Kayak Camping Texas - Primitive 400' Cliffside Camp 

Thanks for watching, Eric! You always bring the heat with the comments, I seriously appreciate that. Makes my day! Let’s make that happen sometime, pray for fall rains like last year haha

Gatewood Brown how to you find the spots to put in ?

@@txsurf87 Google Earth and Google Street View. Find a section of river you want to paddle, map out distances, then check to see if there is adequate parking at a road crossing. There's always some uncertainty but that's apart of the adventure I suppose!

Dogs make everything better! Haha and they scare off wild animals. Not sure hitch did much of that though lol

Rick From Virginia I appreciate that a lot, Rick! Thanks for watching. Couldn’t agree more, the scenery out there changes by the mile which is super unique. Lucked out on the sun coming out too! Have fun out in the countryside

Thank you so much! I really appreciate the kind words, the llano is a blast. Flow rates are up so y’all should have a good time out there.

All Things Outdoors thanks a ton, Justin! Definitely a different vibe on this one but it was a little more relaxed of a trip. Glad you enjoyed it! Just never know what the end product will be when ya start the editing process. I’m sure you know that as well!

It's been three months, did ya end up going? Thanks for stopping by and watching!

Hey thanks, Caleb! We had a blast, and so did the pup haha. I'm glad you noticed the speed ramping, I'm liking that style these days as well! Will do my man

Thanks my man! I appreciate you always supporting and watching the vids. Hope you've been well!

I appreciate that! Just out there trying to have some fun haha

Southern Paddler thanks my man! Sometimes it can’t always be hard charging rapids. Bringing the dog along was a blast!

the wonderingelectrician thanks, Kevin! It was some good simple fun out there. Thought we almost lost a GoPro for good...

Rodrigo Vasquez I appreciate that my man! I’ll certainly try! Haha

Ian Tonroy will do ian! Thank you for the kind words. Texas forever and always!

Reymundo Ysmael it’s pretty solid! Flow is really good right now. I did it last summer and we had to hike most of it haha. Definitely much better now

Gatewood Brown where do you start and finish at or can get drop off and pick up at

Reymundo Ysmael dos Rios to Martin crossing

Hey thank you so much for the kind words! Just fortunate to have these amazing places relatively close to Houston. Yeah its been fun growing but definitely something to be said about having a community where I can still respond to everyone!

atreinies1 thanks for watching! We will make sure to keep them coming for ya

Thanks for always watching, Michael! Glad to hear you like this edit, always trying to keep it fresh. How is the South Llano? This is the only section I've done. Full of great scenery for sure.

@@GatewoodBrown Narrow, shallow and fairly short...but still fun if you catch it with the right conditions. I guess like most other Hill Country rivers! ;)

Michael Middleton TBH sounds about right for the area!

Thanks for watching again! It was a blast, completely different landscape after the storm. Really lucked out with the weather and scenery. Will do!

Thank you CJ! I appreciate the kind words and watching our videos. I’m so jealous! What part of the hill country? I’m down in Houston so we shoot out there any chance we get.

Gatewood Brown I’m from Burnet. I’m near the Llano river videos you shoot. I love the highland lakes!

They’re unreal out there!

Hey denis! Thanks for tuning in. I generally don’t share maps but am starting a video series detailing different rivers and routes so it’s not out of the question to do this section one day. Stay tuned!

Thanks for watching brad! The terrain out there is wild, super dry and rugged but the llano is bursting with springs so there’s always flow. Appalachia is a place I’d like to spend more time paddling. My trip with Pete was too much fun

Thanks for watching brad! The terrain out there is wild, super dry and rugged but the llano is bursting with springs so there’s always flow. Appalachia is a place I’d like to spend more time paddling. My trip with Pete was too much fun

Gatewood Brown I am at the southwestern tip of the Appalachians, in the Tennessee Valley area. I actually live on top of a plateau, though. We are working on a group trip in July...you should think about joining us. If interested, I’ll share the details with you...

