Tips And Spots For Canoe Camping Around Austin, Texas

Tucked beside the Texas Hill Country, Austin is a multicultural metropolis surrounded by lakes, rivers and undeveloped nature. Austin's relatively compact size suggests that it is also relatively easy to escape the city boundaries and relish the outside. For those wanting to spend an afternoon over the water and camp as well, the region has many great selections for combination canoe and camping trips.


Austin's warm southern climate means that the typical low temperatures remain above freezing even in December and January, although water temperatures is going to be too low to swim comfortably. Summer temperatures in July and August top out around 95 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning you'll have to paddle through warm weather; fortunately, you are able to jump into the water to chill down. The 2 most comfortable seasons to start paddling would be the spring and fall, when day time temperatures are usually in the seventies and eighties, and evening temperatures hardly ever drop below the high fifties.

Austin is right beside the Colorado River, additionally, the area is spotted with many large and small lakes. Even so the Colorado River is actually a Class 1 river and reasonably calm around Austin, boating over the river in a canoe still will take navigation skills, specially when the river is low and obstructions within the river can catch or damage the canoe. For starters who don't feel self-confident about their skills yet, canoeing over a lake will likely be easier.

The Colorado River is dammed upstream from Austin, so river rafters would want to head downstream to Bastrop, where it is possible to put in on the river and paddle downstream for many days. Northwest of Austin is Lake Travis, a 63-mile-long lake within a one-hour drive of Austin's city limits. Numerous parks surround the lake, just like Arkansas Bend and Pace Bend. These parks have camping sites where canoeists can come ashore and spend the evening. Smaller lakes are scattered through the entire area, including Lake Bastrop to the southeast of Austin; two parks around the shores of Lake Bastrop offer camping and canoe launches.

For those who don't own their personal canoes, outdoor recreation stores around Austin will rent canoes for multiday trips. State and county parks that have lakes within the Austin area regularly have canoes for rent too, although these rentals are typically for just one day only, and also the canoes must be returned by the same night. On the other hand, it is possible to rent a canoe for a day then camp inside the same park at destinations just like Lake Bastrop. Besides the canoe, campers will also make sure sure they rent, buy or borrow dry bags to prevent valuables from getting wet. Plastic bags and tarps will help prevent other important items, for example food and camping gear, from getting damp. Using a life vest at all times is a crucial safety precautionary measure, even just in calm water.

Concessionaires within the Austin area offer organized canoe trips down the Colorado river. These prepared trips typically provide everything from the boats to food to camping gear along with a guide. The price of this convenience though can easily total over $100 per person. Given the calm water on the lakes surrounding Austin, and also the number of public parks, organizing a canoe trip all on your own has to be not too difficult cost-effective.