Guadalupe River State Park
State park in Comal County, in the Hill Country region. Established 1983. 1,928 acres by TPWD boundary data.
Guadalupe River State Park has four miles of river frontage about 45 minutes north of San Antonio, and most people come to swim, tube and canoe. Styrofoam and glass aren't allowed along the riverbanks or in the river. Away from the water there are 13 miles of hike and bike trails, plus guided tours of the neighboring Honey Creek State Natural Area.
Things to do
Swim, tube and paddle
Swim, tube or canoe the Guadalupe. The park is the start of the 5-mile Guadalupe River State Park Paddling Trail; contact the park for current river flow. There are no lifeguards.
Hike and bike
The longest trail is the Painted Bunting Trail, about 3 miles. The 0.3-mile River Overlook Trail leads to a view of the river. Some trails are open to horses, but there is no equestrian camping.
Bauer Unit
The remote Bauer Unit day-use area has moderate to challenging trails and a 2- to 3-mile downhill hike to the river. There are no restrooms or drinking water, and fires aren't allowed.
Honey Creek tours
Rangers lead 2.5-hour guided hikes into Honey Creek State Natural Area on Saturday mornings. Registration is required and pets are not allowed.
Trails
TPWD counts about 13 miles of trails in the park. These are the named trails it lists, with its own distances and ratings.
| Trail | Distance | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie Trail | 0.4 mi | Easy | 30 min. |
| Oak Savannah Loop | 0.5 mi | Easy | 30 min. |
| Painted Bunting Trail | 3.1 mi | Moderate | 1.5 hrs. |
| Persimmon Path | 0.3 mi | Easy | 15 min. |
| Live Oak Trail | 0.8 mi | Easy | 30 min. |
| Barred Owl Trail | 0.8 mi | Moderate | 30 min. |
| River Overlook Trail | 0.3 mi | Easy | 15 min. |
| Cedar Sage River Trail | 0.4 mi | Easy | 15 min. |
| Discovery Center Loop | 0.3 mi | Easy | 25 min. |
| Bald Cypress Trail | 0.6 mi | Easy | 30 min. |
| Bauer Trail | 1.3 mi | Moderate | 45 min. |
| Bamberger Trail | 1.7 mi | Moderate to Challenging | 2 hrs. |
| Hofheinz Trail | 1.5 mi | Moderate | 45 min. |
| Golden-cheeked Warbler Trail | 0.9 mi | Moderate to Challenging | 1 hr. |
| Little Bluestem Loop | 0.7 mi | Easy | 30 min. |
| Curry Creek Overlook Trail | 1.2 mi | Moderate to Challenging | 1 hr. |
| River Access Trail | 0.2 mi | Easy | 15 min. |
Source: TPWD trail list. TPWD doesn’t list trail surfaces. Printable trail map (PDF).
Camping
There are 85 campsites with water and electricity in the Turkey Sink and Cedar Sage loops, and nine walk-in tent sites.
| Site type | Sites | Sleeps | Per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campsites with Electricity (Turkey Sink)Water and electric | 48 | 8 | $24 |
| Campsites with Electricity (Cedar Sage)Water and electric | 37 | 8 | $20 |
| Campsites with Water (Walk-in)Tent sites with water | 9 | 8 | $15 |
Nightly rates are on top of the daily entrance fee. Book a site with Texas State Parks reservations, or call (512) 389-8900.
Visiting with dogs
Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than 6 feet. Like every Texas state park, they can't go into park buildings or designated swimming areas.
Don't forget, your pets need water, too!
Keeping them on a leash and under control protects your pets, other people and wildlife.
Swimming
Swimming is allowed in designated areas. There are no lifeguards at Texas state parks.
Best time to go
- Busy season
- March through November
- Night sky
- Bortle 4.5
TPWD lists March through November as the busy season and says the park often reaches capacity, so reserve day passes. Paddling depends on river levels, so call ahead.
Averages and busy season from TPWD. The Bortle scale runs from 1 (darkest sky) to 9 (inner city).
Getting there
Spring Branch, TX 78070
(830) 438-2656
Open in OpenStreetMap (29.8531, -98.5045)
| From | Approx. drive | Straight line |
|---|---|---|
| San Antonio | 47 min | 27 mi |
| Austin | 1 hr 42 min | 54 mi |
| Waco | 3 hr 33 min | 141 mi |
| Corpus Christi | 3 hr 49 min | 166 mi |
| Houston | 3 hr 56 min | 187 mi |
| The Woodlands | 4 hr 16 min | 181 mi |
Nearby parks
- Honey Creek State Natural Area
- Blanco State Park
- Albert & Bessie Kronkosky State Natural Area
- Old Tunnel State Park
- Government Canyon State Natural Area
Straight-line distance. See every park in the Hill Country.
Questions people ask
Can you swim at Guadalupe River State Park?
Yes. Swimming, tubing and canoeing the river are the park's main draws. There are no lifeguards, and Styrofoam and glass aren't allowed by the river.
How far is Guadalupe River State Park from San Antonio?
About 47 minutes by car, based on OpenStreetMap routing.
Can I visit Honey Creek State Natural Area?
Only on a guided tour from Guadalupe River State Park, on Saturday mornings and select Sundays. Registration is required.
Photo credits
- The River in Winter - Flickr - Corey Leopold.jpg by Corey Leopold, CC BY 2.0.
- Where Did You Come From?.jpg by Corey Leopold, CC BY 2.0.
- Guadalupe river state park bluff.jpg by Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0.
- Guadeloupe River State Park.jpg by Hpaymay, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Moss Covered Trees Guadalupe River State Park Texas 2023.jpg by Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0.
Sources
Last checked October 14, 2026. Fees, hours and rules change; the official TPWD page for Guadalupe River has current alerts and closures.
- TPWD: Guadalupe River State Park, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD state parks map (amenities, contact), retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Public Areas, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Bortle ratings by region, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Guadalupe River State Park campsites, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Guadalupe River State Park trails, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Guadalupe River State Park history, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: state park rules (pets, swimming), retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Boundaries (area computed from boundary), retrieved October 14, 2026
- Wikipedia: List of Texas state parks, retrieved October 14, 2026
- OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data (approximate drive times), retrieved October 14, 2026
- Wikimedia Commons (photos), retrieved October 14, 2026