Sounds like an epic trip! July probably wont work though since I’ll be getting married at the end of it. Maybe the next time you all get together though!

Gatewood Brown Well congrats, man! I guess that if you are going to have to miss a trip, that is about as good of an excuse as you can come up with! Congratulations!

Thank you Ronald! I’ve heard that is a wonderful stretch

I appreciate that, Tom! Thanks for stopping by. We were spoiled by the landscape, truly. We had no clue what to expect given how floods can change everything down here.

Thank you John! That’s the ultimate compliment

Michael G thank you Michael! I really appreciate you stopping by and checking out some of the videos. I’m currently working on my version of the Wilson creek trip. Still recovering from those hikes! Haha

@@GatewoodBrown it did look bumpy. You do have awesome videos

@@glasswinder Thank you for the kind words! I'm hoping to have wilson creek out soon

River Kings thanks, Pete! I might argue that...but it was fun making a more casual edit. We will have to get something going one of these days! Spring and fall are best around here due to limited rainfall in the summer

That was a Really "friendly" greeting by your buddies there....

Lots of great paddling rivers in the Texas Hill Country, Pete! Quite a bit different than the rivers I've seen you paddle in your area, but still fun! I'd love to see you make a trip to Texas.

Thanks a lot! It is mostly based on mileage and flow rate. I'll map out certain sections of river that look conducive to kayaking and then select a section that fits our timeline. Then you check and make sure parking is available at the takeout/launch.

Thank you so much! Kayaking is a great sport that you can do for a very very long time. Cheers my man!

It's a fantastic river! You'll really enjoy it, hop on google earth and start mapping out a section that fits your needs.

Thanks Mike! I really appreciate the kind words. You're going to love the new kayak, so much to explore here in TX. I've been thinking about doing a gear list video to show items I think are the most crucial to kayak camping. Most importantly, anything you have that is not in a dry bag will get wet. So invest in dry bags for sure! Good thing is all of those sports share equipment so you can easily transition between them. Let me know how your trips go!

If y'all ever decide to hit up something in the future, either up in the DFW area, or wherever, I'd dig linking up and hitting up some rivers. Never done kayak camping before. Other type of camping, yeah, but not on rivers. Looks like a blast!

Thanks, Jash! Rivers are the way to go. A lot more ground can be covered and we have some pretty cool places here in TX

I really appreciate that my man! Same setup in most video, GoPro, drone and a mirrorless camera

SkinnyWaterBoyz TV thanks Manny! Means a lot coming from you. It’s super pretty these days after the storm. There were some absolutely massive carp in there too. Snagged the new yak for easier gear storage. First trip out and I’m liking it!

@@GatewoodBrown I've always wondered how you did it in that 10ft sit in yak and I barely have enough room in my coosa hd hahahah

@@SkinnyWaterBoyzTV Lets just say it was a struggle each time! Packing gear below is much better for stability, no more being insanely top heavy lol

@@GatewoodBrown haha I bet man, now you'll be way more comfortable man!! Yall got lucky to camp where yall did, my buddy said the landowner would kick anybody off there man. Makes me wanna camp right there too now

@@SkinnyWaterBoyzTV I'd believe it. We saw the signs posted which irritates me. That area is a completely legal location to camp. The neighbor even said that guy is tough to deal with. It is a great spot!

Thanks for the kind words, Shane! Hey maybe we can get a pro tips session going. There's something to learn from everyone. If you ever get some free time I'd recommend taking a trip down here. Some absolutely world class places to paddle. NC is the hotbed of paddling though, you guys are fortunate!

@@GatewoodBrown I like that idea. We should talk about some joint videos with the NC and Texas paddlers.

Monkey N Around sounds like a good time!

Hey thanks billy! I’m glad you’re enjoying the vid. This was all around the llano/mason area

I appreciate that my man! Glad you stopped by again

Thanks Kevin! We put in at dos Rios and took out at simonsville. Have fun, it’s a beautiful stretch of water you could easily do in a day trip

Yes you should! If you get an alpaca raft they are very packable and you can inflate whenever needed. Or if you have room on top find yourself a nice 10’ boat to lug around. I don’t have plans anytime soon but never say never!

