The Comal River is the place to paddle board in New Braunfels: it’s short, clear, spring-fed and around 70–72°F all year, so it’s great on a quiet weekday or outside tubing season. For flat water with fewer tubes, launch on the Guadalupe at Cypress Bend Park or paddle Lake Dunlap, and for big open water, head 16 miles northwest to Canyon Lake.
New Braunfels works for paddling because two very different rivers meet in town. The Comal starts at Comal Springs in Landa Park and runs about 2.5 miles, entirely inside the city. The Guadalupe comes down from Canyon Dam through cypress-lined bends and small rapids. The downside is the crowds: roughly a quarter of a million people float the rivers each summer, so timing matters as much as location.
Quick answer
- First time on a board: Lake Dunlap or the Guadalupe at Cypress Bend Park, on a weekday.
- Clearest water: the Comal River, from Prince Solms Park, early morning or outside peak summer.
- Big open water and a rental on the beach: Canyon Lake, at Comal Park.
- Rapids and cypress trees: the Guadalupe below Canyon Dam, at normal flows, for confident paddlers.
- Summer weekends: avoid the Comal tube route. It’s packed with tubers.
The best places to paddle board in New Braunfels
Comal River
Directions
Best for: clear water, a short paddle, year-round outings. Gentle river current.
The Comal is the shortest navigable river in Texas, according to the City of New Braunfels: about 2.5 miles from the springs to where it joins the Guadalupe. Because it’s fed by the Edwards Aquifer, it stays clear and holds around 70–72°F all year, which makes it one of the few places in Texas you can comfortably paddle in winter.
Where to launch: Prince Solms Park (100 Liebscher) is the city’s Comal River access park. The city tube chute, a concrete water slide, is just downstream; it runs from roughly March to September and is built for tubes, so expect a crowd there. River access parks are open 6 a.m. to midnight. The Last Tubers Exit (661 S. Union Ave) has paid parking, but the city doesn’t let canoes and kayaks use it on weekends and holidays from May 1 to October 1, so plan a different exit on those days.
What to avoid: Don’t get in near Comal Springs in Landa Park. The Comal is home to several federally listed endangered species, and the city asks everyone to get in and out only at designated river access parks. On summer weekends the river is shoulder to shoulder with tubes; a weekday morning or the off-season is far more pleasant on a board.
Rentals and lessons: Paddle TX rents stand-up paddle boards, kayaks and tubes for the Comal and Guadalupe, offers private SUP lessons and runs night trips in clear-bottom kayaks. Its river base is at Hacienda del Rio, 1273 River Terrace, on the Guadalupe, and it runs the paddle boats at Landa Park (192 Landa Park Dr).
Good to know: The city temporarily closes the Comal when flow passes 600 cubic feet per second, and calls flows between 500 and 600 cfs “extreme caution.” Lifeguards work the tube chute on weekends in May and daily from June to mid-August only.
Guadalupe River at Cypress Bend Park
Directions
Best for: beginners and families, bring-your-own boards. Slow river water.
Inside the city, the Guadalupe is wide, slow and lined with big cypress trees. The city runs two access parks here: Cypress Bend Park (503 Peace Ave), with a gravel ramp and plenty of parking, and River Acres Park (501 Fair Lane), with limited parking and a carry to the water. Both are open 6 a.m. to midnight.
Where to paddle: From Cypress Bend you can paddle upstream and drift back, which avoids needing a shuttle. Expect tubers on summer weekends.
Good to know: The city posts flow levels for this stretch. Under 500 cfs, everything is open. From 500 to 750 cfs, children 8 and under must wear life jackets. From 750 to 1,000 cfs, everyone must wear one. Over 1,000 cfs, tubing stops and only rafting and kayaking are allowed, and over 3,000 cfs only guided rafting trips. A paddle board belongs in the lowest band. There are no lifeguards on this part of the river, and alcohol and glass are banned in city parks.
Lake Dunlap
Directions
Best for: flat-water practice and sunset paddles. Flat water, with powerboats.
Lake Dunlap is the reservoir on the Guadalupe just downstream of town. It drained in 2019 when its old dam failed; a new dam was finished in August 2023 and the lake was full again by late October 2023.
Where to launch: The city lists the Guadalupe River Turnaround (420 N. Elliot Knox Blvd), at the I-35 overpass, as its access to Lake Dunlap. From there you can paddle upstream toward town or downstream into the lake.
What to avoid: Lake Dunlap is a residential lake open to powerboats, and wakes build on summer afternoons. Stay near the bank, wear bright colors, and paddle early or in the evening.
Canyon Lake
Directions
Best for: open-water paddling, clear water, a beach day. Flat water, but wind and boat wakes.
Canyon Lake is an 8,230-acre Army Corps of Engineers reservoir about 16 miles northwest of New Braunfels, with around 80 miles of shoreline and limestone hills all around.
Where to launch: Comal Park (1178 Comal Park Rd) on the south shore and Canyon Park (1769 Canyon Park Rd) on the north shore are day-use parks run by the Water Oriented Recreation District (WORD). Their boat ramps are closed to trailered boats but open for launching kayaks and paddle boards. Entry is $5 per vehicle with a Comal County registration sticker and $20 for others at the time of writing. The parks are seasonal (Comal Park opens March through October), with limited entry hours, so check before you drive out.
