Frio River flow and water conditions vary greatly depending on location

 It’s no secret the Texas Hill Country River Region including Uvalde and Real Counties is experiencing an exceptional drought. The lack of water is so extreme that in Concan, drinking water is having to be trucked in by tanker trucks on a daily basis. Yet, as this Summer float season is coming to a close, the conditions along the Frio River vary greatly depending on the location you may choose to visit. 

   Near the river at Neal’s Crossing south of the bridge, the river bed is nearly dry with only a few puddles here and there and possibly a trickle of water.  Just above the Neal’s Crossing bridge at the Concan Swimming Hole, there are pools of water with colorful canopies and people still swimming in and reclining in the water. Yet compared to a year ago, the water in that area seems much less. 

  At the Kenneth Arthur Crossing also referred to as the Frio Country Crossing, if you walk the river bed down from the bridge, there is a nice swimming hole with enough water in which to splash around. 

 Recently, after posting a very dry picture of the Frio River Bed below Neal’s Crossing,  Rob Goebel sent a message to me saying that Riverstone Cabins located North of Leakey off Highway 83  still has water flowing and that the location was a “stark contrast” to the nearly dry Frio Riverbed picture I posted. 

 After asking permission to come up and see the place, I drove up a few miles north of Leakey and turned onto Roy Chisum Road and I soon found myself on a small bridge overlooking a flowing Frio River with a colorful tube floating nearby. 

 I drove around a bit and went to the front office but no one was there. I had missed meeting the owner or manager there. 

Having never visited the Frio River above Leakey, I didn’t realize the river extended that far north.  That said, it appears most if not all of the river is located on private property and no public crossings available. That said, Riverstone Cabins is one of what looks like a number of private access points one can contact and make reservations to experience what the Frio River headwaters have to offer.