Boerne Lake – the best lake to paddle near San Antonio?

Looking for a lake with swimming, picnic areas, plenty of parking, kayaking and more? What if you wanted to stay within a short 20-30 minute drive north of The Rim or La Cantera mall in north San Antonio?

You’re probably looking for Boerne Lake at Boerne City Lake Park. And you’d be happy if you found it, too – it’s my standard “go-to” for a close place to get on the water, and my favorite “close-to-home” option in the off-season.

Here’s why:

Waterfront and Beach: 4 out of 5 stars

There’s a wide, well-kept boat ramp to put in whatever you’re going to paddle, as well as a great dock for fishing or enjoying the frequent and fantastic sunsets. There’s 2 or 3 good but smaller beaches along the lakefront of the park that comfortably accommodate a few groups each.

The best beaches are highlighted in Green.
The boat ramp and fishing pier area is in Yellow.

Clean, Calm Water: 4 out of 5 stars

Why not a 5? Isn’t is a common place for open-water swimmers training for triathlons?

I reserve the ‘5 stars’ for that crystal clear water you’ll find few places such as the San Marco’s river – but Boerne Lake is calm (no motor boats allowed there) and a clean place to swim without wondering about weird bacteria or algae… looking at you, Austin and Galveston.

Boerne Lake can get windy, especially in the fall and winter, and I’ve seen more than one kayaker have to get more of a workout then they bargained for. When I stand-up paddle board there, I prefer to go on days when it’s not windy.

*Photo Credit: Isabell Marie Deal Photography*

Parking: 5 stars out of 5

You can unload or launch at the lake edge, or park alongside any of the day-use areas. I love how you can park along the road as well as the different parking lots along the way. On busy holidays or weekends when everyone wants to be at the lake at the same time, the parking can spill back into their overflow, but I’ve never heard of it running out of parking.

After you come through the gate you can go left to the boat-ramp side + 70% of the beach area, or go right and hit the rest of the park.

Picnic and day-use area: 4 out of 5

This is a hard one – I bounce between 3.5 and 4 stars.

Sometimes I wish more of the day-use areas has better “playable beach” access. But the truth is the picnic and play areas are really well laid out and maintained as the city balances keeping all the natural old oak trees for shade.

I love how much shade this park has on the lake-side of the road, I love how close the parking is, and I love how they have good picnic tables, some pavilions and basic amenities. It’s a great park that serves the city of Boerne well.

Its success is also its biggest problem – Boerne City Lake Park is in a small town (population 20,000-ish) just 20 miles north of San Antonio (population 1-million-too-many). So to prevent the fun, medium-size park from being overrun on those wonderful April and September weekends, they do have a toll-booth operating during certain months or weekends of the year. I think it’s worth it to pay $15 and enjoy my time, but that’s not realistic for everyone’s budget or may not feel worth if it if you just want to swing by for an hour. On occasion then will have a person from the city parks dept (Leslie Knope?) make sure boaters have life jackets and not using motors and such.

Check their website for current hours and if there is a fee (generally on the weekends between Memorial day and Labor day)

Official city park page for updates on hours, potential entrance fee’s, etc https://www.ci.boerne.tx.us/169/City-Lake-Park

Boerne Lake Facebook Page for updates on weather, crowd level, etc. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Boerne%20Lake/123886347659916/

MOMUMENTAL PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT – I am a terrible fisherman but even I have caught a fish from the pier here.

Overall – 4 out of 5

If you want to kayak, paddle board, do some kayak fishing or pier fishing, it’s a wonderful place. It’s you want to spend the day with friends and family, kids or adults, it’s also a great place for that, too!

October 3, 2020

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Seguin Paddle Trail at Starke Park

Seguin Paddle Trail at Max Starkey Park Review-01

Max Starke Park and the Sequin paddle trail could be the best place to paddle between San Antonio and Houston.

Special thanks to local SUP hero, long board legend, and guest writer Rusty.

NOTE: These pictures were taken on New Years Day! Imagine how nice this place is in the summer =)

The quality of the water: 4.5 out of 5 stars.

The entry point is approximately 30 yards prior to a small dam that diverted water to the old Seguin power plant – now its a restaurant. This keeps the water nice and calm for a gentle entry. The paddle distance is approximately 4-5 miles up river where Hwy 46 crosses the river. The view along the river consists of much of Starkey Park, to include the golf course. Otherwise, private homes line the river. Keep an eye out for the boat wrapped around the tree from a prior flood. There is one bend in the river where the water often collects a layer of slime but it is very small compared to the overall length of the paddle.

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The surrounding waterfront: 5 out of 5 stars.

The entry point into the river includes a concrete wall with gentle stairs to descend from the parking lot. The concrete wall also has ladders to provide for easy exit. On any given weekend you will find families swimming in this spot which can produce a bit of a crowd. If you go early it’s a ghost-town.

