Last Updated: May 2026
The Frio River — frio meaning cold in Spanish — is spring-fed from the karst limestone aquifers of the Edwards Plateau, and it earns the name. The water runs crystal clear and consistently cool regardless of season, and it carves through a landscape of live oaks, cedar, and limestone bluffs that is quintessentially Texas Hill Country. In summer the Frio is one of the most popular tubing and kayaking rivers in Texas; we arrived in late November to find the off-season in full effect — ropes swings hanging still, rental outfitters shuttered, roads nearly empty. It was exactly the right amount of quiet.
Parkview Riverside RV Resort
Parkview Riverside RV Resort sits directly across the Frio River from Garner State Park, and the location is the entire argument for staying here. Our pull-in site faced the river, framed by old-growth live oaks with their wide horizontal limbs reaching toward the water. The view through those trees to the Rio Frio beyond was one of the most peaceful campsite scenes of the entire trip. We had 50-amp service, 40 psi water pressure, sewer, and passable internet — but no Verizon cell service for the surrounding 15 miles. First time all year we’d been completely off the cell network. It took some troubleshooting to figure out how to route calls over the campground wifi, but we got there, and the enforced disconnection turned out to be more welcome than inconvenient.
We left the day before Thanksgiving — a decision we spent several minutes regretting upon learning that the resort puts on a substantial Thanksgiving feast each year, including approximately twenty deep-fried turkeys. Twenty. We did not stay for this. It remains one of the great near-misses of the trip.
Rope swings lined the river in both directions from the resort — a half-dozen of them hanging from the oak limbs over the deeper pools, silent in November. In summer they’d be in constant use; we found a few brave kids willing to swing in despite the cold water, which says something admirable about children’s relationship with discomfort. The nearby town of Leakey, the closest services, had most of its businesses closed for the off-season — kayak and tube rentals shuttered, restaurants dark. It had the pleasant, unhurried atmosphere of a place that knows exactly what it is and doesn’t apologize for the seasonality.
Garner State Park
Garner State Park is the most visited state park in Texas, and in November — the deep off-season — it was still busy enough to hit capacity by 10am on Saturday. The park closes its gates when full; we arrived Saturday to find it shut, turned around, and came back Sunday with more patience. The wait in line was worth it.
The park offers a network of short hiking trails through the cedar and oak-covered hills above the river, with views of the Frio valley that open up at the higher points. The trail system is gentle enough for a casual afternoon — nothing technical, just good Hill Country terrain with rewarding perspectives at the top. The star attraction, though, is the river itself: the Frio runs right through the park, lined with cypress trees whose roots grip the limestone banks, crystal clear and cold and perfect for wading even when it’s too chilly for full immersion.
Jake’s Paddle Boat Adventure
Garner rents paddle boats, and we rented one specifically so Jake could come on the river with us. He took this responsibility very seriously. He stood on the back of the paddle boat for the duration and watched the water below with focused, professional attention — fish, turtles, and anyone standing on the shore all received full Jake evaluation. A large painted turtle surfaced near the boat. Jake relished in its proximity, shaking until it slipped back under water.
Tarantula on the Trail
On one of the hiking trails we came across a brown tarantula moving with considerable purpose across the path. This is not as alarming as it sounds — Texas Hill Country has a healthy tarantula population, particularly in fall when the males are on the move searching for mates, and they are by disposition among the most docile spiders you’ll encounter. Their defenses run to posturing, their fangs (a bite is roughly equivalent to a bee sting for most people), and urticating hairs that they can flick from their abdomen toward a threat — irritating to skin and eyes but not dangerous. They have no interest in conflict.
The lifespan discrepancy between sexes is striking: female tarantulas have been documented living up to 40 years, making them among the longest-lived arachnids. Mature males, having reached sexual maturity, typically live only about a year — spending their final season wandering in search of a mate before dying of natural causes or, occasionally, being eaten by the female after mating. Evolution has a dark sense of humor. This particular individual was headed somewhere with real conviction and we stepped aside accordingly.
The Frio River has a musical footnote worth mentioning: it appears in “All My Ex’s Live in Texas,” the 1987 George Strait classic written by Sanger D. Shafer and Lyndia J. Shafer. Strait grew up not far from the Frio River, in Pearsall, and the song’s geography is real — Rosanna of the Frio River is a specific reference to this specific water. Driving out through the surrounding countryside, it was easy to understand why those names stuck. The landscape here — rolling hills covered in live oak and cedar, large ranches separated by miles of empty road, cattle grazing against a wide sky — is the kind of scenery that earns its way into song lyrics. We were well out of wine country by this point, but the beauty of the Texas Hill Country landscape held all the way to the edge of the Edwards Plateau.
Visitor Information
Parkview Riverside RV Resort
Parkview Riverside RV Resort is located in Rio Frio, TX, directly across the river from Garner State Park. Pull-in and pull-through sites available, some with direct river views. 50-amp service, sewer, water. Internet available but limited. No Verizon cell service in the area — AT&T signal is stronger. Dog-friendly. The resort hosts a major Thanksgiving feast annually; if you’re in the area over the holiday, plan to stay. Reservations essential for holidays and summer weekends.
Garner State Park
Garner State Park (234 RR 1050, Concan, TX) is Texas’s most visited state park. Admission is charged; Texas State Parks passes are accepted. The park reaches capacity quickly on weekends year-round — arrive by 8am or plan a weekday visit to avoid being turned away. Activities include swimming, hiking, paddle boat and canoe rentals, mini golf, and a famous summer tradition of nightly outdoor dancing on the concrete pavilion by the river. Dogs are permitted in the day use area on leash; check current rules for trail access.
Leakey, Texas
The nearest town to the Frio River area, Leakey (pronounced “LAY-key”) has gas stations, a few restaurants, and summer outfitters for tubing and kayaking. Many businesses operate seasonally from spring through early fall and close or reduce hours from November through February. Verify hours before planning a supply or dining stop in the off-season.
Practical Tips
Timing your visit: Summer — Memorial Day through Labor Day — is peak season for the Frio, and the river fills with tubers, kayakers, and swimmers. Garner hits capacity within the first hour of opening on summer weekends. Fall and spring offer more relaxed visits with cooler temperatures ideal for hiking; winter visits get you the scenery and solitude with almost no crowds.
Cell service: Verizon coverage is essentially absent for 10–15 miles around the Frio River area. AT&T fares better but is still spotty. Starlink or a campground wifi connection is the reliable option. Download offline maps before you arrive.
Water temperature: The Frio runs approximately 68–72°F year-round due to its spring-fed source — refreshing in summer, bracingly cold in November. Wading is comfortable in shoulder season; swimming requires more commitment. The spring temperature is consistent regardless of air temperature, so summer crowds are justified.
Tarantulas: Fall migrations of male tarantulas are common in the Hill Country and Edwards Plateau — if you see one crossing a trail or road, give it wide berth and enjoy the encounter. They are harmless to humans under normal circumstances and will not pursue. Keep dogs away, as the urticating hairs can cause irritation to eyes and mucous membranes.
