Devil's River State Natural Area

Jeff Moore, Alan Cressler, Doug Strait, Paul Aughey, Manuel Beers

We then departed toward Devil’s River State Natural Area.  A couple hours later, we’d driven the entire 22 mile stretch of gravel road to the natural area.  We stopped by headquarters, GPS: NAD27  295622.39  1005811.51 +-10, and filled out permits and Alan, Manuel, Jeff and I set up camp in campsite # 3, GPS:  NAD27  295522.45  1005904.00 +-10.  Then we drove to the end of the road and began our hike to Dolan Falls.  We paralleled a large cliff with many dark holes as we walked.  We turned left at a fork and followed that road to a uninviting metal gate designating the edge of Nature Conservancy property.  I’ve never seen a larger no-nothing sign!  We retreated since Texas is a bad place to trespass and followed the other fork to the edge of Devil’s River where we encountered more no-nothing signs. 

Downstream, to the left, a fence blocked further progress.  We could hear the waterfall and later found out it fell only a couple hundred yards away.  We began hiking upstream.  The river pooled across the road in one spot so we bushwhacked around.  Soon, I spotted a promising hole to the right.  I bushwhacked up to it and found a large cave entrance 15’ H x 15’ W, GPS:  NAD27  295357.65  1005949.74 +-18.  I put on my helmet and walked 70’ inside the cave where a low crawlway began.  Manuel and I crawled 10 feet ahead into a small room with ___.  I exited and learned that Alan and Jeff walked barefoot through the water upstream.  I could hear flowing water not far ahead. 

Paul, Manual, and I took off our shoes and socks and walked across the flat rock river bottom occasionally sliding in the shallow water.  Shortly after, we arrived at the first of many springs, GPS:  NAD27  295359.87  1005951.38 +-18.  For the next 300’ water issues from multiple places and flows into Devil’s River.  Light faded from the sky as I edged barefoot back across the submerged bedrock floor and put my shoes back on.  When everyone else arrived, Paul, Alan, Manuel, and I went skinny dipping in the cold river water.  Then we hiked back to camp trudging much further than we’d realized. 

At camp, we ate and later Alan, Jeff, Manuel, and I decided to go hunting for scorpions.  We first walked a dry stream where I found a couple really nice chunks of chert for Manuel and also discovered an arrowhead.  Soon brush blockaded further progress and forced us back to the road.  Manuel, Jeff, and I walked to the next campsite where I spotted a Wind Scorpion.  After many pictures, we started back but Jeff soon diverted our attention to a windmill.  I decided that I wanted to climb it.  Jeff snapped photos of Alan, Manuel, and I hanging off the side of the windmill.  Later, we finally retreated back to camp and went to bed.

Devil's River State Natural Area Gallery

Devil's River SNA

Devil's River SNA

Devil's River SNA

Devil's River SNA