Three Spring-Fed Texas Hill Country Rivers

San Saba River Another relatively lazy spring-fed river, the San Saba flows northeast until it empties into the Colorado. It runs past the historic Presidio San Sabá, a fort built in the 1700s to guard the Spanish frontier from antagonistic Native American tribes. A genuine David Bowie (Bouie) signature is etched in one of the stone walls, and archaeology students and professors have gathered for the past few years to unearth secrets buried beneath the ground. The entire Hill Country region is rich with archaeological history – Apache, Caddo, Comanche, Wichita, and Kitsai to name a few. The riverbanks are lined with milkweed and other wildflowers on which hundreds of butterflies alight - Monarchs, Swallowtails, Gulf Fritillaries, Viceroys, and Buckeyes to name a few. The fall migration of Monarchs through Texas on their way to Mexico has become a well-loved phenomenon.

Llano River Morning mist rising on the river and limestone cliffs on the opposite bank, you’ll feel as if the Llano river has been taken right out of A River Runs Through It as you paddle through. The river has become a renowned fly-fishing river for hooking Guadalupe Bass, Texas’ state fish. Locals and outdoor enthusiasts have rediscovered this river’s spring-fed waters and several outfitters new and old now offer kayaking and fly fishing guiding services, lessons or equipment rentals. Fall offers perfect crisp mornings on which the classic morning mist rises, while spring offers scenic views of wildflowers from the riverbanks. The shallow rocky Llano River has short stretches of Class II water, and like the San Saba also flows northeast until it spills into the Colorado. Its sister, the South Llano, merges with it in the town of Junction.