Wow, that means a lot! Just doing what I enjoy over here. You guys definitely add fuel to the fire, thanks for all the continued support.

Thank you! I’m originally from Kentucky so can probably shed some good light on your question. We have less water here so the kayaking is different. Much more of a bump and grind BUT the scenery is amazing and the water looks tropical. I’m assuming PNW for you? Yeah that kayaking is going to be much better than what we have down here. Mountain snow melt guarantees full rivers in spring and summer. Down here we rely on rain since it doesn’t snow. That means you could have low rivers for years at a time.

Yessir it was an awesome trip! The landowners there love to flex their boundaries. We don’t mess with it any more since there are so many great spots close by

Ha! I wish we did. That would be sweet! This is just our hobby that we do every so often. It’s hard to sneak away all the time but when we do, it’s usually to a fun place like this. My pleasure! Thanks for always watching

@@GatewoodBrown yw hon, keep em coming

@@tranquility9325 Will do!

@@GatewoodBrown 🤟

Thank you so much! I use an Old Town Sportsman 120. Check out my recent videos on it.

Thanks for stopping by! This section of the llano is a hidden gem, way different than other hill country rivers I’ve paddled. Regarding the beach, I always tell people not to camp there because the landowners are not friendly. It is however textbook riverbed and completely legal to camp there. Unfortunately the landowners put no trespassing signs up to scare paddlers but that doesn’t change it’s public land status. When you read the Texas Navigability laws it becomes clear that the landowner is overstepping their bounds. I bet it wouldn’t be a problem if prior campers hadn’t trashed their land, usually something like that is why landowners get protective about property lines. I really appreciate you looking out for us! We always want to stay within the law

@@GatewoodBrown Great to know! I just moved here and was planning some adventures for the end of summer and was curious how public access was handled, thanks.

Hey Bobby. This is out in Mason TX

I appreciate that! This one was with a Mavic 2 Pro. Broke my mavic pro skiing with it so had to get a new one. It’s been awesome!

Hey alvin sounds like you've got some good trips coming up! I've never actually done that stretch of river so I can't comment about where to stay. Keep an eye out for islands and you'll be good.

Thank you! I recommend checking our aquabound. They make some of the best paddles out there

@@GatewoodBrown thank you! I am in Georgia but you have definitely put Texas on my bucket list to go paddle. Especially the Hill Country rivers! Again, thank you!!!

Oh wow! I’ve never paddled in GA but I bet y’all have some wonderful rivers up north. Texas hull country is one of a kind for sure

Hey, Caleb! Yeah picked up the hybrid figuring it would be great for gear storage. I was worried it would allow too much water into the boat during rapids but that didn't seem to be much of an issue. All in all I really like how easy it was to load gear, and the seat is a HUGE upgrade. Regarding the camera mount, I had to rig something up on the fly as I forgot my usual jaw mount at home...Not ideal! But this one should provide for some great angles. I'd probably take the old town vapor if flows were very low as it draws less water. Otherwise it is the H10 all the way. I'll look into doing reviews for the vapor and the H10 for sure, good idea!

Backyard Movies welcome to TX! We don’t have a lot of conventional paddling but the hill country beauty certainly makes up for it. Thanks for the kind words! I use a Blue Yeti desktop mic. Best bang for the buck out there. Record into Audacity program, make a few tweaks and export it as a WAV file

Gatewood Brown thanks! Do you have the yeti on an arm or just on the stand it comes with? The WAV is very clean sounding.

Backyard Movies my pleasure! It just sits on my desk via the stand it comes with.

Because flow is always changing I recommend you start mapping out sections and choose your trip based on flow. Right now, this same stretch would not be nearly as fun at the current flow levels. Exploring routes is half the fun!

