Where to Paddle Board in Texas
If you are not from here or haven't visited, your idea of Texas may be deserts, cowboys, and cattle. It may surprise you that Texas is one of the most popular paddle boarding destinations in the country. With more than 80,000 miles of rivers and more than 350 miles of coast line, Texas offers an abundance of paddle boarding opportunities. Below are our top five favorite paddle board destinations in Texas.
1. Caddo Lake Paddle Boarding
There is a good chance you’ve never heard of Caddo Lake. There’s an even better chance that you’ve never paddle boarded Caddo Lake. This Texas paddle board destination isn’t for the faint of heart. For starters, it’s located at the end of a dirt road just outside Uncertain, TX (population 94). Caddo Lake is located on the eastern edge of Texas and has the distinction of being one of the only natural lakes in the state. If you venture this far east, one of the first things that you’ll notice about Caddo Lake is that it looks unlike anywhere else in Texas. While the overgrown cypress trees make this lake feel like a scene from a horror movie, it is actually one of the most diverse bird habitats in the country. On our recent paddle board trip to Caddo Lake, we met some of the nicest people we’ve ever met. You can read all about this trip and the epic wildlife on our recent blog post. Also….. We forgot one very important detail, there are 900 pound alligators in the lake… DO NOT FEED THEM!
2. Galveston Island Paddle Boarding
Galveston, TX is home to one of the largest ports in the country, a quarter of the US refinery capacity and… paddle boarding. Paddle boarding Galveston offers a wide range of opportunities, some of which you won’t find anywhere else in the country. First, there are miles of protected bays to paddle board around Galveston offering a lifetime of fishing, exploration and birding opportunities. In addition, there are some decent waves when the conditions are right to paddle surf along the Galveston Sea Wall. That’s not why it made the list, however. With Galveston being one of the largest and busiest ports in the country, there is a unique phenomenon that takes place called tanker surfing. It’s exactly what it sounds like, when and oil tanker rolls through the Galveston ship channel, you ride the wave of a lifetime for up to two minutes at a time. While surfboards work, paddle boards offer the ideal board to catch these waves and maneuver in and out of traffic. Get the details on this recent blog post we wrote on paddle board Galveston and tanker surfing the gulf coast.
3. Paddle Boarding White Rock Lake - Dallas, TX
The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is one of the most populous areas of the country and is bigger in size than the state of Rhode island. With such an abundance of people and roadways, paddle boarding in Dallas is a great way to get away from the hustle and out in nature for a bit of down time. Many people often wonder, where in all of the highways and people do you paddle board in Dallas? There is one lake that stands out, White Rock Lake. It’s a hidden gem in the heart of the city. Lined with jogging trails, this natural setting is the perfect place to SUP in Dallas. In addition to the natural beauty, this lake is free of powerboat traffic making it a perfect place to learn to paddle board in Dallas.
4. Padre Island Paddle Boarding
Running from just south of Corpus Christi island all the way to the Mexican border are the Padre Islands separated by a tiny inlet in the middle. Each summer we return to Padre Island multiple times. Paddle boarding Padre Island couldn’t be more ideal. Along this stretch of water the gulf coast water begins to change from the silty brown waters from the Mississippi river to a more tropical clear/blue. On the bay side of the islands, you’ll find an abundance of inlets to fish and explore, while being protected from ocean waves and wind. Near the end of the island chain, on South Padre Island, you’ll find some of the most consistent swells in the state making it an ideal place to paddle surf in Texas. While the waves likely won’t be huge, this stretch offers the most consistent waves in the state. If you are looking for a unique paddle board destination that you can drive to then put Padre Island on your list.
5. Paddle Boarding Austin, TX
Austin, TX is both the capital of Texas, as well as the epicenter of paddle boarding in the state. On any given weekend, you are likely to find a few hundred people out paddle boarding on Lady Bird Lake. Some will be socializing and sunbathing, while others will be out for a fitness paddle. With an abundance of water ways so accessible to the city core, Austin is a dream paddle board destination and home to our studio where we build our wooden boards. Read about the three best lakes in and around Austin that you should paddle board on this summer.
