Cuero's River Bridges Double as Paddling Mileposts

Around Cuero, ordinary bridge names become a river itinerary. The Guadalupe Valley Paddling Trail begins at FM 766, locally called Hell's Gate, passes SH 72 and an alternate access under Highway 183, and ends at FM 236. The full route is about 13.8 miles, with a typical float time of three to eight hours depending on water, wind, and flow.

SH 72 divides the trail into useful pieces. The upstream section from FM 766 is 6.6 miles; the downstream section to FM 236 is 7.2 miles. Highway 183 also provides an emergency take-out about 2.6 miles below SH 72. A road map that once showed crossings now works as a set of river mileposts.

The upper section holds one old complication: remnants of a dam about 2.5 miles below FM 766 must be paddled around. Low water can expose snags, while heavy rain can bring dangerous high flows and poor water quality. Between those cautions, the riparian corridor carries boxelder, ash, sycamore, elm, egrets, herons, and kingfishers. The bridges divide the trip, but the river ties the pieces together.