Riders traveling through New Mexico and Colorado are often delighted by spectacular mountain streams rushing along, challenging whitewater rafters and fly fishermen alike. The Upper Guadalupe River in Texas is as close as it gets to the scenic beauty offered by those western rivers. Texas Highway 39 hugs the Upper Guadalupe for 35 miles, making motorcyclists feel like they’re actually floating on the river. That alone qualifies TX 39 as one of our Favorite Roads.
Story by Tom Wiley | Photos by Miguel Asenio
The roads of the southern portion of the Edwards Plateau are unparalleled for motorcycling adventures. That includes Bandera, Kerr, Edwards, Real, Uvalde, and Medina counties. Certainly, the better known roads near the towns of Bandera and Leaky garner the most acclaim. But, really, there’s not a boring road in this region! Be sure and add TX 39 to the list.
We’ll start our ride in Kerrville. It’s not actually on TX 39, but serves as a great base camp. With over 23,000 residents, Kerrville is a true city and offers every amenity a traveler could desire. That includes parks, restaurants, and accommodations on the Guadalupe River. Plus, Kerrville is an excellent staging point for rides to the rest of the Hill Country, no matter which direction might tickle your fancy on a given day.
Native Indian groups frequented the Guadalupe for thousands of years. Spaniards named it Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe as they explored the river in 1689. Settlers from Europe and the U.S. began homesteading along the Upper Guadalupe in the early 1800s. They had to have been a hardy bunch, since the thin, rocky soil was a challenge for farming and Indian raids were frequent.
We’ll begin our ride on TX 39 seven miles west of Kerrville at the small town of Ingram. Ingram was founded in 1879 and began attracting new residents drawn for the perceived healthy climate of the Hill Country and beauty of the Guadalupe River. Early settlers ranched cattle, sheep, and goats. They depended on the river for milling and ginning crops and as a resource for cypress shingles and lumber. Today’s residents have added hunting and tourism to the Ingram economy.
Ingram embraces the arts, with a bevy of galleries and associated shops along the Old Ingram Loop. Just across from Johnson Creek Bridge is the Hill Country Arts Foundation. This colorful venue combines art studios and a theatre for live productions. It’s also home to one of the most visited sites in Central Texas.
More than 5,000 years ago, prehistoric Britons began constructing Stonehenge on the Salisbury plains of England. Its purpose will continually be open to debate, as will discussions about those who created this enigmatic monument. Did visitors from outer space play a hand in the design and alignment? Al Shepperd decided some twenty-plus years ago that Texas needed its own version of Stonehenge. With help from neighbor Doug Hill, Al spent the next nine months building Stonehenge II in nearby Hunt, Texas. After Shepperd’s death, the megalithic replica found a new home on the campus of the Hill Country Arts Foundation in Ingram. On any given day, bikers and scout groups and busloads of out-of-towners can be found mingling among the circle of mammoth stones and accompanying Easter Island statuary.
We’ll pass a small dam and scenic lake just west of Ingram. It’s easy to understand why property in this area is some of the most desirable in the state. Cool breezes waft off the river in the summertime and linger under the canopy of trees hovering over TX 39. After a hot Texas scorcher, you may pick up scents of damp air belched from limestone caves and sinkholes. Bats can often be seen darting after insects in the evening skies.
The river bends from one side of the road to the other, passing over several low water crossings. A small roadside park at Guadalupe Crossing provides a rare opportunity to stop and take a quick plunge on a summer day. Next up is the small community of Hunt. The western half of what would become Kerr County was slow to develop. It wasn’t until after the Civil War that homesteaders began settling near the confluence of the north and south branches of the Guadalupe River. A small store was one of the first businesses. Today, the Hunt Store is a favorite stopping place for motorcyclists. They can relax with a cold beverage on the patio or dig into a plate of barbecue at the cafe. Their website has information about who might be performing some fine Texas music. For an alternative ride, Ranch Road 1340 follows the North Branch of the Guadalupe River and is equally beautiful. Decisions, decisions.
TX 39 departs Hunt and continues west as part of the Texas Hill Country Trail. Curves can be especially tight. Majestic cypresses, quaking sycamores, and shrubby sumacs follow the stream. In the fall, these first 20 miles of TX 39 after Ingram are like “tripping through a kaleidoscope.” If you’re tempted to stop near a crossing for a long-range photograph of the river flowing under overhanging trees, be especially mindful of parking safely and walking along this narrow and often busy highway.
About ten miles into the ride, a pecan orchard next to the river is guarded by a high limestone bluff. Private residences are joined by lodges, rental cabins and camps. Overnight guests at one of the many accommodations in the area might head to Criders Rodeo and Dancehall. Their website lists who will be providing some boot-scooting music or what time the summer rodeo starts. Farther along the road, a collection of cowboy boots rests atop cedar fenceposts.
The last 15 miles of TX 39 leaves the South Guadalupe River and ascends the hills. Small river properties are replaced by large ranches. Cypress trees are replaced by stands of oaks, scrub cedars, and rock-strewn pastures. Tall wire fences line the road. Don’t be surprised to see exotic game browsing in the shadows of distant trees.
The end of Texas Highway 39 doesn’t mean that an excellent ride is over. Ranch Road 187 heads south to Lost Maples State Park and Vanderpool. Or we can take US Highway 83 south to Leakey and pick one of the Twisted Sisters to scrape our pegs on. No matter which direction we head, it will be hard to get those images of the magnificent Guadalupe River along TX 39 out of our minds.
Eat, Stay, Do
HUNT
Hunt Store
1634 TX 39
830-238-4410
thehuntstore.com
River Inn Resort
2960 TX 39 @ River Inn Crossing
800-841-0501, 830-238-4226
riverinnresort.com
Roddy Tree Ranch
820 TX 39
800-309-9868, 830-367-2871
Crider’s Rodeo & Dance Hall
TX 39 (3½ mi. west of Hunt)
830-238-4441
cridersrodeoanddance.com
INGRAM
West Kerr County Chamber of Commerce
wkcc.com
Rita’s Famous Tacos
3106 Junction Hwy (TX 27)
830-367-3088
River Lodging Cottages
1100 TX 39
830-367-5216
riverlodging.com
Hill Country Arts Foundation
120 Point Theatre Rd.
830-367-5121
hcaf.com
KERRVILLE
Chamber of Commerce
kerrvilletx.com
Convention & Visitors Bureau
Billy Gene’s Restaurant
1489 Junction Hwy (TX 27)
830-895-7377
billygenes.com
The Lakehouse Restaurants
1655 Junction Hwy (TX 27)
830-895-3188
hillcountrycookin.com
Guadalupe River RV Resort
2605 Junction Hwy (TX 27)
830-367-5676
guadaluperiverrvresort.com
LEAKEY
Frio Canyon Chamber of Commerce
friocanyonchamber.com
Visitors Guide
VANDERPOOL
Lost Maples State Park
37221 FM 187
830-966-3413
