Thursday April 7th, 2022, Dottie, Geoff and I surveyed the lower of the two highway 377 bridges crossing the South Llano River. This low water bridge provided a safe (and luxurious) concrete apron for staging shuttle vehicles, canoes and gear. Below the bridge the river narrowed into a shallow slot. Looking at it, I wondered if we would have to line the canoe within sight of the bridge, but that was a question for the next day.
After checking into the park we pitched camp at our reserved walk in site.
When the sun and temperature went down together, pleasant memories from the previous trip surfaced. (February Camping & Canoeing the South Llano) Nodding off, I questioned the predicted Friday morning low of 47 degrees. For this trip, I managed to bring both halves of my thermal underwear. This combined with a new sleeping bag (rated for 40 degrees) should be enough...I hoped!
When I made a trek to restroom at 5:00 am the stars were bright and the chill was biting. I didn't need a thermometer to realize the weather forecast was in error! I snuggled back down in my sleeping bag for another forty winks. Soon I toasty warm.
The 35 degrees temperature recorded in town was MUCH cooler than predicted 47 degrees!
We took our time over breakfast and coffee. One of our neighbors graciously joined us.
I can't say we were in a hurry to be on the river in that chill! The sun warmed the day and even with the cool start the weather was fabulous. We hit the river at 11:15.
Geoff had the bow, I the stern. Lightly packed, we made it over the first riffle without fuss. This was encouraging!
Geoff had a new Go-Pro action camera, so it was a learning experience in that regard. The following videos are our best efforts.
From here on it only got better. The river pleased us with its mirthful nature. Almost immediately we saw axis deer, high bluffs, swift currents and playful class I rapids.
Early in the trip we paddled at the foot of some 200' hills. The bluff held some interesting features. possibly some caves. If you look close at the picture on the right above, you can see some roosting buzzards. I bet they are safe in those crags!
Its thrilling to run a piece of river for the first time. Each bend brings a new view and sometimes a challenge. The middle picture is of the bluff over the confluence of Chalk Creek and the South Llano. I only saw it when I turned around to look behind. What a site!
This video is one of many rapid shallows.
Between the swifts the river broadened and deepened. Though not as clear and green as in my February visit, it was still beautiful water. The scenery was fantastic!
Just before the three mile point we crossed under the County Road 150 Bridge. I was glad we didn't have to portage that bridge.
Below are pictures of an area I call the flutes.
This spot reminded me of pictures of other rivers of Southwest Texas where outcroppings of limestone form the riverbed. The currents cuts channels or "flutes" down these features. On the South Llano this section was too shallow to canoe, so we lined it. The flutes are about 3-1/2 miles down from the lower 377 Bridge. We took an early break here because, how often do you get to be in a place like this?
The still pictures do not capture the dynamics of this spot, maybe the short video above helps. The water was cool and pleasant on our feet, the sound was soothing. Here I was especially glad for my river shoes because the surface of the riverbed was abrasive.
About five miles from the put in we came across a second bridge. This was a mandatory portage.
This entire stretch of river was a series of Class I rapids separated by deeper pools of green/clear water. The deep areas were spaces to observe and enjoy the environment. The swifts were fast paced, low stress technical fun.
We didn't have the GoPro ready for the longest and most challenging rapid, but trust me, it's a good run.
To me, any river a downed tree can stretch across is a small stream. Small streams provide the opportunities and isolation often unavailable on larger waters.
The video above is of a fast piece of river and a bluff. Somewhere along the trip I became aware of the sweet smell of the grass. That was an unforeseen and pleasant aromatic dimension of the trip.
The video above is of another fast and light hearted shallow run.
I was beginning to think we wouldn't see any turkey or feral hogs on this run, but the South Llano didn't let us down. Towards the end we were able to get some video of six wild turkey! Other than the turkey, buzzards and axis deer already mentioned we also saw teal, white tail deer, and an osprey.
A little further down from where we saw the turkey we took a break on a gravel bar. I wanted to assure myself the energy for the short but challenging portage at the take out point. On this break we saw the feral hogs across the river, see the picture above and right.
At 4:15 we landed, just upstream the Park 73 Bridge. We had been on the river five hours. I have been on trips that ended too soon and a few that went longer than intended. This river trip ended at just the right time for my improving stamina.
With the canoe loaded on the van we went back to camp for a large supper with pork chops (from a feral hog) and an early bed time. It was Friday night and the weekend crowd was beginning to fill the park. I couldn't help but notice the canoes and kayaks in the parking lot of the walk in camp sites. I wanted to talk to those campers but I was too tired.
So what's my takeaway on this "upper" run of the South Llano?
Don't underestimate this Class I river. We earned every bit of those 10-3/4 miles. I am no white water expert, but I suspect a Class I determination is as much about the rivers volume and power as the obstacles. I consider the South Llano a small stream so, class rating aside the upper portion of the South Llano is very technical, demanding fast responses for the tight and twisted channel. If you get into trouble in the swifts you can usually hop out the canoe and solve the problem. Even so, this often shallow and twisted river showed me I can improve my paddle skills.
In being transparent and to borrow a phrase from heavy industry, we had several "near misses." We side swiped a dead tree pretty hard once, directly smashed a couple rocks, and jammed into a bluff. Once the bow of the canoe ground out on a gravel bar. I got a surprise splash of water over the stern that soaked my butt.
Something that really got my attention was when we momentarily hung amidships on a rock. For an instant I saw the water splash within two inches of the gunnel; only an instant and the water immediately lowered. Fortunately we did something to get off that rock. I am not certain anything calamitous would have happened but like I said, it got my attention.
As much as I would like to say a better canoe would make a difference, I just can not commit to that statement. Maybe it would, but there are other factors...like me. I was glad to have a tough canoe shorter than 17' for the South Llano. In the videos it is not always evident but some of the shallows are in reality just wet gravel bars on a grade. Its a flip of the "slip and slide" outdoor toy. Here, instead of a plastic slide the plastic canoe is a momentary river sled.
To surmise this aspect of the trip, we took in more water from getting back in the canoe than anything else, by far. We did not tump the canoe. It was thrilling but without the heart attack "OH CRAP!" moments. We portaged the canoe some and we made several linings. At times we paddled hard. By the end of the day I was as tired as the much longer, flat water trips made me.
I am glad I took my children on the shorter run further downstream in February. Strangely enough the lower portion of the river, that part closer to town, felt more remote and isolated. The run Geoff and I made was longer, more technical but with more urbanization.
Either way the scenery is astounding and graphic. Running the river mid week we met no one on the river. The South Llano is a clean stream and obviously scenic. Wildlife is abundant, the town of Junction is charming and the state park is true to West Texas, It's a wide open arid place with hills and a river bottom. I hope to return to the river and park, maybe next time after the pecan trees are be leafed out.
Thanks for reading!
Scott Moore
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