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The Pedernales River · Texas Hill Country

The Pedernales River

Clear water sliding over wide sheets of tilted limestone — the river of Pedernales Falls and the LBJ country around Stonewall and Johnson City. Quiet and low much of the year, dramatic and dangerous when the storms come.

Check the river level ↓What to know
Live Conditions
Pedernales River near Johnson City · USGS 08153500 · Blanco County
Full chart & history →
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Flowcubic feet / second
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Gauge heightfeet
Fetching live readings from USGS…
Source: USGS Water Services. With no dams to slow it, the Pedernales can rise fast and hard after rain upstream — Pedernales Falls State Park is known for sudden flooding. These are live readings, not a safety rating — check the gauge and the forecast, heed every flood warning, and never enter the river when it's rising.

About the river

Tilted limestone, clear water, LBJ country.

The Pedernales runs out of the western Hill Country near Fredericksburg and Harper, past Stonewall and the LBJ Ranch, through Johnson City, and over the long limestone staircase of Pedernales Falls before reaching Lake Travis. With no major dams, it's a wild, rain-driven river — clear and low much of the year, and named for the flint, or pedernal, that fills its bed.

On the river:Stonewall · Johnson City · Pedernales Falls State Park ↗

At a glance

The Pedernales, by the numbers.

Headwaters
Near Harper
Gillespie County
Length
~106 miles
to Lake Travis & the Colorado
Hill Country stretch
Stonewall → Johnson City
LBJ country
Feature
Pedernales Falls
tilted-limestone staircase
Live gauge
USGS 08153500
Pedernales Rv near Johnson City
River towns: Fredericksburg ↗ Stonewall Johnson City Pedernales Falls State Park

What to know

A dramatic river that demands respect.

The Falls are the draw and the warning both: beautiful tilted rock, slick underfoot, and a canyon that can flood with frightening speed. Swim only in the park's designated stretch, respect every closure and siren, leave the limestone and the wildflowers as you found them, and pack out everything. This is a wild river without dams to tame it — that's exactly what makes it worth protecting.

See Pedernales Falls

The staircase of tilted limestone at Pedernales Falls State Park is a day-use viewing area — striking, photogenic, and not for swimming. Swim in the park's designated stretch downstream.

LBJ country

The river runs past Stonewall and the LBJ Ranch — the National and State parks there pair Hill Country history with easy river access and spring wildflowers.

Explore the network

The Pedernales is one of ten Hill Country rivers. See them all on the HillCountry.ai rivers hub ↗

Common questions

Pedernales River, answered.

How is the Pedernales River running right now?

Check the live USGS gauge at the top of this page (station 08153500, Pedernales near Johnson City, at Pedernales Falls State Park). The Pedernales is rain-fed with no major dams, so it runs low and clear through much of the year and rises fast after a storm. The live reading is the honest picture on any given day.

What are the Pedernales Falls?

Not a single waterfall but a long staircase of tilted, water-carved limestone where the river drops through Pedernales Falls State Park. The falls themselves are a day-use viewing area only — slick rock and sudden flooding make them too dangerous to enter — but they're one of the most striking river features in the Hill Country.

Can you swim in the Pedernales?

Yes, in the right place. Swimming and wading are not allowed at the falls, but the state park has a designated swimming and tubing stretch downstream that's popular all summer when the flow is up. Check the gauge and the park's conditions before you go.

Where is the Pedernales River?

It runs out of the western Hill Country near Fredericksburg and Harper, past Stonewall and the LBJ country, through Johnson City, and over Pedernales Falls before reaching Lake Travis and the Colorado River. The name comes from the Spanish for flint, for the chert in its bed.

Is the Pedernales prone to flooding?

Very much so — Pedernales Falls State Park is known for it. With no dams to slow it, rain upstream can send a wall of water down the canyon with little warning, and the park posts flood sirens for exactly that reason. Always check the live gauge and the forecast, heed every warning, and never enter the river when it's rising.

When is the best time to visit?

Spring and early summer bring the best flow and, around the LBJ country, Hill Country wildflowers; fall is quieter and cooler along the river. Because the Pedernales is rain-driven and flashy, the live gauge is the best guide to any specific week.

Good to know

Read the water before you go.

The Pedernales runs low and clear much of the year, with swimming in the state park’s designated stretch when the flow is up — never at the falls themselves. With no dams to slow it, rain upstream can send a wall of water down the canyon with little warning, which is why Pedernales Falls State Park posts flood sirens. The live gauge above is the honest read. Glass is banned, there are no lifeguards, heed every siren and closure, and never enter a rising river. Check the level first.

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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.