Guadalupe

If you put in above the 1st Crossing bridge, be cautious of the pilings from the old bridge, which are located just downstream of the current bridge.  These form about 20 slots across the river.  At high dam releases (thousands of cfs), some of these slots can form grabby hydraulics and/or collect large debris (tree limbs, etc.)  Generally the second slot from the left is the best one to take, assuming it isn't clogged with debris.  The river left side of the bridge also has the most vertical clearance.

Hueco Falls is really the only named rapid on the Guadalupe that merits a Class III rating.  Paddlers generally run river left to avoid the large boulder at river right.  At lower flows (<= 1000 cfs), the rapid as a whole is more of a Class II+/III-.  Enter near the center of the river and work left, S-turning down a couple of shallow ledges.  At higher flows, a wave train forms at river left, and the line becomes more straightforward.  At 3000-5000 cfs, the river left wave train becomes large and irregular, and the river right boulder forms a nasty hole.  The hole is grabbiest at around 3000-3500 cfs, when water is just barely over the rock (at least one expert whitewater kayaker is known to have received a proper beat-down and taken a swim here as the result of a failed boof attempt.)  At the same level, a large reactionary wave forms between the hole and the wave train, and it can ender a playboat or swamp an open boat that ventures too far right.  Make no mistake-- the Hueco hole is a feature worthy of a Class IV rapid, and it will give you a Class IV beat-down, but you would first have to miss the entire half of the river where the hole isn't.

At around 1000-1200 cfs, a sneak line opens up to the right of the boulder (between the boulder and the rock garden, which is mostly submerged and adorned with saplings in the above photo.)  However, inexperienced paddlers (particularly those in open boats) should not attempt this line, as the boulder has high pin potential (make a fist, Christopher.)  At higher flows (example: 3000-3500 cfs), when the hole is in, this line becomes a one-boat-wide Class IV hero line that requires paddling over the shoulder of the hole.  Paddlers without solid Class IV+ river running and hole extrication skills should never attempt this line when the hole is in, and setting safety is recommended.

At very high flows (multiple thousands of cfs), a Class II sneak line opens up at far river right (hugging the right bank, to the right of the rock garden that is to the right of the boulder/hole.)  This line is known to be in when a full dam release (5000+ cfs) is occurring.

At around 500 cfs, a shallow side-surf spot opens up at river left behind the drop.  As the flow increases, the wave-hole becomes deeper and turns into more of a proper play wave, reaching its ideal level at somewhere between 2500-4000 cfs.  At 2500-3500 cfs, it is a very bouncy front-surfable irregular wave that can give up other tricks to those with good playboating skills, but generally it it not very retentive.  At higher flows, the wave becomes bigger but harder to catch.

At 2500-3500 cfs (and possibly lower levels), the ledge above the main wave also becomes playable.  Boaters can catch this ledge on the fly or portage up from the eddy next to the main wave.

There are two channels at Slant, separated by a small island (Ant Island.)  The river left channel forms a shallow, river-wide surf wave at around 1200 cfs, and as the flow increases, this wave gets deeper and more optimal.  It is usually prime at around 3000 cfs on the Common St. gauge (2000-2500 cfs release.)  At higher levels, water flows over the entire island, the wave starts constricting and becoming more green, and the eddy line becomes faster and harder to cross.  At 5000 cfs, it is a one-boat-wide, green, fast front-surf wave.  This green wave is also fun, but getting into it requires squeezing through the narrow passage between the top two trees on the island and then paddling as hard as you can to ferry across the eddy line.  At 5000 cfs, when the primary wave is narrow and green, a surfable secondary wave also forms downstream of the primary, and the secondary wave is much easier to get into.

The river right channel forms an irregular wave train at high flows.  Some of these waves are front-surfable at 3000-3500 cfs, particularly in longer boats.

