One Of The Most Pristine Rivers In Texas Has Crystal-Clear Waters And Remote Charm To Swim, Hike, And Stargaze

A crystal-clear river in remote southwest Texas is one of the most pristine waterways in the Lone Star State and offers visitors stellar paddling and fishing as well as incredible nighttime stargazing. Devils River State Natural Area is home to the clear waters of Devils River, and sporting two accessible units for anglers and river rats alike, it's a great, long-weekend escape from big-city Texas. The natural area is about three and a half hours by car from San Antonio, an iconic city that has the highest amount of free things to do in America. This is also where the closest sizable airport is located.

Devils River State Natural Area is a designated international dark sky sanctuary, and on clear, moonless nights, campers on the river can enjoy incredible views of the Milky Way. The nearest community of any size is Del Rio, and it's about 30 miles away, meaning there's very little light pollution at the natural area. Broken into two separate units — the Del Norte Unit and the Dan A. Hughes Unit (named after a famous Texas oilman and philanthropist) — situated 13 miles apart, the state natural area encompasses about 37,000 acres of protected land along this clear desert river in far-flung Val Verde County. How remote is it? The nearest gas station to either unit of the natural area is 25 miles away.

For anglers, the Devils River offers varied fishing for several worthy game species, including largemouth and smallmouth bass. For fly fishers, sight-fishing hard-fighting carp can be excellent. The river as it flows through both the Del Norte and the Hughes units of the Devils River State Natural Area is also home to spotted gar, longnose gar, catfish, tilapia, bluegill, a variety of sunfish, and the Rio Grande cichlid, the only cichlid native to North America (it has been transplanted to other waters around the U.S.).

The spring-fed river is only 94 miles long, and it flows into the massive Amistad Reservoir on the Rio Grande that straddles the Texas-Mexico border. For anglers in kayaks or canoes, the length of the river can generally be fished, although there are portages required at rapids and waterfalls along its course. Most anglers who fish the Devils River by boat do so on multi-day float trips and cover between 25 and 30 miles of river. It's not a fishing trip for the faint of heart — the river flows through a hot desert landscape, and anglers could encounter everything from snakes to flash floods if a summer thunderstorm breaks out upstream. All that said, it's a beautiful river that flows through some of the wildest country in Texas — and the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife aims to keep it that way, so please make sure to bag all your trash, be mindful of how much of your catch you're keeping, and don't disturb any wildlife. The fishing can be very good, and the paddling is considered to be some of the best in the state. The only other comparable fishing or paddling experience in the Lone Star State would be a trip to the nearby Pecos River, a recreation paradise winding through canyons and mountains.

While the river is the main attraction of the Devils River State Natural Area, there are 25 miles of multi-use trails perfect for hiking and biking spread through both units of the complex. The challenging Little Satan Trail in the Hughes unit stretches almost 4 miles into Little Satan Canyon, ending at the river, where hikers can take a dip in the cool, springfed waters beneath the shade of the sycamore trees. On the Del Norte unit of the natural area, ambitious hikers can tackle the 12-mile Loop Trail that treats them to the stunning West Texas views and leads them to some historical structures left behind by the Fawcett family, who used to ranch the lands that are now protected by the state. The Del Norte unit is also home to the 1.4-mile-long Finnegan Springs Trail, which crosses the springs several times and allows for foot access to the river for fishing and swimming.

For campers, there are several drive-up "primitive" campsites (no water, no restrooms) in the Del Norte unit of the natural area. You don't have to bathe in the river, though, as there is a bathhouse with showers located near the area's visitor center. At the time of writing, the campsites in the Hughes unit are under construction, so just check the website if you're thinking of camping there. The refurbished campsites will include both hike-in backcountry sites and drive-up sites. In all, there's plenty to do for visitors to Devils River State Nature Area, but there's not much around it. A good option for river trip-seeking visitors is to base themselves in Langtry, a town by the Rio Grande packed with desert charm and quirky attractions. Here, visitors can take in the Rio Grande, the Pecos and Devils Rivers, and make a longer river-focused trip out of a visit to this corner of Texas.