Hey man! This is all near llano. Get on google maps and choose yourself a route! Map out routes between low water crossings and you’ll be set

alexgomez102 from houston too, just got a kayak. If you ever need a partner out there lmk

Hey Chris! I'd recommend all getting water filter systems like the life straw so that you don't have to lug around a bunch of water. Also, keep your paddle distance to around 7 miles max per day. Map out your route on Google Earth and make sure there is good parking at the launch and take out locations. Google Street View is helpful for this. I just tossed in a link to the tent! I've had it for a couple years now and absolutely love it. Highly recommended

Gatewood Brown do you boil the River water you use before using the life straw or just use it straight into the river?

codysalas2 yessir! That’s the only legal way to do it

@@GatewoodBrown awesome looked like a hell of a trip im gonna have to look into it

Can't beat that!

I’m not much of a late night boater but I can imagine that would be wild

churro735 hey my man! I’ll tell you that we got lucky. Supposedly the landowner on that stretch of river harasses people all the time. I personally wouldn’t recommend camping there. Maybe a quick stop along the way but you’ll have a better time elsewhere. Have fun out there!

@@GatewoodBrown ahh thanks for the important info I'm from Houston so not a bad drive definitely driving up there for July 4th hope the water clean and flows just like your videos thanks for everything

churro735 you’ll have a blast but I can guarantee the landowners will be out in full force that weekend. Respect them and they’ll be nice to you in return. Flow is looking good right now based on the Mason gauge.

Currently in an ascend h10. Any old sit on top should do the trick for your first adventure but you’ll definitely want to step it up to something more suitable for longer adventures. Check out crescent kayaks, they have a great line up of value driven kayaks

Just brought multiple vehicles!

Hey Mathew! I’ve never done the south Llano but typically you just make sure there is good parking at the launch and take out. Then make sure the mileage between the two is manageable. 3 miles could be plenty for a day trip if the river is slow moving and you’re fishing or going for swims.

Check out sierra designs!

Not off the top of my head!

Sergio Gallegos thanks Man! Launched at Dos Rios and took out at Martins crossing

Gatewood Brown sweet bro!! Me and my buddy just did the Medina river last week. Thanks for posting, your making my trips happen! If you ever need more people let me know! Lol

@@sergiogallegos872 RIght on! Seems like a lot of people are out on the Medina these days. Always good to see! I'll be sure to let you know amigo

Gatewood Brown yea there was quite a bit of people when we went! Got some footage. Will be making a video soon. Keep up the sweet work bro!

Sergio Gallegos very cool! Let me know whenever you have it finished so I can check it out. Always enjoy watching people’s trips down the Medina

Thank you diana! It is in the Texas Hill Country

@@GatewoodBrown perfect! I live in Austin so that's super close! Just got off the water at blanco state park and it was beautiful..more adventures to come!

diana nguyen that is awesome to hear! The blanco is on my short list of places to paddle. Have fun exploring these amazing rivers!

I’d stick to more casual water like the Colorado River near Bastrop or Columbus

Yo Ma head out towards Mason TX and check for road crossings along the Llano. That is the stretch we paddled

It would be tough but doable! I’d recommend one with a seat and minimal to no fins

Gatewood Brown word, thanks man. My board has a seat for like 50$ so I’ll do that and get a kayak adapter thing for my paddle.

Indiejestion that’s the plan! Lower canyons of the rio, as well as Santa Elena are on the short list

@@GatewoodBrown Awesome! Its incredible. Just did Santa elena a few weeks ago. Check out the video on my channel

Indiejestion I’ll definitely check it out! I’ve been trying to get my buddies on board. Did you start in Lajitas?

@@GatewoodBrown We started at the Santa Elena Canyon take out...went up river and then came back. Make sure to camp up high.

Indiejestion ah yes the classic boomerang trip. Was it tough paddling upstream?

