Hill Country/Explore/Rivers/The Guadalupe River
Live conditions
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.
USGS gauge at Kerrville.
- 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
- Live gauge
- USGS 08166200 Guadalupe Rv at Kerrville
About the Guadalupe River
Where it runs and what it is like.
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.
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.
The Guadalupe, by the numbers.
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.
Guadalupe River, answered.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Places on the Guadalupe River
8 places in the towns it runs through.
Guadalupe River, answered
The questions people actually ask.
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
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 p
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 clo
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
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.
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.
Stay on the Guadalupe
2 houses we manage on the Guadalupe River.
Imagine a private riverside resort, a kid-friendly and pet-friendly hideaway loaded with luxurious amenities, and tons…
See the house →Welcome to your private getaway on the banks of the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas! This inviting three-bedroom…
See the house →On the water26river and lake housesOpen the list →The other rivers
Ten Hill Country rivers, each with its own gauge.