You Have to Experience This Gorge Hike in Texas for Yourself

If you're looking for a short but beautiful and easy hike with a unique feature, you'll love the Canyon Gorge Overlook hike near Canyon Lake, Texas. This 1.3-mile hike follows Canyon Gorge, a rather new geological feature in Texas. Canyon Gorge is a gorge that is up to 50 feet deep in some places and was created during flooding of the Guadalupe River in 2002. During that flood, 67,000 cubic feet of water per second poured over the spillway from Canyon Lake Reservoir for six weeks, washing away millennia of sediment from the canyon.

In the past, most scientists believed that gorges like this one were created over thousands of years, but this gorge helped to prove a hypothesis proposed by some that gorges could also be created quickly through dramatic weather events.

This gorge trail is stunning! The hike itself is quite easy, and hikers will only experience 95 feet of elevation gain along the route. Read on to learn more about this fun, easy, and picturesque hike in Texas.

The Canyon Gorge Overlook Trail starts adjacent to a parking lot off South Access Road. From there, you'll walk toward the Guadalupe River; this is an out-and-back trail, so once you reach the end of it, you'll have to go back the same way to get back to your vehicle. Hikers are required to sign in at the trailhead and pay a small fee to use the trail. Entry ends at 3 p.m. daily.

This trail is family-friendly, and the dirt and gravel paths are well-maintained. Due to it's beauty and ease, this trail can be busy at times, but often you'll have it to yourself. Regardless, you're sure to love it as the views are incredible. Dogs are not allowed, however.

You'll want to bring your camera for this hike. You'll find a variety of viewpoints overlooking the gorge and you'll want to take lots of photos. Because this area was filled with sediment before the 2002 flood, it's possible to find ancient fossils and dinosaur tracks that were uncovered by the massive water flow in the area.

You'll also see a number of small waterfalls along the way. There's a water-fill station at the halfway point and there are restrooms at both ends of the trail. Unfortunately, however, there is no water access or access to the gorge itself on this hike—it's purely an overlook trail. If you'd like to explore the actual gorge, guided tours of it are available, and you can sign up for one at the visitor center. These tours are quite informative and will tell you about the interesting geological history of this area as well as the flora and fauna that surrounds you.

You'll love everything about this easy gorge hike, and you'll be amazed by the exceptional and unique beauty of Canyon Lake Gorge. Texas is full of spectacular hikes and this is just one of many. Have a great hike!

Looking for somewhere to stay in the Canyon Lake area? You might consider the nearby Holiday Inn Club Vacations Hill Country Resort at Canyon Lake. It's well-rated and fun for the whole family—and you'll have easy access to this gorge trail, too.