Devils
Baker's Crossing to Rough Canyon Marina (47 miles)
| Difficulty | I-II+(IV) |
| Length | 47.2 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 8 fpm |
| Gauge | Devils River at Bakers Crossing Near Juno |
| Flow Rate as of 1 hour | 2.48 ftbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | April 6, 2016 |
River Description
The Devils River is a true desert oasis. Bounded on all sides by arid scrubland, the river's constant spring-fed base flow creates a unique riparian ecosystem with numerous cottonwoods and other large trees, water as clear as a coral reef, and abundant fish and wildlife. The geology of the Devils is unusual, even for Texas. Numerous uplifted limestone slabs create artificial dams, so essentially the river takes the form of a series of long lakes separated by short rapids. The rapids are frequently braided into narrow channels separated by dense vegetation. The physical character of the river thus bears more resemblance to a mountain stream than it does to a typical Texas river. The high calcium content in the water (which is responsible for its clarity), as well as the relatively low flow, has caused accretion of a travertine-like substance on all of the rocks in the shallow areas of the river (i.e. the rapids.) This substance is extremely grippy and rough and makes it impossible to run many of the rapids at low flow. It also puts a great deal of wear & tear on boats. With the exception of the four named rapids (Sycamore Chute, Dolan Falls, Three-Tier, and Dandridge Falls), the rest of the rapids are Class I-II and are often separated by miles of flat water with frequent headwinds. Thus, many choose to paddle the Devils in recreational boats rather than whitewater gear. The appeal of the Devils is mostly its scenic beauty, crystal-clear water, and the experience of overnighting in one of the most remote areas in Texas.
As with many scenic rivers in Texas, the Devils has numerous access issues. TPWD owns two large sections of land, one at approximately Mile 15 (from Baker's Crossing) and another at approximately Mile 30. These are called, respectively, the Del Norte and Dan A. Hughes (formerly Big Satan) Units of the Devils River State Natural Area. Unfortunately, however, as of this writing, only authorized outfitters/guides (concessionair
...River Features
Baker's Crossing
TPWD owns a small piece of land adjacent to the bridge on the downstream river left (northeast) side of the crossing (look for the Devils River SNA sign.) Paddlers are free to access the river here, but there is no long-term/overnight parking or camping allowed. Parking and camping are available 1/4 mile south on Hwy. 163, at Baker's Crossing Camp. Both the locals and the sheriff claim that Baker's Crossing Camp has a high incidence of vehicle vandalism (including removal of wheels), and they advise strongly against leaving an unattended vehicle there. It is unknown how legitimate this risk is. It is possible that the locals are overstating the risk in hopes of discouraging paddlers from running this section of river, or in hopes of encouraging paddlers to use an outfitter. Regardless, it would be ill-advised to leave valuables or a nice car at Baker's Crossing Camp.
If you can catch Mr. Baker, the landowner adjacent to the state-owned put-in, he has been known to let boaters camp and park on his land-- for a price.
The springs that provide most of the base flow for the Devils are about 8 river miles upstream from here (above that point, the river is normally dry), but there is no public access above Baker's Crossing.
Old Baker's Crossing (Low-Water Crossing)
Known to be duckable at 2.3'. Will probably require a portage at higher levels.
Private Low-Water Crossing
Must-portage. No public access or camping.
San Pedro Point Paddler Camp
Paddler camp on river left, part of the Del Norte Unit of Devil's River State Natural Area. Composting toilet is available. Camping is by permit only (for a nominal fee-- reserve well in advance.)
This is also a potential put-in for those who don't want to run the entire river, but please note that only authorized guides (concessionaires) are allowed to drive to the river access points in Devils River SNA.
Dolan Falls
Dolan Falls, supposedly the biggest continuously-flowing waterfall in Texas, is a 12-footer that is known to be runnable (by experienced whitewater boaters with appropriate boats and gear) at 2.3' and higher. The lead-in is likely too shallow at lower levels than that. At very high levels, Texas Whitewater describes 'nasty hydraulics.' Suggested portage for long boats and recreational boats at all levels.
If you choose to run the falls in your whitewater boat, it is strongly recommended that you unload it first. The basic move is to enter from river left into the left-to-right chute above the falls, then take a right boof stroke at the lip of the falls to send you left and away from the hydraulic at the base. At higher water, it is likely that another line opens up to the right, avoiding the meat of the falls. Use extreme caution, however, as there is also a 'room of doom' at the right, which may come into play at high water.
Dolan Falls is owned by the Nature Conservancy, and there is a 24-hour surveillance camera located on the river right bank. In general, the rangers will advise you that running the falls is OK, provided that you have sufficient skill and proper equipment, but hanging out on the banks for any significant length of time is not OK. The rangers seem to believe (incorrectly), and have recounted to boaters, that the only reason why it is legal to portage Dolan Falls is that the state has a cooperative agreement with the Nature Conservancy.
Devils River Outfitters
The Blue Sage Subdivision runs from approximately Mile 21 to Mile 25. Boaters can access the river here by paying Gerald Bailey (Devils River Outfitters, 830-395-2266.) As of this writing, Devils River Outfitters is not a TPWD concessionaire and cannot give you access to either of the Devils River SNA units.
29-Mile Paddler Camp
Paddler camp on river left, part of the Dan A. Hughes (formerly Big Satan) Unit of Devil's River State Natural Area. Composting toilet is available. Camping is by permit only (for a nominal fee-- reserve well in advance.)
This is also a potential takeout for those who don't want to run the entire river, but please note that only authorized guides (concessionaires) are allowed to drive to the river access points in Devils River SNA.
Rough Canyon Boat Ramp (Lake Amistad)
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportI went with 5 guys and then went back again with 11 guys. This was so picturesque. The water was beautifully hypnotic compared to any other river I've floated. It wasn't easy finding camping on the side of the river because we were scared of trespassing. There are many places where it's important pick the right spot to hit because of how many dead ends there are. The jungle of reeds were definitely difficult to navigate. Both times I brought a 16 ft tandem which I regretted because how much I had to portage.
This location is about 1 mile before Dolan Falls
Dolan Falls a CLASS IV drop of about 11 to 12 feet. We made the run in Canoes from Bakers Crossing to the take out at
Gerald Baileys (Devils River Outfitters). About a 25 Mile canoe trip with plenty of runnable class II & class III's. We camped over night at the State Natural Area.