Kayaking to Zedler Mill Dam

Kayaking is probably one of my all time favorite outdoor activities, though it is not always the easiest thing to do on your own. Fortunately, I have a great paddling partner in my Dad. The paddle to Zedler Mill Dam is one of my favorite paddling trails for a quite a few reasons.

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The Trail

This paddling trail is located on the spring fed San Marcos River near the city of Luling, TX. The water is chilly all year round, so be prepared. Though I have to admit, in the Texas summer it feels amazing. The put-in location for this paddle is located off HWY 90 within Paddling Trail Park, maintained by the City of Luling. The trail itself is 6 miles long and typically takes about 2 hours for my dad and me to complete. There are mile markers along the river bank to let you know how far you are from Zedler Mill Dam.

Hazards

There are a few class 1 rapids along this section of the river, and be aware of all the debris in the river. Every time we kayak this trail there are new obstructions in the water along the way. They range from a branch, to shallow water areas, to fallen trees. All of these can be navigated without having to portage, but know your abilities, as the obstructions typically are accompanied by fast moving water. This means once you decide to go one way, you can’t change your mind. Evaluate the hazards and flow before you paddle through an area to ensure that path is the best.

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All the property along the rivers edge is private from when you leave the put-in location until you get 6 miles down the river to Zedler Mill Dam. However, “The San Marcos River is classified as navigable, which permits public use of the streambed and, if necessary, the banks to portage any hazard (TPWD).”

Wildlife

We always manage to see wildlife on this paddle. Alligator Gar are very common in the river, especially where the water is moving slower. We have see a few Javelina, Deer, lots of Egrets and Heron, as well as Hawks, Owls, and more. The river bank has many huge Cypress trees, Oak trees, and Pecan trees. You will also be guaranteed to see, and smell, the cattle from the pastures which surround this portion of the river.

Take-Out at Zedler Mill Dam

After 6 miles of paddling I am always itching to get out of the boat and stretch my legs. Be forewarned, the take-out location for this paddling trail is MUDDY! Located in the Zedler Mill Park South on the right hand side of the river is the boat ramp and take-out location. You, and your kayak, will get muddy on the way out of the water and up a small hill. But, you did it! You finished 6 miles of beautiful paddling in Texas.

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Before You Go

TPWD maintains information on many of the paddling trails across the state here. This particular paddling trail is listed on their site, though there are many other places I have kayaked that are not listed here. Luling, TX is approximately two and a half hours from Houston and about an hour from San Antonio.

For this trail there are a few options to coordinate vehicles.

• Two vehicles: drop off vehicle #1 at the take-out location and drive to the put-in location. Leave vehicle #2 at the put-in location and paddle to the take-out. Go get vehicle #1 from the put-in location with vehicle #2, load kayaks and go home.
• Two vehicles + someone who is not paddling: drop off vehicle #1 at the take-out location and drive to the put-in location. The person not paddling then drives back to the take-out location and leaves vehicle #2 at the take-out location and departs in vehicle #1. Paddle to the take-out location and drive home immediately after in vehicle #2.
• One vehicle + someone who is not paddling: drive to the put-in location in vehicle. Paddle to the take-out location and call person who did not paddle to come get you. Be sure to buy them a beer afterwards.
• For the Zedler Mill Paddling Trail you can schedule a shuttle service and rent kayaks, that information is here, at the bottom of the page.

There is no fee to leave a vehicle parked at either the put-in or take-out locations. We have never experienced issues leaving a vehicle at either spot.

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Leave No Trace

I always kayak with a dry bag or two, plenty of water, and occasionally a snack. I make sure to keep my trash at a minimum. It is always contained in my boat, and usually I place smaller trash items in my dry bag. At the end of this paddling trail there are trash bins the throw your trash away. My dad and I always try to do our part to leave the river better than we found it by picking up a few pieces of trash on each paddle. This makes the trail more enjoyable for future users, which include us!

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Check the blog archives or the outdoor page for more kayaking posts!

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