re: River tubing in the south.

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Guadalupe or Comal in central Texas

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The Guadalupe is great, but I strongly discourage tubing on the Comal.

1. It's fairly short and slow flowing to really enjoy it. There are some areas where you can find shade, but most stretches of the river you'll be baking.
2. It gets extremely crowded on weekends. Makes it difficult to stop along a bank to regroup and find someone who may have gotten seperated.
3. The tube chute can frick you over, spill out your ice chest, and easily seperate you from your group if you're not ready for it. The chute is fun if it's just you and your tube, but if you are not prepared to be fliped over and swim, it's a giant hassle, especially if you lose your stuff to the rapids.
4. The city of New Braunfels has really strict rules regarding what you can have on you in the river. Everything from tube size, ice chest size, and especially containers (no glass, styrofoam, and aluminum cans). They have river rangers that will hassle you about it.

If you going to stay around New Braunfels, my suggestion is to do the Guadalupe where they have tubing places right next to Gruene that takes you to Cypress Bend Park. It's a longer float, much less crowded, and has a lot of shaded and shallow areas to post up at. If you go further north of New Braunfels along river road, but south of Canyon Lake/White Water, it's exceptionally scenic and the can ban is not in effect there. There are also more options to do longer floats there too.

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no glass, styrofoam, and aluminum cans

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So what do you drink besides water in plastic bottles?

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The Guadalupe is great, but I strongly discourage tubing on the Comal.

1. It's fairly short and slow flowing to really enjoy it. There are some areas where you can find shade, but most stretches of the river you'll be baking.
2. It gets extremely crowded on weekends. Makes it difficult to stop along a bank to regroup and find someone who may have gotten seperated.
3. The tube chute can frick you over, spill out your ice chest, and easily seperate you from your group if you're not ready for it. The chute is fun if it's just you and your tube, but if you are not prepared to be fliped over and swim, it's a giant hassle, especially if you lose your stuff to the rapids.
4. The city of New Braunfels has really strict rules regarding what you can have on you in the river. Everything from tube size, ice chest size, and especially containers (no glass, styrofoam, and aluminum cans). They have river rangers that will hassle you about it.

If you going to stay around New Braunfels, my suggestion is to do the Guadalupe where they have tubing places right next to Gruene that takes you to Cypress Bend Park. It's a longer float, much less crowded, and has a lot of shaded and shallow areas to post up at. If you go further north of New Braunfels along river road, but south of Canyon Lake/White Water, it's exceptionally scenic and the can ban is not in effect there. There are also more options to do longer floats there too.

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this man speaks the truth

i was in college during the wild west days of the Comal before there were so many restrictions on it, and it still honestly wasnt that great. while i'm sure the rules have made the river much cleaner and prettier, which i'm in favor of in general, it cant have improved the tube floating experience.

the guadalupe is much better all around - better scenery, better rapids, more shade, more options for a longer float

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have heard from several friends that the San Marcos River is popular with the college students at the university there.

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It's a bit further drive from Austin than the other popular one, but is way better. Great scenery and clear water.

Ichetucknee.

Ha ent been in many years but the last one I did was the Hiawassee (sp?) in Tennessee. I do remember the water to be pretty damn cold though. I wanna say the water temp was in the 67-69 degree range when we went. They were telling us it was just on the cusp of having to wear a wetsuit. Anyway, I got incredibly drunk and incredibly sunburnt. My knees and tops of my feet were blistered bad.

So, have fun...

That’s why I love that my aunt lives on it. We can run up to caddo gap and float down to her house and not have to deal with the outfitters.

She lives past the bridge in Glenwood and there’s not a lot of people who float that section down to the hwy 182 bridge in Amity.

And since my family’s hunting lease is right by Lake Degrey, sometimes we will float from 182 to Amity landing boat ramp. Lots of good fishing on that stretch.

Okatoma is ok for Mississippi.

not sure if they have an tubing option, but they canoe isnt bad.

It’s the Frio…..end thread. I lived through the Guadalupe and Comal days both pre and post can ban… the Frio has better views and less people.