PADDLING TRAIL, 1: A new way to enjoy and old river ... 
we'll explain on Passport to Texas.
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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

As outdoor activities go, few are as relaxing as spending 
several hours in a canoe or kayak, gliding along a 
beautiful stretch of water ... such as the San Marcos River. 

You really get a sense of peace and tranquility. It's just very, 
very beautiful. :05

Melissa Parker is a River Conservation Coordinator for 
Texas Parks and Wildlife. She says she's working with the 
city of Luling and the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, 
to develop the state's first inland paddling trail along the 
San Marcos.

We were actually wanting to develop some paddling trails, and 
we were starting to explore places where we could do this. And 
this project just fell into our lap, because they had a project 
going on in which they were wanting a water trail as well. So, we 
just kind of mutually said, "this is perfect." :16

Randy Engleke (en-gul-kee) is parks director for Luling. He 
says the town has just taken charge of a rest area on the 
highway 90 crossing of the San Marcos River, which is 
integral to the new paddling trail.

We will take over that rest area and clean that area up, and it 
will be our put in for this paddling trail. It's a six-mile stretch of 
river; no homes along the river until you get within 300 yards of 
the old mill. So, it's just a beautiful trail to paddle; you see a lot 
of wildlife, and the water's pretty. The vegetation and the birds 
and that sort of thing. It's just a really neat section of river. :21

More on the Luling paddling trail tomorrow.

That's our show for today. For Texas Parks and 
Wildlife ... I'm Cecilia Nasti.