The parking & accessibility to the waterfront: 5 out of 5 stars.

As Starkey Park includes a golf course, the parking lot is directly adjacent to the river. There’s also parking along the road that follows the river. No parking restrictions are applied to park visitors.

Unlike Fiesta Texas, parking here is close, plentiful, spacious and free year-round.

The picnic & day use area: 5 out of 5 stars.

Along the river from the entry point and adjacent to the parking areas are a large number of picnic tables. Many locals come down to the park just to hang out or have a picnic and are generally friendly and curious about paddle boarding. Again, if you get there early you will not only have the river to yourself but also the ability to grab the picnic tables closest to the river entry point.

March 1, 2019October 12, 2020

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Why Kerrville might have better paddling than Austin

Here’s the list of the 5 best places to paddle board or kayak only 30 minutes from Boerne, Medina or Bandera.

At the risk of offending everyone in Austin – Kerrville has equal, if not more potential for river fun than anywhere within an hour drive of Lady Bird Lake.

If you like to swim, fish, picnic, cookout or play on the shore all in addition to paddling on calm, wide, protected river runs, then read on.

Kerrville has 4 places you need to know about plus 2 back-ups in case you can’t stay still. One of which is a hands-down, no brainer Top 10 in Texas list maker.

Louise Hays Park, in downtown Kerrville

Lousie Hays Park review Kerrville small-02

This should be the first place you paddle in Kerrville. I wish this could be the first place I take anyone from out of state to experience Texas.

Bonus – There is on-site kayak and sup rentals. In addition to the details below, one of the many perks about this place is even if you just show up on a spring or summer day, you can rent kayaks and paddle boards right at the park. Kerrville Kayak & Canoe (or KK&C) is the one outfitter who’s got permission from the city to operate at the park and brings a trailer of gear from their shop and sets up under the Sidney Baker Bridge. No excuse to not get on the water!

So here’s why the great rating:

Waterfront and Beach: 5 out of 5 stars.

The waterfront has gradual wade-in places as well as grassy, curbed edges so you can set your chair partway in the water or on the grass under the beautiful, large cypress trees that line the banks.

Can you drive up to put in a paddle board or kayak right by the water’s edge? Yes!

The public can drive right up to the water front under the Sidney Baker bridge and unload anything you want. Bring everything and the kitchen sink right to the water’s edge, but you’ll need to park back up in the normal parking lot when you’re done.

It’s easy to put in a SUP almost anywhere for a quarter mile stretch north along the river’s edge in the park. Couldn’t ask for it any easier.

Clean Calm Water? 4.5 out of 5 stars.

The river’s dam is a few hundred feet from the Sidney Baker bridge, and keeps the water level, deep, calm and enjoyable for kids to swim and play all along the park. You won’t see crystal clear to the bottom, so we’ll reserve the 5 out of 5 for that rare occation. However they city takes excellent care of the park and river’s cleanliness so it’s a great place to ‘accidently’ knock your friend off their SUP if they look like they’re breaking a sweat. PS you’re in Texas, you’ll break a sweat.

Parking: 5 stars out of 5

You can unload at the river’s edge, or park at one of the three lots inside the park: One by the large pavilion on the north edge of the park, one in the middle, and one on the south by the walking trail. Or on crazy busy holiday weekends there is overflow parking in the shopping center across the street on the south west side.

Picnic and day-use area: 5 out of 5.

This park has it all. And it’s so large it can accommodate the entire town and surrounding area for the 4^th of July and still not feel over crowded.

It has a splash pad for kids and toys to play on, walking trails, bbq pits and tables, a dog park, volley ball courts reservable pavilions, miles of paved walking trails… and more.

This place is a gem, and everyone within an hour drive can try to spoil it by coming at once yet it can still handle the crowd.

If you have a bad time here it’s either you’re fault or the weather’s. It’s not the City of Kerrville who basically solidified that their city center will be enjoyable for decades to come.

So high-five, Kerrville! Awesome park.

Oh… there’s 4 other places you need to know about.

Kerrville-Schreiner Park 5/5. Total gem. “Flatrock Lake” by the locals
Nimitz Lake (only called that on Google maps) / Town Lake
Flatrock Park – the old dog park. There’s nothing there but free to get into.
Ingram Lake

Ready to paddle? Check out my GEAR REVIEWS

Side-by-Side reviews of Electric SUP pump and my recommendation

Some electric pumps I recommend are these:

I always use this better one for around $95.
But if price is an issue, a “good enough” one is under $60. I have one of these too, but it’s not my first choice. It takes longer to inflate.
And if you don’t want an electric pump, but want to upgrade, I recommend these giant hand pumps.