Down the Guadalupe: maples, cypress and dance halls
A quieter Hill Country route following the Guadalupe River from a maple canyon past Kerrville and Comfort to the tubing towns of New Braunfels.
- Distance
- 196 km (122 mi)
- Driving
- 2 h 11 min
- Suggested days
- 3
- Stops
- 7
- States
- TX
- Updated
- May 22, 2026
At a glance: 3-day road trip of about 196 km (122 mi) with 7 stops, from Lost Maples State Natural Area to New Braunfels. About 2 h 11 min of driving in total.
Route description
Begin at Lost Maples State Natural Area near Vanderpool, whose canyon hides bigtooth maples that turn red in late October and November; outside that season it is a quiet place to hike. Back roads then lead north to TX-39, which follows the upper Guadalupe past summer camps and cypress-lined swimming spots at Hunt.
At Ingram, stop for the Stonehenge II replica on the grounds of the arts center, then follow TX-27 into Kerrville, which has a riverside trail, big RV parks and every service. TX-27 continues to Comfort, a small town founded by German freethinkers with a well-kept historic center.
Continue east to Guadalupe River State Park, where the river runs under enormous bald cypress trees and past limestone bluffs. It is excellent for swimming and tubing, but summer weekends fill to capacity, so reserve ahead.
Finish in Gruene, now part of New Braunfels, for an evening at Gruene Hall, the oldest continuously operating dance hall in Texas. New Braunfels has many tube outfitters for the Comal and Guadalupe; outside summer the whole route is calm and pleasant for a motorhome.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Lost Maples State Natural Area
NatureVanderpool, TXA limestone canyon sheltering a relict stand of bigtooth maples that turn red and gold in autumn. Peak color usually falls in late October to mid-November; arrive early on weekends.
- 252 km
Stonehenge II
OdditiesIngram, TXA near-full-size replica of Stonehenge, plus two Easter Island heads, on the grounds of an arts center by the Guadalupe. Free to wander and a fun leg-stretch west of Kerrville.
- 312 km
Kerrville
TX - 429 km
Comfort
TX - 550 km
Guadalupe River State Park
NatureSpring Branch, TXSeveral miles of river frontage under huge bald cypress trees, with limestone bluffs, swimming and tubing. Summer weekends fill up; come on a weekday or reserve a day pass.
- 647 km
Gruene Historic District
HistoryNew Braunfels, TXA preserved German cotton-town center with Gruene Hall, the oldest continuously operating dance hall in Texas. Come in the evening for live music; parking is tight on weekends.
- 75 km
New Braunfels
TX
