TFF:

I'm looking for someplane new to go for a fall weekend trip with one of my kids in a tandem yak.

Has anybody here run the Leon or Lampasas Rivers from the Lake Belton or Stillhouse Hollow dams down to Little River Academy ? Is is navigable ? Any fish ? Any hazards ?

Same questions - has anybody run Salado Creek from Salado to Little River Academy ?

I've looked at Google maps and measured the river distance with Google Earth. Sw Paddler didn't have any information. If there is water being released from the dam it looks like it could be a day trip on the Leon or Lampasas Rivers.

Yak24

This address will give you flows at various locations but you need to see the water to know if it is Ok to paddle:

http://www.brazos.org/USGSGaugingSystem.asp

A lot of rivers can be OK at times and dangerous high or to low to navigate depending on the water flow.

You can't trust Google to tell you if something is navigable. You can use Google to get launch point ideas but check things out carefully before trying a new section of river.

Thanks for that RealBigReel, I agree you've got to know the area because the flow rate doesn't tell you everything.

BTW, I like using this:
http://waterwatch.usgs.gov/?m=real&w=gmap&regions=tx
rather than going through the BRA site because it will give you access to the whole state and defaults to graphing the flow instead of showing a data table.

Has anybody out there actually been down these rivers ?

I've been on all these. The Leon and Lampasas are difficult to access. Public access at highway crossings is very steep and brushy. Water is a little low on the Lampasas above Stillhouse right now. Need at least 75 cfs at Kempner to avoid dragging. With adequate flow, the trip from HWY 195 to Gravel Crossing is a good day trip with great fishing.

The Lampasas below Stillhouse should only be attempted when the release is less than 1000 cfs from Stillhouse Dam. If it's below 100, don't even think about it. You might as well try kayaking down I-35. Between 100 cfs and 1000 cfs, you can put in at Chalk Ridge Falls below the dam and kayak down to I-35. Access at I-35 is difficult because of new road construction, but it's doable. This is only 3 miles so it's a short trip. The next possible take out is FM 1123, but it's a very steep bank and the private property is jealously guarded by landowners with no place to leave a vehicle. This is an all day trip from the dam to 1123. The last time I tried this, there were 2 impassable log jams in the river and we had to chain gang our boats over them. No fun...

Salado Creek is only navigable during periods of high water brought on by flooding. We just had a flood in early September, but the creek is back down to normal now. Estimate you would have to drag about 40% of the way. Also, some property owners along Salado Creek have never heard of the Navigable Streams laws and will try to run you off. You can put in in downtown Salado and go all the way to Armstrong Road. No where to park at Armstrong, so you need someone to pick you up. Landowners are grouchy along the left side just below Amity Rd.

The Leon below Belton Lake is good if releasing less than 1000 cfs from the dam. You can put in at Miller Springs Park below the lake and go 5 miles to Heritage Park in Belton. Just be out of Miller Springs before sunset, or you're vehicle will be trapped there since they lock the gates. You can continue down the Leon below Heritage Park but you have to portage a 15 foot dam. The next takeout is I-35, but it's a sheer 25 foot bank. The next takeout is Hwy 93 and it's doable, but the banks are steep and brushy.

One trip to consider is the Little River from Hwy 36 to Hwy 95. Both bridges have decent access and it's good fishing. (Little River is formed by the junction of the Leon River and Nolan Creek.) The Lampasas River and Salado Creek run into Little River near the town of Little River-Academy.

You can PM me if you have more questions. I live in Salado and run an kayak shop/outfitter service called Salado Creek Outfitters located on I-35.

Most of my river trips are on the Colorado between Austin and Bastrop, the South Llano, Brazos, and Guadalupe.

Jeff W.

Jeff, thanks for the great info. I've seen your store on I-35 but never stopped in. I will now !

Great info, sounds like tough places to boat, but great info nonetheless. I've also seen your shop and mean to stop in some day.

Gravel crossing down to the long bridge that crosses the lake is a nice paddle.If there's no flow in the Lampassas,it will be ALL paddle.Gravel crossing is off of 2484 Plenty of sceenery,LMB,maybe a few whitebass up the river early,and plenty of catfish.You'll alot of wildlife too,deer,beaver,hogs,maybe even one of stillhouse's gators if you're lucky.Easy in and out at both places too.

Gravel crossing down to the long bridge that crosses the lake is a nice paddle.If there's no flow in the Lampassas,it will be ALL paddle.Gravel crossing is off of 2484 Plenty of sceenery,LMB,maybe a few whitebass up the river early,and plenty of catfish.You'll alot of wildlife too,deer,beaver,hogs,maybe even one of stillhouse's gators if you're lucky.Easy in and out at both places too.

I have done the float from gravel crossing down to the long bridge and it is a nice half day paddle. It is good if the water temp is a little low because it is all deep water so you dont have to get out. The fishing can be a little slow because it is all the same, lots of cover but no gravel bars or anything to fish. I did the float from 195 down to gravel crossing and it was a long trip, took us about 12 hours, there was alot of getting in and out to get through low water gravel crossings. If the water had been running a foot higher it would have been a nice paddle. The float from below belton dam to heritage park is also a nice half day float, I did this float last august and got a chance to see a lot of bass but only caught a few.

jw