At James Kiehl Park, the Guadalupe Runs Past a Memorial

James Kiehl River Bend Park is built around two terraces beside the Guadalupe. Its entrance is at 118 River Bend Road in Comfort. The upper level has walking trails, picnic areas, and a wildlife observation blind. The lower terrace runs the full length of the park along 1,634 feet of riverfront.

The lower terrace is where the park opens to the river. People can swim, fish, and launch kayaks there. Up above, a walk or picnic still works when getting in the water is not the plan. The two levels give the same bend of the Guadalupe two different rhythms.

The name gives the river bend another meaning. James Kiehl was raised in Comfort and fought in the Iraq War. The park is a memorial to him and his service. That memorial is woven into ordinary park life: a trail on the upper terrace, a fishing line below, and kayaks leaving the bank.