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If you search for kayaking in Fort Worth, you will find the Trinity River, a rental stand at Panther Island and a good afternoon on the water. For a full fall weekend, with a campsite, a quiet river and no city noise, drive 1 hour 35 west. This guide compares a Trinity afternoon with a Leon River weekend and is honest about the one thing that decides a fall float: water level. For more weekend ideas, see our weekend RV camping near Dallas and Fort Worth page.
Quick answer: For a few hours, kayak the Trinity River in Fort Worth, where Panther Island has a rental stand. For a weekend, the Leon River at Inez Spring Riverfront RV Park is about 1 hour 35 west on I-20, with a private launch for guests. Bring your own boat, and check the river level before you go, because a dry fall can drop it low.
A fall float is a slow, easy paddle on a small river in cooler weather, when the summer heat is gone and the banks are quiet. On the Leon, that means a narrow channel, oak shade and slow water broken by shallow runs.
The Trinity River runs right through the city. A Visit Fort Worth guide from 2020 describes seven launch points: near Gateway Park in east Fort Worth, two at Panther Island Pavilion, two in Trinity Park, one near Woodshed Smokehouse and one at the White Settlement Trailhead. TC Paddlesports at Panther Island rents kayaks, canoes and paddleboards; its page lists a single kayak at $20 for the first hour. Check both pages for current hours, since seasons change.
The Trinity is a great choice for an afternoon. What it does not give you is a campsite by the water, or a weekend away.
| Trinity River, Fort Worth | Leon River at Inez Spring | |
|---|---|---|
| Drive from Fort Worth | In town | About 1 hour 35 west on I-20 |
| Launch | Seven public launch points (Visit Fort Worth, 2020) | Private launch in the park, for guests, non-motorized only |
| Rentals | Yes, at Panther Island; single kayak $20 first hour per TC Paddlesports | No; bring your own kayak or canoe |
| Overnight | Not on the river | RV sites from $40, tent sites from about $31, barndominium sleeps 11 |
| Water level check | Ask the outfitter | USGS gauge at Lake Olden Dam near Eastland, then call us |
| Backup if water is low | Other city launches | Lake Leon, about 10 minutes, 726 acres per TPWD |
Check before you load the boat. The Leon this far west is a small river, and flow can fall to almost nothing in a dry fall. After a good rain it can run high and muddy. Neither is a good float.
We will not promise a mileage or a float time we have not measured. Water level changes how far you can go. Most guests paddle out and back from the launch, which keeps it simple.
For fishing tips on the same water, read our Leon River kayak fishing guide. For the whole river and lake picture, see fishing and kayaking at Inez Spring. Coming from Dallas instead? See how far Eastland is from Dallas, or camping about 2 hours from Dallas.
The best time is a few days after a good rain, when the river has cleared but is still flowing. Mornings are usually calm. Late October and November bring cooler days, which is why fall is a good season to paddle here once the summer heat breaks. If the gauge and the front desk both say low water, switch to Lake Leon and keep the weekend.
The Trinity River runs through the city. Visit Fort Worth has described launches near Gateway Park, at Panther Island Pavilion, in Trinity Park, near Woodshed Smokehouse and at the White Settlement Trailhead. TC Paddlesports rents kayaks and paddleboards at Panther Island; check its page for current hours.
Inez Spring Riverfront RV Park, where the Leon River runs through the property, is about 1 hour 35 minutes west of Fort Worth on I-20, at Exit 343 in Eastland.
Often, but it depends on rain. In a dry fall the river can drop to slow, shallow water and a float turns into a wade. Check the USGS gauge at Lake Olden Dam near Eastland and call (254) 629-1197 the week of your trip.
No. We do not rent kayaks or canoes, so bring your own. The launch inside the park is private for guests and is for non-motorized boats only.
Lake Leon is about 10 minutes from the park. Texas Parks and Wildlife lists it at 726 acres on the Leon River in Eastland County. It is a good plan B for paddling or fishing when the river is low.
Inez Spring has nightly RV sites from $40, tent sites from about $31, and a barndominium that sleeps 11; see rates on the booking page. Pets are welcome, up to two per site, on a leash.
Kayaking in Fort Worth on the Trinity is easy and close. When you want a full weekend, a campsite and a quiet river, the Leon is 1 hour 35 west. Check the level, bring your boat, and keep Lake Leon as your backup.
Book online or call (254) 629-1197. See our RV sites, with nightly sites from $40 and tent sites from about $31.
