The Paluxy is usually too low to paddle. In fact, the main attraction is the clearly visible dinosaur footprints pressed into the limestone riverbed at Dinosaur Valley State Park. However, right after a heavy rain the Paluxy swells into a fast-moving whitewater river that is short, technical and challenging. It is not a river for novice paddlers or others not skilled in whitewater paddling. Some swiftwater rescue training would also be very helpful in case somebody decides to take an unplanned swim. The riverbed is littered with large boulders that get larger as they approach Big Rocks Park in Glen Rose 34 miles below the first put-in.

Flowing clean and clear over a limestone riverbed full of sand and rocks, the banks are characterized by a scenic array of cedar bushes and limestone bluffs rising several feet above the river. Ashe Juniper, Live Oak, Texas Red Oak, Texas Ash, Post Oak, Mesquite and various grasses and shrubs are to be found along the river. Bottomlands contain stands of American Elm, Cedar Elm, Texas Sugarberry, Burr Oak, and Green Ash. In well-watered zones along the river, the woodlands are populated with a variety of Pecan, Walnut, Cottonwood, Sycamore, Black Willow, and several kinds of shrubs, and vines that hide the close proximity to local roads. The picturesque Paluxy River has many sand bars that, along with Dinosaur Valley State Park, offer great camping spots. The only real obstacle is that many of the access roads may be fenced where they cut across private property. Of course, unless there is adequate recent local rainfall it is a moot point - you cannot paddle the Paluxy most of the time, but when it flows it roars like a banshee and is a great river with the only whitewater to be found in North Texas.

Erath, Hood and Somervell Counties in North Central Texas, near Glen Rose and the Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant and flowing perpendicular to the Brazos River, into which it empties.

Dallas 110 miles; Fort Worth 80 miles; Austin 160 miles; San Antonio 220 miles; Houston 260 miles; Oklahoma City 320 miles (all distances are approximate and depend upon your starting point and your destination to the put-in at the river.)

Very good to excellent, flowing clean and clear after heavy local rainfall. The Paluxy is not a constantly flowing stream, and will be too low to paddle most of the time, though it will quickly turn into a fast-moving whitewater river shortly after local rains swell it above its normal placid level.

Anytime right after heavy local rainfall, if you are prepared for the elements and are skilled in swift-moving whitewater. The Paluxy wastes no time in dumping its water into the Brazos just east of Glen Rose.

The Paluxy contains many very large boulders that can wrap boats and break bones. After heavy rains it can also contain trees and other strainers that can cause problems if encountered. The narrow streambed gives little room to maneuver and the banks will be steep and very slick after rains dampen the clay that is indigenous to the area. Between Bluff Dale and Baker Crossing the river is narrow and twisting, with the potential for logjams and strainers, especially at river bends. Baker Crossing low-water bridge at about 12.0 miles below Bluff Dale has a potentially killer hydraulic current, especially when flood waters are washing over the road. Edwards Crossing (Lanham Mills Crossing) at about 23.7 miles has a potentially killer hydraulic current, especially when flood waters are washing over the road. Between Edwards Crossing and US Highway 67 there are MANY Class II to III+ rapids with huge holes, strong cross currents and large standing waves when the water level is high, many of which can swamp an open canoe, flip any boat and cause serious injury or death. The low-head dam below SH 205 has a very strong killer hydraulic that has taken the lives of many people over the years, including one person in July, 2007 and a game warden dragging the river for her body. The new dam at Big Rocks City Park has already claimed one life in June, 2007, and will surely account for more deaths. It is a 10-12 foot gradient drop with a very strong, symmetrical hydraulic current across the entire river just above the big rocks that give the park its name

Paddlers and swimmers alike are advised to carefully survey each of the low-water bridges and the SH 205 and Big Rocks dams before getting into the hydraulics below them. Baker Crossing and Edwards crossing low-water bridges can be safely portaged on either side. The SH 205 low-head dam is best portaged on river left because of large trees immediately below the dam on river right, though that side could be used with extreme caution. Big Rocks dam can be safely portaged on either side, though paddlers need to be mindful of private property restrictions.

US 377 crossing at 0.0 miles; County road crossing off FM 2870 at 8.0 miles; County road crossing off FM 204 at 12.0 miles; FM 204 crossing in the Town of Paluxy (access may be fenced off) at 14.0 miles; County road crossing off FM 205 at 24.0 miles; Dinosaur Valley State Park at 25.0 miles; FM 205 crossing 2 miles west of Glen Rose at 28.0 miles; County road crossing between US Highway 67 and FM 205 at 29.0 miles; US Highway 67 crossing in Glen Rose (access may be fenced off) at 31.0 miles; SH 144 in Glen Rose at 34.0 miles; Big Rocks City Park in Glen Rose at 34.1 miles. (Two or three miles downriver is the confluence of the Brazos River.)

Dinosaur Valley State Park offers both campsites with water and electricity and primitive campsites, restrooms, hot/cold showers, walk-in water sites with tables, grills and water. Equestrian facilities are also available on a 100 acre plot; there are numerous primitive campsites on the sandbars in and along the river, though some are on private property. ALWAYS obtain permission first before camping on private property! There are no public or private campgrounds along the Paluxy River other than the state park.

There are no rental liveries or shuttle services operating on or near the Paluxy. You will need to bring your own boats and gear and arrange your own shuttles.

The Paluxy is the site of my shortest canoe trip ever! In 1997, we caught the river in near flood stage at 2,750 cfs (it had dropped from over 9,000 cfs just two days earlier) in early February, not the time I prefer to paddle, but the river was up and it was close to Dallas. Immediately after putting in I was invited to follow some kayakers across the river to a channel where we would start our trip downriver. Before I could get there a strong downriver surface current swept my boat into the exposed roots of an inverted tree that had washed out and stick in the rocky river bottom. The boat capsized and I swam for nearly three miles while chasing it downriver. Fortunately, some friends from Dallas Down River Club rounded up the boat and took it ashore while I made my way down to where it was. I decided that was enough "paddling" for me that day, and packed my gear, then took some photos before heading back to Big D.