Eight rivers we reserve for Texas Hill Country river trips from Austin
Our catalog covers Texas Hill Country river trips from Austin on eight rivers: the Comal, San Marcos, Guadalupe, Llano, Frio, Blanco, Colorado and Pedernales. Each river behaves differently through the year, and that difference decides which month suits a stay far more than any brochure does. This page sorts them by one plain measure so you can match a river to the dates you have in mind.
The measure comes from the nearest USGS gauge on each river. We took the median August flow and the median May flow for 1996 to 2025 and asked how much of the spring water is still there at the end of summer. A high share means springs feed the river; a low share means it lives on rain.
Spring-fed and rain-fed water in the Hill Country
Rivers with large springs at their source keep 62% or more of their May flow into August. They usually keep most of their water through the hot months, which makes them the first to look at for a July or August weekend, though the quote reports each river as it is that week.
Rivers that depend mainly on rainfall carry 34% or less of their May water by August. They run well in spring and again after a wet fall, then can shrink to a trickle over limestone in late summer. Neither group is better; they simply suit different months.
Comal, San Marcos, Guadalupe, Frio and the Llano at Junction
The Comal at New Braunfels is the steadiest of the eight, keeping 87% of its May flow in August, and the riverside lodge room there is planned all year. The San Marcos near Fentress follows at 81%, with a deluxe cabin we plan from April to October.
The Guadalupe carries two stays. On River Road near Sattler, cold water released from Canyon Dam keeps 71% of the spring flow, and the one-bedroom cabin is planned from May to September. Downstream in Gruene the river keeps 70%, and the inn room with a river view is planned in every season.
Where the North and South Llano join at Junction, the river keeps 66%, so it belongs with the spring-fed group even though the same river farther east does not. The Frio at Concan keeps 62%, and both Frio stays share that gauge: the two-bedroom cabin at Concan and the couples cabin in the narrower canyon near Leakey.
Blanco, Colorado, Pedernales and the Llano at Llano
Downstream at the town of Llano, the Llano keeps only 32% of its May flow by August, which is why the inn room above its granite banks is planned for March to May, October and November.
The Blanco at Wimberley holds 34%, and the cottage under the cypress trees is our closest stay to Austin, planned for April to June and October. The Colorado near Bend keeps 16%, with a cabin at a small four-cabin resort planned in spring and fall. The Pedernales at Johnson City keeps just 7%, so its cabin is planned for March to May, while the river still runs across its limestone ledges.
- Wimberley on the Blanco: from $215 per person
- Bend on the Colorado: from $100 per person
- Johnson City on the Pedernales: from $160 per person
- Llano on the Llano: from $230 per person
How a dry fall in 2026 shapes each written quote
This fall has been short of rain. Provisional USGS readings for the 30 days to 29 October 2026 put the Blanco at Wimberley near 6 cfs against a typical October median of 46, the Pedernales near 10 against 35, and even the spring-fed Comal at 154 against 291.
Water levels follow the weather, and nobody can promise them ahead of time. When you send a request, the written quote describes the river as it stands that week, so you decide with current numbers in hand. If rain or low water affects your dates later, the lodge decides whether the nights can move, and we put that question to it for you.
Matching a river to the month you arrive
For a midsummer visit, start with the Comal, San Marcos, Guadalupe or Frio. For a spring or fall weekend, the rain-fed rivers come into their own, especially after a run of wet weeks. If you are unsure, the request form lets you pick "help me choose" and tell us what you want the water for, and you can send it at any hour.
Each figure above is a from price for the whole stay with two sharing, built from the lodge's nightly rate (an estimate at three stays, as the pricing page shows); tax is shown separately and the total is confirmed in the quote. You can compare all eleven stays or send a request for your dates.
Stays on each river and the months they suit
| River | Stays | When the water is at its best |
|---|---|---|
| Comal River | New Braunfels | All year; the flow barely changes |
| San Marcos River | Fentress | April to October |
| Guadalupe River | River Road, Gruene | May to September below the dam; all year at Gruene |
| Llano River | Junction, Llano | Spring and fall |
| Frio River | Concan, Leakey | May to September at Concan; April to October near Leakey |
| Blanco River | Wimberley | After spring rain, April to June and October |
| Colorado River | Bend | Spring and fall |
| Pedernales River | Johnson City | March to May |
Also worth a look from here: Hill Country lodge offers