At levels up to 2000 cfs, Gruene Bridge is generally passable on far river left.  Between 2000 and 3000 cfs, whitewater kayakers can generally still get through on that side by kissing the deck, but larger boats should portage.  Always check for debris under the bridge before attempting to go under it.  There is an eddy at river left that you can use for boat scouting.

At levels above 3000 cfs, the bridge is a must-portage death trap.  At around 3500 cfs, the clearance under the bridge disappears, and at 5000 cfs, the water piles up and forms a potentially deadly hydraulic.  Multiple boaters have lost boats underneath the bridge at 3000-5000 cfs, and those boats stayed there until the level dropped.  There is a sidewalk at river right on both sides of the bridge, making it easy to take out and put in without encroaching on private property.  At high levels, if you are not confident that you can run Gruene Rapid without swimming, then take out at river right in the pool above Gruene Rapid and portage both it and the bridge.

A play spot opens up at river right about 1/2 mile below Gruene at high levels (thousands of cfs.)  At around 3000-3500 cfs, it is a playable hole, generally trashy and deep at surfer's right and shallow at surfer's left.  There is a small eddy at surfer's left that can be caught only if you flush out of that side of the hole.  At 5000 cfs, Backyard Hole is a non-retentive wave train.  At high flows, the wave/hole creates some unavoidable irregular eddy lines and whirlpools at river left.

A small tube chute in the middle of this low-head dam funnels the water toward the middle of the river, which is the usual line for running the rapid.

The dam forms a surfable wave at flows as low as 400-450 cfs, with a small pool deep enough to roll in.  However, the riverbed just downstream of the pool is very shallow at that level, so you need a quick roll in order to avoid hitting your head if you flip over.  As the flow increases toward about 800-850 cfs, the wave becomes narrower but taller and without the downstream headache potential.  It washes out at flows above this and does not reform until the flow reaches thousands of cfs.

At thousands of cfs, Common St. Dam forms a ledge hole at river right.  At 3000-3500 cfs, this hole is very grabby, with significant recirculation on the downstream side-- not a very friendly place to play.  At 4000-4500 cfs, it is still grabby but much more friendly, and at that level, it is a prime place to practice loops and other vertical tricks.  At 5000-6000 cfs, the river right ledge hole becomes more of a friendly wave-hole that is mostly front-surfable.  It still gives up loops, but not as easily as at lower levels.  At high flows, the river right eddy service is excellent.  At above 5k, the eddy at far river right actually extends above the feature.

At 5000-6000 cfs, a large wave-hole forms at river left, wide enough for five boats to surf simultaneously.  River left eddy service at these levels is tricky at best.

Since the bridge pilings are only about 60' downstream of the dam, a solid roll is strongly recommended if you plan to play here.

Technically the park at river left before the bridge is private (apparently part of the subdivision), so don't hang out there for too long unless you're in the water.  The park at river left on the downstream side of the bridge is public.

Public park below the Common St. bridge.  Park your takeout vehicle here and take out on river left.  Portable toilets are usually available during the summer months.

NOTE:  In recent years, the City of New Braunfels has begun 'closing' the Guadalupe River at 3000+ cfs to all users except 'guided rafting trips.' Local whitewater boaters assert that they are obeying the spirit of that regulation, which is to prevent anyone without appropriate whitewater gear and skill from accessing the river at high flows. However, you may still be harassed by city employees for taking out at River Acres Park when the river is running at 3000+ cfs. If that occurs, then please explain politely that (a) your equipment is rated for Class IV-V, whereas the Lower Guad is never more than Class III, (b) you (or your teammates) have paddled the river before at the current level, or you've paddled more difficult rivers, and (c) your crew is proficient in self-rescue and team rescue techniques, so effectively you're self-guided. If you cannot make all three statements truthfully, then do not paddle the river at 3000+ cfs. Please be as discreet as possible and do not create a scene at the takeout, as the park may be crowded during summer months.

Access point serving as a take-out on river right at the city park with good low bank access.