Rentals and lessons: Paddle Canyon Lake rents single and tandem kayaks and stand-up paddle boards at Comal Park. It opens in spring on a limited schedule, goes weekends-only into late May, and then opens most days through summer (check its schedule, as it has closed midweek).
Good to know: Canyon Lake’s level swings a lot. It hit a record low in September 2023 after years of drought before rain refilled it. Low water changes where the beaches and ramps meet the lake. The main lake gets windy and busy with powerboats on summer weekends, so stick to the coves near the parks.
Guadalupe River below Canyon Dam (River Road to Gruene)
Directions
Best for: experienced river paddlers. River current with Class I–II rapids.
Below Canyon Dam, the Guadalupe runs about 20 miles to Gruene, much of it along River Road, under tall cypress trees. It’s beautiful, but it’s a real river: paddlers rate the stretch from the dam to First Crossing as Class II+, with named rapids such as Ponderosa, Devil’s Playground and Huaco Falls, plus a rapid at Gruene.
Where to launch: Most people float this river with an outfitter that runs a shuttle. In Gruene, Rockin’ R River Rides (1405 Gruene Rd) rents tubes, rafts and sit-on-top kayaks with shuttles on the Guadalupe and Comal. If you bring your own board, scout the rapids you’ll run and know where you’re getting out.
What to avoid: High water. Outside the city, the Water Oriented Recreation District sets the rules for this stretch: when flow is above 1,000 cfs, tubing isn’t allowed. On a paddle board, stay off well before that. Kneel through rapids, wear a helmet if you’re running the bigger drops, and use a quick-release waist leash, not an ankle leash that could snag on a rock or tree.
Good to know: Canyon Dam releases water from deep in the lake, so the upper river runs clear and cold, about 60°F near the dam. It’s also a stocked trout fishery in winter, so expect anglers from November to April and give them room.
When to go
New Braunfels has a long paddling season. The official tubing season kicks off on Memorial Day weekend and runs through the summer, but the best paddle board days are in spring and fall, when it’s warm and the rivers are quieter.
- Spring (March–May): warm days, green banks, fewer tubers. Watch for storms that can push flows up fast.
- Summer (June–August): hot and crowded. Paddle early, and skip the Comal on weekends.
- Fall (September–November): quiet rivers and warm water. Canyon Lake parks close at the end of their seasons.
- Winter: the Comal stays around 70–72°F, so it’s the one river you can paddle comfortably on a mild winter day.
Water temperature varies a lot by spot: around 70–72°F on the Comal all year, about 60°F on the Guadalupe right below Canyon Dam, and warmer downstream and on the lakes in summer. Our wetsuit check uses water and air temperature to suggest what to wear, and our Trip time calculator estimates how long a river run will take at your pace.
Rules and safety in New Braunfels
Texas treats a paddle board as a paddle craft. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife:
- Life jacket: carry a US Coast Guard–approved life jacket for each person. Children under 13 must wear one. See our pick of the best PFDs for SUP.
- Whistle: carry a sound-producing device.
- After dark: show a white light between sunset and sunrise.
New Braunfels has its own river rules for the Comal and for the Guadalupe inside city limits:
- No disposable containers. Cans, plastic bottles, zip-top bags, glass, foam cups and coolers, food wrappers and the like are all banned on the river. Use insulated tumblers and reusable containers. Violators can be fined up to $500.
- Coolers: one per person, 30 quarts or less, with a latch or zipper on the lid.
- Also banned: containers under 5 fluid ounces, volume drinking devices, jumping from bridges, and speakers you can hear more than 50 feet away.
- Vessel and tube limits: no vessels over 18 feet, two tubes per person, and round inflatables no wider than 5 feet.
- Flow-based life jacket rules on the Guadalupe (see above), and river closures at high water. The Comal closes above 600 cfs.
- No pets on the river, the city advises, and no alcohol in city parks.
Free loaner life jackets are available on a first-come, first-served basis at both rivers.
FAQ
Can you paddle board on the Comal River?
Yes. Launch at Prince Solms Park, keep away from Comal Springs in Landa Park, and go on a weekday or outside peak summer, when the river isn’t packed with tubes. Remember that canoes and kayaks can’t use the Last Tubers Exit on weekends and holidays from May to October.
Where can beginners paddle board in New Braunfels?
The Guadalupe at Cypress Bend Park and Lake Dunlap are the gentlest options in town. Canyon Lake’s Comal Park is also good on a calm morning, with rentals on site.
Can I bring a cooler or drinks on my paddle board?
Yes, but only in reusable containers inside city limits. Cans, plastic bottles and anything disposable are banned on the Comal and the Guadalupe in town, and coolers are capped at 30 quarts.
When is the Guadalupe River too high to paddle board?
Check the flow before you go. The city requires life jackets for everyone above 750 cfs and stops tubing above 1,000 cfs. On a paddle board, the lowest band (under 500 cfs) is the comfortable range.
Is there anywhere similar nearby?
Austin is under an hour north; see our guide to where to paddle board in Austin. If you’re choosing a board for rivers, our Board Fitter can suggest a size, and it’s worth reading what the best conditions for paddle boarding are before a river trip.
