Beautiful! It's sad that there's a problem with the Landowners, but I understand since some people trash the place. It seems they could make a private park with a narrow strip of trail with entrance fees.
Very few have been able to admire this beauty in person. Back in the day most weren’t allowed and if caught you were getting shot at. Idk about now. Such an amazing place.
@Rise and Fly High Yah that's prob what she means lol. But I haven't read any accounts of anyone being shot. texasriverbum.com/index.php/2014/09/17/hike-and-hassled-to-the-narrows/ describes an unpleasant encounter someone had and alltrails describes yet another that involved slashed tires but, speaking for myself, I've not had issues like that. Mind you, I gather most people who go to the narrows do so in large groups and on weekends. I've done it twice, now, once by myself and once with two friends (so 3x ppl total) but I also did it on a Wednesday to avoid crowds and run-ins with landowners who are more likely to be working during the weekdays then on the weekends. If you do it with a large group landowners, I figure, will be more intimated by you and will temper their response accordingly. If you do the hike by yourself you're less likely to be perceived as a threat by landowners I figure. Of course, you also need to be more prepared as well since, if you run into trouble and you're on your own, ain't no one coming to your rescue
The "Narrows" is the bottom of what was the Blanco river channel. It's a result of years of drought and Climate Change. This is the bottom of the river bed, where once this was covered with water up to the banks, it is now going dry, just like the Guadalupe, Pedernales and Medina rivers in the Texas Hill Country. Watch this video closely and look at the stairs (3:23) built down to the old river bank in the flats, that's where the river use to be. Unsustainable demand has increased with the amount of individuals moving to this area and utilizing these rivers and the aquifers below for their water supply. It's simple math, less precipitation more usage from unregulated development is going to cause a massive problem in these areas in the very near future. As beautiful as this may be, it is also a stark warning for Texans.
I've lived on the Blanco for four years now, and have yet to see water in it, From what folks tell me, having our low water crossing flooded was a common occurrence until the last four years
I hiked from the south! If you hike from the north you need to bring a rope to enter the narrows cause there's a waterfall that's super slippery. Well actually I guess you don't need it to /enter/ the narrows but I gather you'll need it to leave 😅 if you do it from the south the transition isn't quite as abrupt as it is from the north but it doesn't require a rope!
@@yawnmoth you have the BEST drone vid of The Narrows online so far IMO. I heard people hiking from the south it's a shorter distance however more bodies of waters and swimming required. Did you run into issues with land owners there?
@@7150285 I did not! But I also did it by myself on a Wednesday figuring that I'd be less likely to run into landowners on a weekday and that by doing it by myself I'd be, overall, less threatening to them. As for there being more bodies of water.. idk how it compares to the other direction since I've never done the other direction lol but the single largest stretch of water I did was 1,000 ft long. It was too deep to wade so I had to swim it. Doing that with a full backpacking backpack is not easy. Thankfully I brought a life jacket with me. When I had to swim I just flipped onto my back and did the backstroke. I want to go back with a heavier duty drone. Maybe have a gopro max (360 camera) from the drone with 50 ft of fishing line and try to fly the length of the narrows. If I hit the gorge walls with my gopro it's not a huge issue. If I hit the gorge walls with my drone props that's game over!
@@yawnmoth I wanted to go some days so bad!! What still don't have the guts too...:( Hopefully one day I'll have enough confident too :) You are very brave doing it solo. You are the 2nd person that I know who went there solo.
Not sure! tpwd.texas.gov/publications/nonpwdpubs/water_issues/rivers/navigation/riddell/navigability.phtml provides some guidance but, ultimately, "The question of navigability of a stream is ultimately to be decided by the courts". It'd be interesting to look up cases in westlaw or some such and read the rulings. Maybe criminal dockets in Hays County or something
Planning to go this Friday with a group….do you by chance have a specific address or know where the entrances are? I’ve seen a few but nothing seems consistent. Would love if you could help!
You can enter off of Chimney Valley Rd at 30.087919, -98.325025 and approach the Narrows from the north east or you can enter off of Valley View Rd at 30.036841, -98.222900 and approach the Narrows from the south west. Mind you, you can't park anywhere close to the bridges. If you can get a friend to drop you off and pick you up that'd be ideal. The next best thing would prob be to bicycle and there and then kinda hide your bicycles in the riverbed or something. That said, I didn't have cell service for miles from where I entered. Maybe you'd have cell service with AT&T or Verizon tho idk (I have T-Mobile). Just something to be mindful of. Good luck!
@David Rodriguez the Narrows is surrounded by private property but because it's a part of the Blanco river and rivers are publicly navigable in the state of Texas you can legally do the hike as long as you don't leave the river bed. The only caveat is that you can't trespass to enter into the river bed so you have to enter it from one of two public low water crossings. And even then you gotta be careful with parking cause the parts of the road closest to those low water crossings don't have shoulders. If you're interested in the legal aspects I'd recommend the book the Blanco river by Wes Ferguson. The austin public library has it available for check out if you live in Austin, tx
Thanks for sharing. That's something I will never get to see but I admire those who have and will.
Great video 👍
Awesome!
Breathtaking beauty!
Amazing
Beautiful! It's sad that there's a problem with the Landowners, but I understand since some people trash the place. It seems they could make a private park with a narrow strip of trail with entrance fees.
I agree! I think West Cave, in south Austin, is a good model for how they could do it
I wonder how the water levels are there right now! Awesome video!
Very few have been able to admire this beauty in person. Back in the day most weren’t allowed and if caught you were getting shot at. Idk about now. Such an amazing place.
"if caught you were getting shot at", do you mean getting shot by a Gun ? (getting killed ?)
