KERRVILLE, Texas – After months of cleanup and repair, a portion of Kerrville’s River Trail has reopened.
This milestone comes three months after the deadly Hill Country flood.
On the Fourth of July, at least 117 people died in Kerr County. During the flood, the area near Louise Hays Park was hard hit.
On Monday, the City of Kerrville reopened the stretch of the River Trail between the Camp Meeting Creek bridge and the Francisco Lemos Street Bridge.
This is how the city classified the specifics of its trail reopening:
- River Trail segment from Birkdale Trailhead (River Hills) to G Street Trailhead
- River Trail segment from Schreiner University Trailhead to G Street Trailhead
- River Trail segments from G Street Trailhead to Tranquility Island (accessible only from Louise Hays Park)
David and Cindy Danielson were some of the first people to walk through what was reopened.
“It seems like a real blessing and step forward,” David Danielson said. “There’s been a whole lot of work to get it done to this part, and we appreciate it. There’s a lot more work to do.”
KSAT also talked to Eunice McCoy while she was out walking on Monday.
McCoy said it was “exciting” to be back on the trail, but she said the most shocking part was seeing up close how much the landscape of the Guadalupe River had changed.
Most of the dead brush has been taken out on this stretch of the trail. The blue spray paint on most of the trees still standing is still visible. Those markings show protected trees in the cleanup process.
“There (are so many) still standing,” McCoy said. “It is a more hopeful time.”
For others, there is still so much heartache next to the Guadalupe River. The moment brought tears to Cindy Danielson’s eyes.
“There are so many friends still just rebuilding their houses, their lives and the loss that they’ve dealt with,” Cindy Danielson said. “I really just pray for the recovery and just restoration and just for the trauma to be lifted off of so many people.”
To keep people safe, the city is asking people to observe signs, stay on designated paths and only walk the trail during daylight hours.
These are the areas still restricted to the public, according to the city:
- The bridge at the Camp Meeting Creek crossing east of the Birkdale Trailhead has been removed
- The River Trail segment from the Birkdale Trailhead to the Kerrville-Schreiner Park Trailhead remains closed
- On Tranquility Island, the River Trail pedestrian bridges at Lemos Street Bridge and the Butt-Holdsworth Memorial Library are closed because of handrail damage
- Tranquility Island is not be accessible from the Riverside Nature Center or the Butt-Holdsworth Memorial Library
- All trail segments and trailheads west of the Lemos Street Bridge will remain closed until further notice
- All play structures along the River Trail are closed until further notice
People who want to help rebuild the city’s park systems can donate to the Kerrville Parks and Recreation Foundation.
Donations can be sent or given to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, located at 241 Earl Garrett Street, Kerrville, Texas 78028, or can do so online.
More recent Hill Country Floods coverage on KSAT: