protecting.

Comal Springs and the river are home to species that live almost nowhere else — the endangered fountain darter and the Comal Springs riffle beetle among them — and the whole system depends on the Edwards Aquifer. It's a clear, cool, much-loved river that takes real care to keep that way: stay off the plants, keep glass out of the water, and pack out everything you bring in.

Ride the tube chute The chute at Prince Solms Park is the Comal's signature — a quick, fun drop that's the highlight of any float. Cold, clear, and busy on summer weekends.

Start at Landa Park Landa Park sits over the springs that feed the river — shade, picnic grounds, and the clearest sense of where the Comal begins.

Comal River, answered.

Check the live USGS gauge at the top of this page (station 08169000, Comal at New Braunfels). Because the Comal is fed by Comal Springs — the largest springs in Texas — its flow is steady and the water holds a constant 70–72° year-round, clear and cool even in the heat of summer.

Yes — it's one of the easiest family floats in Texas. The water is calm, clear, and a steady 70–72°, the float is short, and the famous tube chute at Prince Solms Park is the highlight for kids. It's busiest on summer weekends; go early for parking and shade.

Entirely within New Braunfels. It rises at Comal Springs in Landa Park and runs about two and a half miles — often called the shortest river in Texas — before joining the Guadalupe River. Landa Park and Prince Solms Park are the easiest places to find it.

Comal Springs and the river are home to species found almost nowhere else, including the endangered fountain darter and the Comal Springs riffle beetle. The spring flow depends on the Edwards Aquifer, so the river is sensitive to drought and pumping. Float lightly: stay off the plants, leave no trash, and keep glass out of the water.

Generally it's gentle and well-used, but it runs through town with several dams and weirs to portage around, and like any Texas river it can rise fast after heavy rain. Check the live gauge, mind the chute, and never enter high or fast water.

Any time — the constant 70–72° spring water makes it a year-round river, and locals tube and dive it even in winter. Summer is the classic, busiest season; spring and fall are quieter and just as clear.

The Comal is spring-fed and steady — clear and a constant 70–72° year-round, which is what makes it such an easy family float. It’s gentle most of the time, but it runs through town with dams and weirs to mind, and like any Texas river it can rise after heavy rain. Glass is banned, there are no lifeguards, and the tube chute deserves respect. Check the live gauge above, and float light on a sensitive spring system.

Built with the locals who know these rivers best. The Frio and the Guadalupe show what happens when a river gets loved too hard — these are the few things that keep the rest the way they are.