Floating the FRIO

IN THE ROILING TEXAS HEAT, TUBING DOWN THIS SPRING-FED RIVER IS A TRADITION THAT FLOWS THROUGH TIME

- KAITLYN YARBOROUGH SADIK

"Howdy, folks," drawls the ranger at the entrance to Garner State Park, smiling widely from inside his hutch with no air-conditioning. “Good day for a float, not too warm,” he jokes, as it's already nearly 90 degrees at nine o'clock in the morning. We listen attentively as he rattles off his quick, vague directions (“two right turns, veer left, then drive until you see water”) to the tubing stretch of the Frio River, which we have traveled hours to experience.

(Clockwise from top left) Towering bald cypresses offer the perfect rope-swinging spot at Garner State Park. Stop by Frio's Dry Fifty store for souvenirs and snacks. After a full day of sun, the best way to refuel is to savor Tex-Mex favorites at Mama Chole's Mexican Restaurant.

The ranger hands us a pamphlet outlining Texas' 88 state parks and their various appeals. “And please don't forget to visit your other state parks!” he says. We effusively promise to do so, if only to avoid dampening his chipper mood. With no cell service anywhere close, we grasp for any sort of evolutionary directional instincts and peel off with shaky confidence.

Garner State Park, which first opened its gates in 1941, inhabits a sublimely beautiful nook deep in the Texas Hill Country. It's one of the most visited parks in the state despite its relatively remote location, attracting families and outdoorsy adventurers who come here for its seasonal splendors: brightly hued leaves in the fall and refreshing waters in the spring and summer.