>> THE GUADALUPE RIVER,
LIKE MANY RIVERS,
CAN BE DECEIVING.
>> MOST OF THE TIME IT IS A
PLACE FOR FUN AND RECREATION.
OTHER TIMES IT CAN BE
DEVASTATING AND DEADLY.
>> HE'S GONE, HE'S GONE!
(flood waters raging)
>> THE GUADALUPE IS ONE OF
THE FEW RIVERS THAT BEGIN
AND END IN TEXAS.
IT'S A UNIQUELY TEXAN RIVER
AND REFLECTS MANY ASPECTS
OF THE STATE AS IT TRAVELS
TOWARDS THE GULF.
THE GUADALUPE FLOWS FROM THE
CENTER OF TEXAS TO THE COAST.
ONE OF THE HEADWATERS EMANATES
FROM 6000 ACRES AT THE KERR
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA.
THE GUADALUPE GIVES THIS PART
OF THE HILL COUNTRY
ITS IDENTITY.
(water flowing)
THE RIVER IS SURROUNDED
BY SUMMER CAMPS, RESORTS
AND VACATION HOMES.
THROUGHOUT THIS AREA,
TALL CYPRESS TREES LINE
THE GUADALUPE'S BANKS.
(guitar music)
JUST DOWNSTREAM, NEAR
SAN ANTONIO IS A UNIQUE PARK
THAT NEIGHBORS A NATURAL AREA.
>> GUADALUPE RIVER STATE PARK
AND HONEY CREEK STATE
NATURAL AREA ARE
ADJACENT TO EACH OTHER
AND TOGETHER THEY'RE
ABOUT 4200 ACRES.
WE'RE DOWN HERE ON THE RIVER
AND THAT BRINGS THE MAIN FORCE
OF ACTIVITY,
ANY KIND OF RIVER SPORT YOU CAN
THINK OF IS WHAT DRAWS PEOPLE
HERE BUT THERE'S ALSO HIKING
TRAILS, MOUNTAIN BIKING
AND HORSEBACK RIDING.
>> ONE OF THE BEST KEPT SECRETS
HERE IS A SPECIAL PLACE
KNOWN AS HONEY CREEK.
>> HONEY CREEK IS A STATE
NATURAL AREA.
IT'S DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO
GUADALUPE RIVER STATE PARK.
PUBLIC ACCESS TO IT IS FROM
THIS PARK AND IT'S BY GUIDED
TOUR ONLY,
THE MAIN ATTRACTION TO HONEY
CREEK IS THE CREEK ITSELF.
IT'S A VERY PRISTINE RIPARIAN
AREA WHERE THE CREEK FEEDS OUT
OF A CAVE THAT'S JUST OFF OF
OUR PROPERTY,
A SPRING THAT COMES OUT OF THAT
CAVE AND RUNS DOWN THROUGH SOME
BEAUTIFUL TERRAIN,
UNIQUE VEGETATION FOR THE HILL
COUNTRY OF TEXAS AND EVENTUALLY
FEEDS INTO THE GUADALUPE RIVER.
>> ANOTHER UNIQUE FEATURE OF
BOTH SITES IS THEIR CONVENIENT
LOCATION.
>> IT'S PUBLIC LAND ON A
BEAUTIFUL, RELATIVELY
PRISTINE RIVER,
JUST 20 MINUTES TO 30 MINUTES
AWAY FROM A MAJOR POPULATION
CENTER WHICH IS SAN ANTONIO,
SO PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT
ORDINARILY BE ABLE TO GET OUT
AND ENJOY THIS KIND OF
ENVIRONMENT ARE ABLE TO BECAUSE
IT'S PRESERVED AS PUBLIC LAND.
>> DOWNSTREAM FROM THE PARK IS
CANYON LAKE,
THE LARGEST IMPOUNDMENT ON
THE GUADALUPE.
IT'S ALSO A POPULAR VACATION
SPOT WITH ALL TYPES OF WATER
RECREATION.
FROM CANYON LAKE,
THE GUADALUPE FLOWS THROUGH
THE TOWN OF NEW BRAUNFELS.
THIS STRETCH OF THE RIVER,
FROM THE CANYON LAKE DAM TO
NEW BRAUNFELS,
IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR
AREAS IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER
FOR THE RIGOROUS AND
COMPETITIVE SPORT OF TUBING.
IT'S HERE WHERE TEXAS PARKS AND
WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT GAME
WARDENS TRY TO KEEP THE RIVER
SAFE AND FRIENDLY.
>> Y'ALL HAVE A SAFE TRIP,
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.
>> LOT OF FAMILIES OUT HERE
TODAY, WE'RE GLAD TO SEE THAT.
WE WANT THESE RIVERS TO BE
A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME
AND ENJOY THEMSELVES
AND BRING THEIR KIDS OUT
AND ENJOY THEIR NATURAL
HERITAGE WHICH ARE THESE
SCENIC AND WILD RIVERS OF TEXAS.
>> GAME WARDENS ALSO COOPERATE
WITH OTHER LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS DURING
FLOODS AND OTHER EMERGENCIES.
THOUGH THIS PART OF THE
GUADALUPE IS MOST FAMOUS FOR
FLOODS AND FLOATING...
>> HERE WE GO, COME ON!
>> FISHING IS ALSO A POPULAR
ATTRACTION.
IT'S ONE OF THE FEW PLACES IN
TEXAS WHERE YOU CAN CATCH A
FRESHWATER TROUT.
>> LET'S SEE, COME ON.
AND, THERE HE GOES!
>> THE STATE FISH OF TEXAS ALSO
INHABITS THESE WATERS,
APPROPRIATELY NAMED,
THE GUADALUPE BASS.
>> THEY FIGHT, POUND FOR POUND,
PROBABLY THE STRONGEST RIVER
FISH YOU CAN GET.
>> LAST STOP FOR THE GUADALUPE
RIVER IS THE GUADALUPE DELTA
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA,
ANOTHER LARGE TRACT OF PUBLIC
LAND DEDICATED TO WILDLIFE.
(boat motor)
THE DIVERSITY OF WILDLIFE IN
THESE WETLANDS IS TRULY
AMAZING.
(geese honking)
JUST PAST THE GUADALUPE DELTA,
THE RIVER FLOWS INTO
MISSION LAKE,
SAN ANTONIO BAY, AND
EVENTUALLY, THE GULF OF MEXICO.
(music)
THE GUADALUPE RIVER FLOWS FROM
THE VERY HEART OF TEXAS.
ALMOST ANYTHING TEXAS PARKS AND
WILDLIFE DOES CAN BE SEEN ALONG
ITS BANKS AND IN ITS WATERS.
IF YOU LIVE IN TEXAS LONG
ENOUGH,
YOU'LL PROBABLY EXPERIENCE
THE GUADALUPE IN SOME WAY.
THEN YOU'LL KNOW WHY SO MANY
WORK SO HARD TO PROTECT IT.
(water flowing)