Guadalupe River State Park

Pepper 2's First Trip

These are the "rapids"? So low ☹️

Took a one-night trip to hit this State Park on the way to the Frio. I got two nights and my intentions were to not stay Tuesday night, but leave out first thing in the morning and get there early. Well...45 minutes into my trip, I had a blowout on the camper. A couple was behind me and they pulled over to see if I need help. The cop sitting there trying to catch speeders never even acknowledged me, even though I drove directly in front of him with the blowout tire facing him. Luckily, only a small amount of damage and it's drivable. Construction delays and the office was closed for lunch by the time I got there. FINALLY got set up in the site and things were fine from then on. 

Mid-week is pretty quiet. I'm sure it gets super busy on weekends by looking at the size of the parking lots by the river. Pepper and I walked a couple trails and cooled off in the Guadalupe. I fixed a light late lunch/early supper and we walked around our camping loop. Went to the Bird Blind in the morning and headed out before the clouds, rain and thunder arrived. The Hill Country needs every drop it can get so I'm not complaining! Headed to Bandera at eat at OST!

Dates:  July 17-18 , 2024 🌞
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Guadalupe River State Park 

Spring Branch, TX

Check In: 2 pm   Check Out: 12 pm
🚧 Gates are closed and locked from 10 pm-8 am. There is a code if you need to access it after hours.
👩🏻‍💼 Staff was friendly and helpful
✔️ 🚻 Restrooms
✔️ 🚿 Showers
✔️ 💩 Dump Station
✔️ 🚶🏻‍♀️🚴🏻‍♀️ Trails
✔️ 🌊 Water access - Guadalupe River is VERY low. Almost no flow
❌ 🏚 Cabins
❌ 🐕 Off-leash dog park
❌ 🧺 Laundry facility
✔️ 🛒 Store - small souvenir type things

✔️ Walk-in campsites

✔️ Discovery Center

✔️ Amphitheater

✔️ Bird Blind

📋 Site #46

🔙 Back In

🅿 Site Pad: Asphalt, level, narrow
↔ Spacing: Plenty of space and vegetation between sites
🌳 Open Shade
✔️ 💧 Water, faucet high enough for inline filter to hang down
✔️ ⚡ Electric 20/30/50
❌ 💩 Sewer
✔️ 🔥 Fire Ring w/Grate (but in a Fire Ban - no charcoal or wood fires)
✔️ Picnic Table on concrete

📶 Signal: AT&T/FirstNet 9.36 ⬇️ 3.99 ⬆️   Verizon 17.3  ⬇️ 0.35 ⬆️

Notes:

• Lantern Hook
  
• Almost across from the restrooms/showers
• Trailhead behind the showers
• Big, level tent pad (or great place for kids to play)
• ❗Lots of Daddy Longlegs on the restrooms in the morning 🕷️

🏕 Regular cost per night $24 + $7/person/day
       Discount: Texas Parks Pass saved $26
My total cost for 2 nights: $36 = Avg $18/night (but I only stayed one night)
🚘  173.9 miles one way - 9.3 mph
⛽ Gas price $2.83/gal after Exxon rewards = $33.00
💲 Trip cost $69

💜💜💜 Highlights of this trip💜💜💜

 

❓ Why I went: To try camping with Pepper alone before meeting up with friends at the Frio for the weekend
 👩🏻 Who I went with: Pepper 2 (her first camping trip with me)
 👀 Things I saw: Quite a few open sites (mid-week)

🐦 Wildlife I encountered: Deer, Striped lizards, Cardinals, Painted Buntings, Chickadees, Lesser Goldfinches, White-winged doves, Titmice, Ruby-throated hummingbirds. They have a nicely stocked Bird Blind. 

🚶🏻‍♀️Trails I walked: Turkey Sink Trail, Bald Cypress Trail 1.86 mi, 95' elevation gain, Turkey Sink Loop (roads) .59 mi, 13' elevation gain
 🍽 Where I ate: In the camper and at the picnic table
 📚 What I learned: There are still some good people in this crazy world. The Guadalupe is at 0 flow rate here. Too many people siphoning it out - and wasting it. ☹️
 🤣 A laughable moment: Pepper played in the water like a little kid
 😮 A surprising moment: THANK GOD for the guardian angels couple who pulled in right behind me to help me change the blown out tire. He had the jacks and power tools and it didn't take too long. They wouldn’t take any compensation. Who knew that angels spoke Spanish? 😇
 

🙃 An unforeseeable moment:  Had a blowout on passenger side rear tire on camper about 45 minutes into the trip! 😯

🕑Construction in various places. Some stop and go traffic and a pilot car. This 3 hour trip took almost SIX!!!

🌧️A light rain shower. The Hill Country can use ever drop it gets!

🛍️ My favorite souvenir: Stamps for my Passport books, magnet for the fridge, medallion for my walking stick 

🗨️ Join us on Discord to discuss more about RVing Texas 💬

Handy products for this trip:

🛒 40" Portable Dog Pen

🛒 Camco Trailer Aid Plus

🛒 Retractable Dog Leash with Light, Large Grip, Hook for Poop Bags

Be sure to check out my Gadgets & Gear page to see some other products from Amazon that I have used.