San Marcos River
Photos by Melinda Seib
The San Marcos River bursts forth from the Edwards Aquifer through 200 spring openings at the bottom of Spring Lake in the heart of San Marcos, Texas. The river provides a refreshing playground for swimming, canoeing, and tubing. The San Marcos River winds through over 130 acres of parkland. The upper 3.8 miles of the headwaters provides habitat to eight endangered and threatened aquatic species, including the San Marcos Fountain Darter, Texas Blind Salamander, the San Marcos Salamander, and Texas Wild Rice.
Archaeologists have discovered artifacts that indicate that the area around the Springs is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in North America by human beings, dating back more than 12,000 years.
The river is a natural environment that is home to many different creatures, such as birds, insects, fish, turtles, and snakes. Remember to think like a naturalist and try not to mess with the local habitat.
Note: The river is sometimes very crowded on weekends when the weather is warm. If you are looking for a quieter experience, consider visiting on a weekday.
Location
170 Charles Austin Dr, San Marcos, TX 78666
Hours of Operation: 6 AM - 11 PM
What Can I Do on the River?
Swimming - Downriver of Rio Vista Park, John J. Stokes Park is almost hidden behind the dam above the swimming area. Complete with rope swings, and it is a convenient but secluded spot to enjoy the San Marcos River. Rio Vista Park also has a swimming area.
Fishing – Pole and line, including rod and reel, fishing is allowed. You must comply with state fishing regulations and have a valid Texas fishing license. Regulations can be viewed on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website. Per city ordinance, it is unlawful for any person to possess or shoot a speargun while in or upon city-owned property without a program permit issued by the department. "Speargun" means any device propelling a spear or other type of projectile to shoot or take fish through the water.
Kayaking or canoeing - You can rent from a local vendor or bring your own kayak or canoe and access the river from any river access point.
Tubing - You can enter the river with your tube at City Park: 170 Charles Austin Dr, San Marcos, TX 78666. You can rent tubes from Lion's Club Tube Rental or use your own.
Walking along the river - The San Marcos Riverwalk is an excellent place to enjoy the river. A new 10' wide sidewalk follows the river from City Park to Rio Vista Park. It's ideal for strollers and small children.
Texas Parks and Wildlife - Introduction to Dragonfly and Damselfly Watching
The Friends of The Oxley Center - Damselflies and Dragonflies
Want to know more about Texas wild rice?
Here are some excellent resources:
TEKS Connection
Science:
2nd Grade
2.2 Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student develops abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry in classroom and outdoor investigations.
2.2(E) communicate observations and justify explanations using student‐generated data from simple descriptive investigations
2.9 Organisms and environments. The student knows that living organisms have basic needs that must be met for them to survive within their environment.
2.9(A) identify the basic needs of plants and animals
2.9(B) identify factors in the environment, including temperature and precipitation, that affect growth and behavior such as migration, hibernation, and dormancy of living things
2.9(C) compare the ways living organisms depend on each other and on their environments such as through food chains
2.10 Organisms and environments. The student knows that organisms resemble their parents and have structures and processes that help them survive within their environments.
2.10(A) observe, record, and compare how the physical characteristics and behaviors of animals help them meet their basic needs
2.10(B) observe, record, and compare how the physical characteristics of plants help them meet their basic needs such as stems carry water throughout the plant
2.10(C) investigate and record some of the unique stages that insects such as grasshoppers and butterflies undergo during their life cycle
3rd Grade
3.2 Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses scientific practices during laboratory and outdoor investigations.
3.2(F) communicate valid conclusions supported by data in writing, by drawing pictures, and through verbal discussion
3.9 Organisms and environments. The student knows and can describe patterns, cycles, systems, and relationships within the environments.
3.9(A)* observe and describe the physical characteristics of environments and how they support populations and communities of plants and animals within an ecosystem
3.9(B) identify and describe the flow of energy in a food chain and predict how changes in a food chain affect the ecosystem such as removal of frogs from a pond or bees from a field
3.9(C) describe environmental changes such as floods and droughts where some organisms thrive and others perish or move to new locations
3.10 Organisms and environments. The student knows that organisms undergo similar life processes and have structures that help them survive within their environments.
3.10(A) explore how structures and functions of plants and animals allow them to survive in a particular environment
3.10(B)* investigate and compare how animals and plants undergo a series of orderly changes in their diverse life cycles such as tomato plants, frogs, and lady beetles
4th Grade
4.2 Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses scientific practices during laboratory and outdoor investigations.
