Smithville

Take the adventure of a lifetime on our River Camping Trip. Book now!

Not for beginners. Can be a one or two night trip. There are numerous camping spots.

• Duration: 2-3 Days
• Starting point: Bastrop River Co / Fisherman's Park
• Ending point: Hwy 95 bridge Smithville

Long Paddle Trail

Wilbarger Paddle Trail - A great full day on the water! We shuttle you up river and you spend the day kayaking or canoeing back to us! 14 River Miles Approx. 5 - 8 hours

A FULL DAY kayak and canoe trip! NOT FOR BEGINNERS

Most of the trip is calm and easy to navigate. Depending on river conditions hazards may vary. In low water conditions hazards may be more difficult to avoid. Talk to one of our outfitters if uncertain about your skill level.

A great full day of kayaking or canoeing! We shuttle you up to the starting point and you float back to us. Must have a reservation for this trip (no walk ins) and please arrive early for brief orientation. Trip starts daily at 9AM.

• 14 river miles
• Duration: Approx. 5-8 hours on the water
• Put-in: Utley Bridge on FM 969
• Take-out: Bastrop River Company
• Shuttle service included
• Numerous places to stop along the way to swim, picnic, or just chill

River Camping - El Camino

The perfect river camping trip for a quick and easy escape into nature!

Check in time is flexible (anytime between 9am and 2pm). You have until 5pm the following day to reach the takeout. There are numerous places to camp along the way.

• Duration: 2 Days

River Camping - Wilbarger

Our most popular river camping trip!

A great stretch of river for kayak fishing or just a casual float. Camping is primitive (no amenities) on or near Scout Island. Total float is 14 miles (Day 1 = 8, Day 2 = 6). Total float time (less time spent fishing or stopping) approx. 8 hours.

• Duration: 2 Days

River Camping - Garfield

Take your next camping trip to the next level!

Not for beginners. Total River Miles 30 (Day 1 = 10, Day 2 = 14, Day 3 = 6). Total float time: Plan to cover 2-3 miles/hour plus time spent fishing and stopping.

• Duration: 3 Days
• Starting point: Big Webberville Park
• Ending point: Bastrop River Co / Fisherman’s Park
• Shuttle happens at the beginning of the trip - DO NOT BE LATE!

River Camping - Smithville

Take the adventure of a lifetime on our River Camping Trip. Book now!

Not for beginners. Can be a one or two night trip. There are numerous camping spots.

• Duration: 2-3 Days
• Starting point: Bastrop River Co / Fisherman's Park
• Ending point: Hwy 95 bridge Smithville

River Camping - Webberville

This trip is for the experienced river camper.

This trip is for the experienced river camper. Camp sites can be tricky to find but there are no doubt some great spots.

• Duration: 4 Days
• Total River Miles: 35

Bastrop River Co Headquarters

1200 Willow St
512-321-4661

Base of operations for all Bastrop River Co activities. Conveniently located inside Fisherman's Park. The El Camino Real` and Smithville trips launch from this site (Trips include a shuttle ride back). The Wilbarger, Garfield and Webberville trips end at this site. (Trips include shuttle ride up river to launch point).

Colorado River Refuge

356 Riverside Dr
512-308-1911

The take out point for the El Camino Real short day trip. The Refuge is a public nature park owned and operated by Bastrop County. It is a popular local swimming hole and also serves as one of the trail heads to the Pines & Prairies Land Trust 5+ miles of hike and bike trails along the river. Open and free to the public from dusk to dawn daily.

Duckhead Island

Duck Island is the primary campsite between Bastrop and Smithville. The island is approximately 16 miles down stream from Fisherman's Park and 10 miles up stream from The Hwy 95 Bridge in Smithville. There are no trees on the island. So not much for shade or hammock camping, but the rushing water on either side is incredibly pleasant to fall asleep and wake up to.

First Island

The First Island is...you guessed it...the first island down stream from Bastrop. It is approximately 1 mile down river from Fisherman's Park. The obvious route is to go left of the island but when the water is up a little you can also sneak by on the right side. Watch out for willow trees on the left bank as you approach the island. If your a history buff go visit the Bastrop Museum and Visitors Center after the river where you'll find a full T-Rex scull which was discovered on the First Island some 50 odd years ago.

Patterson Island

Patterson Island is a large island just down stream from the Colorado River Refuge. This is a great camping island, especially for when doing a 2 night trip to Smithville and getting a late start on day 1. The island is affectionately named for a local river rat who used to spend his summers camped out on the island carving hiking trails into the brush just for the fun of it.

Prop Rock

Prop Rock is a single unique out of place boulder center right approximately 4 miles down stream from Fisherman's Park. Local motor boat fishermen affectionately refer to this lone boulder as Prop Rock because it has claimed a number of propellers from inexperienced motor boaters over the years. When the river is at slightly higher than normal levels Prop Rock tends to hide just below water level in the middle of the main channel around this bend in the river.

River Left Sandbars

At about two and a half miles down stream from Fisherman's Park there begins a series of soft bank sandbars river left that offer easy places to pull over and swim, hang out, or even camp. For about a half a mile there are a number of good places to stop. This is near the half way point of the El Camino Real Paddle Trail, so its a good place to take a break.

Smithville takeout - Hwy 95 Bridge

The Smithville take out is a public boat ramp located river left underneath the Hwy 95 Bridge. The road leading down under the bridge as well as the parking lot are lighted at night and are a safe place to park a vehicle if planning to be out on the river overnight.

The Canopy

The Canopy is a beautiful short detour off the main stream of the river. The entrance is 2 miles down river from Fisherman's Park. We call it the canopy because of how the trees create an overhead canopy most of the way through this narrow passage. The water tends to be a little swifter and down trees can cause obstacles after big floods. Water levels need to be flowing at least 800 cfs or plan on dragging at a few shallow areas. Likewise avoid going through here during high water (3,000 cfs+) due to potential log jams.

The Rail Road Bridge

The Rail Road Bridge is the final landmark on the El Camino Real Paddle Trail. If expecting a ride back from the take out point this is where you will call your outfitter for pick up. It is a little less than a half a mile (about 10-15 minutes) from here to the Colorado River Refuge. Directly under the bridge there is a large island but you can easily go around either side. If you're lucky you might catch a train passing by. It is quite a thrill to look up and see the train cars rushing past.

The Red Bluffs

The Red Bluffs is a large red cliff a little over a mile up stream from the Hwy 95 Bridge in Smithville. Alum Creek enters the river from the left just up from the bluffs. The river makes a sharp right bend leaving the bluff on the outside (left) of the bend, and a really nice soft sandbar on the inside (right) of the bend. This is a great spot to stop and go for a swim.

The Third Island

The Third Island... yep, you guessed it... this is the third island down stream from Fisherman's Park. It is just over 3 miles from the park. The head of the island offers a large rocky sandbar perfect for a half way resting spot on the El Camino Real Paddle Trail. There are a also a number of really good campsites on the interior and along the banks of the island. And oh yeah, though it is technically an island the channel on the right side is so shallow it is typically not even there unless the water level is up.