- The Blanco River Narrows are a swimming hole that can only be reached by a 14-mile-round-trip hike along a riverbed.
- Hikers can enjoy deep, clear pools and canyon walls covered in ferns. They will also be rewarded with otherworldly geological structures.
- To protect this gem, visitors should be well-prepared. They should also follow the principles of Leave No Trace.
Few things in Texas (besides BBQ) get Texans as excited and heated as an under-the-radar swimming hole. And tucked along the Blanco River in the Texas Hill Country lies a mythical swimming spot few have seen—or even heard of.
A small canyon is carved into the limestone, miles from any public road. A hidden world is revealed, full of deep pools and springs that trickle. All sounds stop as you descend the canyon from the dry riverbed. Only the spring water drips. The canyon walls are covered with maidenhair ferns, while curious fish swim to the surface. Their translucent fins spread out as they tread the water. The awe-inspiring sight is called the Blanco River Narrows.
Only the Narrows can be reached by a helicopter. challenging hike Through the (mostly dry) bed of the Blanco River. The Narrows can be a rewarding quest for adventurous adventurers.
Wes Ferguson is a Texas-based author and the author of “The Hidden Place” published in 2017.The Blanco River.” “It’s incredible.”
Eva Frederick/Travel + Leisure
The land surrounding the Narrows used to be owned by a wealthy family. They would allow people to park their cars on the property and then walk to the pools for a small charge. The Narrows are a bit harder to reach now. The Narrows is only accessible via two routes if you don’t know the landowners.
We chose to trek upstream this summer. The journey is more than 14-miles long, and begins at A. low-water bridge Chimney Valley Road is the best way to cross over the Blanco. The other route is slightly shorter, but requires more crossings of water.
Both entry points require hikers to stay in the riverbed—which is public land according to Texas law—the entire time to avoid trespassing. Remember that although it’s legal to walk along the riverbed until you reach the Narrows, landowners have still tried to intimidate people. After reading about hikers who returned to their car to find their tire slashed we decided to take a rideshare.
We were alone in the middle nowhere as we stepped from the car at dawn. The return trip would be a long one, with a lot of walking on uneven terrain. We’d also need to cross neck-deep water and endure the oppressive heat. We took in a big breath and stepped from the rocks by the low-bridge into the dark water.
The Narrows hike took us 4.5 hours. Our feet were unable to touch the ground at one point when the river was flooded. Most of the rest was dry. We walked on gentle gravel bars, or across smooth limestone expanses. We skirted around the edges and grassy bluffs of rocky cliffs.
The riverbed was widening as we approached its end. We were now navigating a field of boulders and tall grasses. It then narrowed again, becoming a rocky canal dotted with Sycamore trees. The rocky ground was replaced by solid sheets of water-carved limestone. The limestone bed finally split and revealed the gorge.
The first pool that we came across was cool, shallow, and green. As we swam along the length, the Narrows spread out before us. As we stair-stepped downstream, between the fern covered canyon walls, we found a series limestone shelves and deep pools. We tied 50 feet of rope around a column in the rocks, and then jumped into it.
The pools were beautiful, and the edges were smooth as glass. “One fascinating geological wonder [here] Ferguson. “They have been formed over the millennia from rocks that become stuck. [started] The water was flowing over the rocks and they were swirling. The potholes were created by the slow grinding of these small rocks swirling around. Legend says that they are bottomless.
The bottom was not visible. It may seem like the pools have no bottom, but they are between 20 and 50 feet deep. Some are interconnected underwater and I swam in between them. gorgeous submerged arches.
The Narrows is a quarter-mile long, and the canyon walls, which can reach 40 feet high, are sometimes only 10 feet apart. The lush, fern-covered springs of the Narrows stand out against the dry riverbed. I was curious as to why the Blanco came up from the ground at this spot.
Eva Frederick/Travel + Leisure
He says, “You know in a sense it doesn’t.” “The river flows underground below the riverbed. In that area, the riverbed cracks, so it’s like looking into a cave without a roof.
It was an incredible experience. I was grateful for it as we left the Narrows to hike the seven miles back to the bridge, where our friends would be waiting to pick us later in the day. Texas natural wonder. I’m not sure if I’ll make the trip again, but the beauty of Narrows will be in my dreams for many years to come.
Leave No Trace Principles are important to follow if you decide to visit this amazing place. Do not take any fossils or artifacts that you may find. Do some research before you start your hike. Although our trip to the Narrows wasn’t difficult, you can read online about other challenges you may face. Prepare yourself with rope, water and food. Stay in the riverbed to avoid trespassing. Purple paint markers are painted on rocks as you approach the Narrows to indicate private property boundaries.
Ferguson says that landowners “feel like they’re the protectors” of the magical place. “I can understand what they are saying, and the best way to convince the rest of the public to keep access is to show that we all value the landowners’ rights. [to it] “We can only protect and cherish this place by protecting it and cherishing it.”