4.2(F) communicate valid oral and written results supported by data
4.8 Earth and space. The student knows that there are recognizable patterns in the natural world and among the Sun, Earth, and Moon system.
4.8(B)* describe and illustrate the continuous movement of water above and on the surface of Earth through the water cycle and explain the role of the Sun as a major source of energy in this process
4.9 Organisms and environments. The student knows and understands that living organisms within an ecosystem interact with one another and with their environment.
4.9(A) investigate that most producers need sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make their own food, while consumers are dependent on other organisms for food
4.9(B) describe the flow of energy through food webs, beginning with the Sun, and predict how changes in the ecosystem affect the food web
4.10 Organisms and environments. The student knows that organisms undergo similar life processes and have structures and behaviors that help them survive within their environments.
4.10(A) explore how structures and functions enable organisms to survive in their environment
4.10(B) explore and describe examples of traits that are inherited from parents to offspring such as eye color and shapes of leaves and behaviors that are learned such as reading a book and a wolf pack teaching their pups to hunt effectively
4.10(C) explore, illustrate, and compare life cycles in living organisms such as beetles, crickets, radishes, or lima beans
Social Studies:
2nd Grade
2.1 History. The student understands the historical significance of landmarks and celebrations in the community, state, and nation.
2.1(B) identify and explain the significance of various community, state, and national landmarks such as monuments and government buildings
2.4 Geography. The student understands the location of places in their community, state, country, and the world.
2.4(A) identify major landforms and bodies of water, including each of the seven continents and each of the oceans, on maps and globes
2.5 Geography. The student understands how humans use and modify the physical environment.
2.5(A) identify ways in which people have modified the physical environment such as clearing land, building roads, using land for agriculture, and drilling for oil
2.5(B) identify consequences of human modification of the physical environment
3rd Grade
3.3 Geography. The student understands how humans adapt to and/or modify the physical environment.
3.3(B) identify and compare how people in different communities adapt to or modify the physical environment in which they live such as deserts, mountains, wetlands, and plains
3.3(C) describe the effects of human processes such as building new homes, conservation, and pollution in shaping the landscape
4th Grade
4.7 Geography. The student understands the location and patterns of settlement and the geographic factors that influence where people live.
4.7(A)^ explain the geographic factors such as landforms and climate that influence patterns of settlement and the distribution of population in Texas, past and present
4.8 Geography. The student understands how people adapt to and modify their environment.
4.8(A) describe ways people have adapted to and modified their environment in Texas, past and present, such as timber clearing, agricultural production, wetlands drainage, energy production, and construction of dams
4.8(B)^ explain reasons why people have adapted to and modified their environment in Texas, past and present, such as the use of natural resources to meet basic needs, facilitate transportation, and enhance recreational activities
4.8(C)^ compare the positive and negative consequences of human modification of the environment in Texas, past and present
English Language Arts & Reading:
2nd Grade
2.7 Response skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student responds to an increasingly challenging variety of sources that are read, heard, or viewed.
2.7(E) interact with sources in meaningful ways such as illustrating or writing
2.9 Genres: The student recognizes and analyzes genre‐specific characteristics, structures, and purposes within and across increasingly complex traditional, contemporary, classical, and diverse texts.
2.9(D) recognize characteristics and structures of informational text, including: (ii) features and graphics to locate and gain information
3rd Grade
3.7 Response skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student responds to an increasingly challenging variety of sources that are read, heard, or viewed.
3.7(E) interact with sources in meaningful ways such as notetaking, annotating, freewriting, or illustrating
3.9 Genres. The student recognizes and analyzes genre‐specific characteristics, structures, and purposes within and across increasingly complex traditional, contemporary, classical, and diverse texts.
3.9(D) recognize characteristics and structures of informational text, including: (ii) features such as sections, tables, graphs, timelines, bullets, numbers, and bold and italicized font to support understanding
4th Grade
4.7 Response skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student responds to an increasingly challenging variety of sources that are read, heard, or viewed.
4.7(E) interact with sources in meaningful ways such as notetaking, annotating, freewriting, or illustrating
4.9 Genres. The student recognizes and analyzes genre-specific characteristics, structures, and purposes within and across increasingly complex traditional, contemporary, classical, and diverse texts.
4.9(D) recognize characteristics and structures of informational text, including (ii) features such as pronunciation guides and diagrams to support understanding
Source: Lead4Ward