@Rise and Fly High Yah that's prob what she means lol. But I haven't read any accounts of anyone being shot. texasriverbum.com/index.php/2014/09/17/hike-and-hassled-to-the-narrows/ describes an unpleasant encounter someone had and alltrails describes yet another that involved slashed tires but, speaking for myself, I've not had issues like that. Mind you, I gather most people who go to the narrows do so in large groups and on weekends. I've done it twice, now, once by myself and once with two friends (so 3x ppl total) but I also did it on a Wednesday to avoid crowds and run-ins with landowners who are more likely to be working during the weekdays then on the weekends. If you do it with a large group landowners, I figure, will be more intimated by you and will temper their response accordingly. If you do the hike by yourself you're less likely to be perceived as a threat by landowners I figure. Of course, you also need to be more prepared as well since, if you run into trouble and you're on your own, ain't no one coming to your rescue
It’s legal to be IN the water
The "Narrows" is the bottom of what was the Blanco river channel. It's a result of years of drought and Climate Change. This is the bottom of the river bed, where once this was covered with water up to the banks, it is now going dry, just like the Guadalupe, Pedernales and Medina rivers in the Texas Hill Country. Watch this video closely and look at the stairs (3:23) built down to the old river bank in the flats, that's where the river use to be. Unsustainable demand has increased with the amount of individuals moving to this area and utilizing these rivers and the aquifers below for their water supply. It's simple math, less precipitation more usage from unregulated development is going to cause a massive problem in these areas in the very near future. As beautiful as this may be, it is also a stark warning for Texans.
It's a bit like Jacob's Well in that regard and it's definitely cause for alarm!
@@yawnmoth Without a doubt.
What role does juniper have in water reduction?
I've lived on the Blanco for four years now, and have yet to see water in it, From what folks tell me, having our low water crossing flooded was a common occurrence until the last four years
Weber ranch? Grew as a kid in Blanco. Now its locals are scarce.
Awesome vid!! This is the BEST drone footage I've seen people had done with The Narrows so far!! You hike from north or south entrance?
I hiked from the south! If you hike from the north you need to bring a rope to enter the narrows cause there's a waterfall that's super slippery. Well actually I guess you don't need it to /enter/ the narrows but I gather you'll need it to leave 😅 if you do it from the south the transition isn't quite as abrupt as it is from the north but it doesn't require a rope!
@@yawnmoth you have the BEST drone vid of The Narrows online so far IMO. I heard people hiking from the south it's a shorter distance however more bodies of waters and swimming required. Did you run into issues with land owners there?
@@7150285 I did not! But I also did it by myself on a Wednesday figuring that I'd be less likely to run into landowners on a weekday and that by doing it by myself I'd be, overall, less threatening to them.
As for there being more bodies of water.. idk how it compares to the other direction since I've never done the other direction lol but the single largest stretch of water I did was 1,000 ft long. It was too deep to wade so I had to swim it. Doing that with a full backpacking backpack is not easy. Thankfully I brought a life jacket with me. When I had to swim I just flipped onto my back and did the backstroke.
I want to go back with a heavier duty drone. Maybe have a gopro max (360 camera) from the drone with 50 ft of fishing line and try to fly the length of the narrows. If I hit the gorge walls with my gopro it's not a huge issue. If I hit the gorge walls with my drone props that's game over!
@@yawnmoth I wanted to go some days so bad!! What still don't have the guts too...:( Hopefully one day I'll have enough confident too :)
You are very brave doing it solo. You are the 2nd person that I know who went there solo.
@@yawnmoth Did you begin from the low water crossing on Valley View, or did you start from a closer point?
is the land right above it public? do you have to actually be inside the narrows to be public
Not sure! tpwd.texas.gov/publications/nonpwdpubs/water_issues/rivers/navigation/riddell/navigability.phtml provides some guidance but, ultimately, "The question of navigability of a stream is ultimately to be decided by the courts". It'd be interesting to look up cases in westlaw or some such and read the rulings. Maybe criminal dockets in Hays County or something
Planning to go this Friday with a group….do you by chance have a specific address or know where the entrances are? I’ve seen a few but nothing seems consistent. Would love if you could help!
You can enter off of Chimney Valley Rd at 30.087919, -98.325025 and approach the Narrows from the north east or you can enter off of Valley View Rd at 30.036841, -98.222900 and approach the Narrows from the south west. Mind you, you can't park anywhere close to the bridges. If you can get a friend to drop you off and pick you up that'd be ideal. The next best thing would prob be to bicycle and there and then kinda hide your bicycles in the riverbed or something.
That said, I didn't have cell service for miles from where I entered. Maybe you'd have cell service with AT&T or Verizon tho idk (I have T-Mobile). Just something to be mindful of.
Good luck!
@@yawnmoth ~I live right off of Valley View. AT&T is the best out here. T-mobile is useless.
How long are the NARROWS?
The narrows, itself, is about 0.25mi long. The hike to get there, however, is about 14mi, round trip.
@@yawnmoth And getting there is illegal because you're hiking on private property 😒?
@David Rodriguez the Narrows is surrounded by private property but because it's a part of the Blanco river and rivers are publicly navigable in the state of Texas you can legally do the hike as long as you don't leave the river bed. The only caveat is that you can't trespass to enter into the river bed so you have to enter it from one of two public low water crossings. And even then you gotta be careful with parking cause the parts of the road closest to those low water crossings don't have shoulders. If you're interested in the legal aspects I'd recommend the book the Blanco river by Wes Ferguson. The austin public library has it available for check out if you live in Austin, tx
To the people thinking this is beautiful it's not this is us running out of water and it's sad not amazing