[Paddlewise] Trip Report....Canyon of the Eagles 2/28-3/2/03

Trip Report: Lake Buchanan Canyon of the Eagles Paddle (TX) Fri 2/28-Sun
3/2/2002

Ken Johnson and Mark Arnold in two Performa II sea kayaks

Summary:

The 940 acre Canyon of the Eagles Nature Park on Lake Buchanan has it
all: plunging waterfalls, towering multi-colored sandstone cliffs, rugged
rock formations, Bald Eagles, Black-capped Vireos, Golden-cheeked
Warblers, Ospreys, and remote heavily wooded countryside with mountain
goats climbing the rocks. It is a beautiful rustic wilderness setting for
a 64 room lodge, conference center and restaurant, cottages, RV park,
campsites, primitive camping, country store, snack shop, astronomical
observatory, birding trails, and outdoor barbecue area. There are kayak
and sailboat rentals and lessons, tour boat trips to the falls and a
winery across the lake. All top quality, quiet, peaceful, with some of
the best scenery Texas has to offer.

Friday 2/28/2003:

Mark and I left Corpus Christi 5:15am to drive 220 miles to Austin to
stop by Austin Outdoor Gear and Guidance shop (9am) before driving on the
remaining 80 miles to Lake Buchanan. We had been invited to the weekend
Grand Opening of Lake Buchanan Adventures, which rents kayaks, sailboats,
and offers lessons and boat tours around the area. The Texas hill country
where the Colorado River comes into the northern end of Lake Buchanan is
known for its wilderness, eagle sightings, waterfalls, and fascinating
rugged geological formations. We arrived at 11:15am, had lunch, checked
out the facilities, and registered for our lakeside cottage at the Canyon
of the Eagles Lodge. Unpacked, napped, changed into our paddling gear,
and by 2:30pm launched from the boat dock to paddle 4 miles to the first
waterfall (Fall Creek Falls). The day was cloudy, cool (low 50s) and
windy (15-18mph with white cap waves). Made it to the falls in 40 minutes
with the wind and waves behind us; 57 minutes to return (6mph going, 4.2
mph returning). Lots of water flowing over the falls but the rock colors
are more brilliant in bright sunshine.

Boat launch N30 52.676 W98 26.357 4 miles Boat launch to First Falls

First Falls N30 55.337 W98 26.865 3 miles First Falls to Second Falls

Second Falls N30 57.112 W98 25.018

Saturday, March 1, 2003:

Most of the morning was spent watching over the first time paddlers as
they attended John Van Ness basic kayaking class and tried out the
different kayaks. Many of the visitors took the hay ride tour of the
Nature Park and the tour boat to the winery tour. A group of us paddled
down to Fall Creek Falls again before calling it quits for the day. It
was cold and overcast with rain off and on, but everyone really enjoyed
themselves. Many had more ribs than they could ever eat at the restaurant
that night, and there was live music later as Freddie Fuller and his
group sand cowboy campfire songs.

Sunday, March 2, 2003:

We had planned an 18 mile paddle from the remote Colorado Bend State Park
( http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/colorado/ ) down the Colorado River to
the Canyon of the Eagles. The Lake Buchanan Adventure Trips boat was to
take us and our kayaks upriver so we could paddle back with the northerly
winds (15-25mph) at our backs. The day was so cold and wet the we opted
for a shorter 8.5 mile shuttle up the river. There were 10 kayaks that
were towed or stashed aboard two tour boats for the trip upstream. After
being dropped off we paddled back down to Deer Creek Falls, past Fall
Creek Falls and finished back at the Canyon of the Eagles Nature Park.
The trip up in the tour boat was much colder than the return paddle since
a sitting body gets colder easier than a working body. Didnt see the
eagles we were looking for, but thoroughly enjoyed the wilderness paddle
through their unspoiled habitat. We were met with hot drinks and snacks
upon our return, and reluctantly said our goodbyes and loaded our kayaks
for the return drive home.

Pictures:

http://community.webshots.com/user/johnsonkw1 page 3

Links:

http://www.lakebuchananadventures.com/ http://www.canyonoftheeagles.com/

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