Slime Bridge Kayak Launch
Slime Bridge low water crossing
Art Crowe
Sentinel Peak Preserve is the newest and largest park in Hays County (over 530 acres). You can follow its development and all the other new open spaces made available by the passage of the 2020 Hays County Parks and Open Spaces Bond here. However, you don’t have to wait for the park to open to access the Blanco River. John Knox Ranch is located just upstream from the new park. They have partnered with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to open a small parking lot so kayakers can legally access the Blanco River. Reservations are required because the parking space is very limited.
This is good news because everyone knows how hard river access is to find in Hays County. Just contact the John Knox Ranch (JKRoffice@missionpby.org) to reserve a parking spot for a certain day.
The put-in is not bad—but remember, they call it Slime Bridge for a reason—and the parking lot is a relatively short walk from Slime Bridge. Once on the water, you will be able to kayak about a third of a mile downstream before coming to a low-water dam.
The dam has created pools for fishing, some over 5 feet deep. The river is essentially one big pool from dam to bridge. If you are looking for sheltered camping to rent, the John Knox Ranch offers a variety of cabins. https://johnknoxranch.org/rentals
Satellite image of the Blanco River at Slime Bridge