HillCountry.ai network
The Guadalupe River · Texas Hill Country

The Guadalupe River

The river most people picture when they picture the Hill Country — clear, green, and cypress-lined, running from the forks near Hunt through Kerrville and Comfort. Beautiful, beloved, and a river that demands respect when the water rises.

Check the river level ↓Where to stay
Live Conditions
Guadalupe River at Kerrville · USGS 08166200 · Kerr County
Full chart & history →
—
Flowcubic feet / second
—
Gauge heightfeet
Fetching live readings from USGS…
Source: USGS Water Services. The upper Guadalupe can rise fast and hard after rain upstream. These are live readings, not a safety rating — check the gauge and the weather before you go, heed all flood warnings and road closures, and never enter or cross rising or fast-moving water.

About the river

The Hill Country's signature river.

The Guadalupe forms where its North and South forks meet near Hunt, then runs clear and cypress-lined through Kerrville and Comfort, past Guadalupe River State Park, and down into Canyon Lake. Spring-fed and dam-regulated, it's the river that defines the region — good for swimming, paddling, and fishing in its upper reaches, and named, like the mission and the lady, for Our Lady of Guadalupe.

On the river:Hunt · Kerrville · Comfort · Guadalupe River State Park ↗

At a glance

The Guadalupe, by the numbers.

Headwaters
North & South forks
meet near Hunt
Length
~230 miles
to San Antonio Bay
Hill Country stretch
Hunt → Kerrville → Comfort
clear, cypress-lined upper river
Park
Guadalupe River State Park
between Comfort & Spring Branch
Live gauge
USGS 08166200
Guadalupe Rv at Kerrville
River towns: Kerrville ↗ Hunt Comfort Guadalupe River State Park

Where to stay

Kerrville, on the upper river.

Kerrville is the natural base on the upper Guadalupe — right on the water and central to the whole Hill Country. It's home ground for Backroads Hill Country, which manages cabins and vacation rentals in and around town.

Where to stay in Kerrville →

Common questions

Guadalupe River, answered.

How is the Guadalupe River running right now?

Check the live USGS gauge at the top of this page (station 08166200, Guadalupe at Kerrville). The upper Guadalupe is fed by Hill Country springs and creeks and regulated by dams, so flow runs higher in spring and lower through late summer — and can change fast after rain. The live reading is the honest picture on any given day.

Where can you swim and tube on the Guadalupe?

The clear, cypress-lined water around Kerrville, Comfort, and Guadalupe River State Park is classic Hill Country swimming and paddling. The famous commercial tube runs are well downstream below Canyon Lake, near Gruene and New Braunfels, where cold dam-release water flows all summer. Around Kerrville it's more about quiet swimming holes, paddling, and fishing.

Where is the Guadalupe River?

It forms near Hunt where its North and South forks meet, then runs through Kerrville and Comfort, past Guadalupe River State Park, into Canyon Lake, and on through New Braunfels. Named for Our Lady of Guadalupe, it's the river most people picture when they picture the Hill Country.

Is the Guadalupe River prone to flooding?

Yes — and this deserves to be taken seriously. The Hill Country is flash-flood country, and the upper Guadalupe has a long, hard history of sudden, dangerous floods, including the catastrophic flooding in Kerr County in July 2025. The river can rise feet in minutes after heavy rain upstream. Always check the live gauge and the weather, heed every flood warning and road closure, and never enter or cross rising or fast-moving water — on foot or in a vehicle.

Where should I stay on the Guadalupe River?

Kerrville is the natural base on the upper river — on the water, central to the Hill Country, and home ground for Backroads Hill Country, which manages cabins and vacation rentals in and around town. Browse what's available on the Kerrville guide site linked below.

When is the best time to visit the Guadalupe?

Spring and early summer usually bring the best flow for swimming and paddling on the upper river; fall is quieter and cooler along the cypress banks. Because conditions shift with rain and dam releases, the live gauge is the best guide to any specific week.

Good to know

Read the water before you go.

The upper Guadalupe is clear and cypress-lined, good for swimming and paddling around Kerrville and Comfort when the flow is up. It’s also a serious flash-flood river — rain upstream can send it up feet in minutes, as the catastrophic July 2025 flood in Kerr County showed. The live gauge above is the honest answer to how it’s running. Glass is banned, there are no lifeguards, heed every flood warning and road closure, and never enter or cross rising water. Check the level, then go.

See the river levelWhere to stay in Kerrville
Respect This Place — Texas Hill CountryThe River CodeRead the code ▾

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.

  1. Pack out everything you bring in. Bottles, cans, butts, bait tubs — all of it. Bring an extra bag and grab what someone else left.
  2. No glass near the water. Broken glass in a swimming hole ends a perfect day in the ER. Cans and plastic only.
  3. Know where you're allowed to be. Most of this is private land. Stick to public crossings, parks, and posted access.
  4. Park with respect. Not on the crossings, the bridge, or in front of a ranch gate.
  5. Respect the water. Check the gauge; never cross a flooded crossing — on foot or in a truck.
  6. Leave the rocks where they lie. Stacked-rock towers wreck fish habitat. Let the riverbed be a riverbed.
  7. Don't drive in the riverbed. Trucks and ATVs crush the gravel beds and everything living in them. Park up top and walk down.
  8. Leave the wildlife alone. Don't feed it, chase it, or take it home — fish and turtles included.
  9. Keep it quiet, keep it dark. Skip the speaker. Leave the next person the water sounds and the stars.
  10. Mind fire and burn bans. Summers run dry and bans are common. Check before you light anything, and never leave a coal smoking.
  11. Leash 'em and clean up after 'em. Keep dogs close on shared water and private land, pick up after them every time, and don't let them chase wildlife or disturb other visitors.
  12. Spend your money in the river towns. Gas, food, supplies — the small towns are what keep these rivers accessible. Keep them alive.