Guadalupe River State Park: a $7 river day near Boerne

Guadalupe River State Park covers about 1,900 acres along the spring-fed Guadalupe River, roughly 13 miles east of Boerne off State Highway 46 on Park Road 31, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife and the City of Boerne. From San Antonio it is about 30 miles north, a half hour in the car.

Day-use entry is $7 per adult, ages 13 and up, with children 12 and under free. Inside you get about four miles of river frontage, roughly 13 miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails, and a 5-mile paddling trail on the water, per the TPWD paddling trails map.

The river is the whole show. Clear and cool, it runs over limestone shelves between bald cypress and bluffs, with wide sandbars for spreading out. Swimming, tubing, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing all happen in the same stretch, and on a summer day the current does most of the work on a tube.

One honest note: the river can rise fast after upstream storms, and the park posts water conditions at the gate. When it is clear, this is the best free-flowing swim hole within a short drive of Boerne.

Beyond the water, the park holds about 13 miles of trails across limestone hills, oak and juniper woodland, and grassland, good for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. Camping and picnicking run along the river, and the birding is worth the walk all on its own. TPWD

Next door, the Honey Creek State Natural Area opens by guided tour, a separate chance at the quiet side of the same watershed, with a spring creek and old-growth woodland.

A few details make the day smooth: wear river shoes, because the limestone ledges are slick; pack water and sun protection, because shade is patchy; and arrive early on summer weekends, because the river day-use lot fills on hot Saturdays.

The math is friendly for families, $7 per adult and free for kids 12 and under, with camping available if you want to turn one day into two.

Thirteen miles west is the town that makes this park so convenient. Boerne's Hill Country Mile, Cibolo Nature Center, and Boerne City Lake put a full weekend together in one small circle.

New to the area? The Boerne landing page and the 2026 Boerne relocation guide cover the schools, the commute, and the neighborhoods behind that easy drive.

There is a reason Boerne families treat this park as their summer backyard. If clear water and Hill Country pace sound like home, let's look at the neighborhoods that put you closest to it. Call or text 210-744-5478 or use the contact page, no pressure, just the honest picture.