The Come and Take It Trail Begins Below One Dam and Ends Before Another

The Come and Take It Paddling Trail begins at Lake Wood Park. The actual put-in is about half a mile from park headquarters, on the Guadalupe River below H-5 Dam. From there, the route runs about 11 miles and usually takes four to six hours, depending on water level, flow, and wind.

This is a long trip meant for more experienced paddlers. The dammed reach often has a slow current and fairly steady level, but upstream or local rain can bring dangerous flooding. Each paddlecraft must carry a life jacket for every person and a sound-signaling device.

The scenic turn comes where the San Marcos River enters the Guadalupe. Pecans, elms, sycamores, cypress, and other riparian trees line the route. There are no sandbars for ordinary rest stops. Private banks generally require the landowner's permission; TPWD limits unapproved bank use to a portage needed to get around a hazard.

The take-out is on the left bank at Come and Take It Dock, before the hydroelectric dam. TPWD places the dock about 750 feet beyond the overhead caution sign and the dam about 900 feet beyond it. The confluence is the memorable middle, but the two dams give this paddle its fixed beginning and end.