Oh I’d say It all comes down to budget and ability to store it at home. We are all young with not a ton of space to work with just yet! Pete beck loves the prijon but I’m not much into crushing tons of mileage so I’ll probably stick to the 12’ and under length. Be sure to check flow rates for your trip! The Frio is a trickle right now, 100cfs and above is what I like to see

Gatewood Brown I picked up this Prijon in Austin from a Craigslist post for $270... budget? I’m on a budget! Also, a guy needed cash fast for a, get this, an EPIC 18x Sport, $1800 ($4700 new) I didn’t have the cash so I sold off a few guns and came up with the money. Drove all the way to Tulsa to meet up with the guy. Came home with a Red Bow Epic! I want to try it out again in Houston in that swamp you didn’t name.. LoL with someone, or maybe Lake Livingston. I love ALL your videos and saved some for reference. Thanks

@@ronaldnoble4986 Dang you crushed that deal! For $270 I would've said here's 300 I'll pick it up today! Nice find my man, I'll keep my eye out

lol everytime we go by the place yall camped there is like 20+ signs saying no trespassing. coopers bbq is really good. we also do 1871 to the 2389 that yall put in at.love that river

Yeah it’s very annoying that those people put no trespassing signs in the river bed like that. It’s clearly left barren by the river and a legal place to camp. I talked to one of the neighbors and he said that guy isn’t nicest person out there haha. I need to try that upper stretch when flows are good again. Llano is definitely underrated!

@@GatewoodBrown we used to stay on the island where yall put in at before last years flood took all the trees off of it. i think the most fun part of that river is going in on the upper part of that island and going through those rapids and then under the 2389 bridge. Also if you decide to stay in a camper dos rios rv park before the river is a nice place to stay if you want to make several runs of that part and he even offers a shuttle service that is reasonably priced. The river at 1871 almost always looks low but once you get passed that first little part it is usually pretty good run. and yes it is way underrated for what it is. i cannot wait till march when i will get to go again

also if you havent tried the buffalo river in north arkansas.... you are missing out

@@davidkarr9952 The Buffalo is on my short list! I've seen a bunch of videos from there and it looks amazing. Quality water and beautiful scenery, can't go wrong there!

I think this was about 8mi

I mostly use a GoPro Hero7 and DJI Mavic 2 Pro for the Drone. I also have a Sony A7III on me for other, tighter more traditional shots. I've found that to work very well for all my needs!

It varies from a few inches to probably over 10’ is areas

I highly recommend researching and familiarizing yourself with the Texas Navigability laws. What you'll find is that Landowners sometimes disagree which is where the conflict happens. I haven't had an issue yet but we keep a pretty small footprint while camping. I'd imagine if someone came along passionate enough to kick us out we'd just move on to another campsite.

30°39'00"N 99°15'02"W coordinates for where they started at the bridge. The cliffs are a few miles down

@@xxAmplifyMe it is safe to kayak there correct? From Dos Rios RV Park all the way down to Simonsville Rd. I know to go online to check for water level and current flow. But what worries me is the current flow rate from Dos Rios RV Park and paddle down stream, will it be really hard to paddle back up stream? Also is there cellphone signals along the way? I know they camped along the way at the V section area of the river bank across the cliff. Is it possible to go from Dos Rios RV park to Simonsville Rd within a day? According to Google Earth it is about 6 miles long trip. I do plan on going this route...if you have any more advice please share it with me :)

@@7150285 I've only kayaked it once and it took about half the day for the 6 miles but the water was up pretty good so just depends on the flow like you said. I wouldn't want to kayak back upstream but I'm sure you could if you cant figure out a 2 vehicle system. Good luck!

@@xxAmplifyMe seriously?? It took you half day just to go 6 miles? Wow. I thought it would only take 3-4 hours. Also do you remember if you have cellphone signals along the way or not? In case need to stay in touch or SOS.

@@7150285 Yep started about 9 am ended about 3 pm but that's with breaks and just hanging out! You should be alright as long as the water isn't too low I'd recommend going before summer really hits because the lack of rain. Cell phone signal for me was 2 bars or less

For sure!

Just a couple guys being dudes!

@@GatewoodBrown )_)

Jim bob is a legend so he probably does know bond!