Texas Hill Country River Region Guide 2025

RIVER REGION Welcome to the Hill Country

dining • shopping • events activities • lodging services and more!

FEATURING Concan, Camp Wood, Leakey, Rio Frio,

Rocksprings, Sabinal, Utopia, Medina, Uvalde & Vanderpool

RIVER REGION

CONCAN

SABINAL

MONTELL

From the Publisher

Welcome to the oh-so-sweet Hill Country River Region. You can’t go wrong being here...any time of year! It has always held a special place in my heart and soul since my childhood where we sat in the river for hours building dams until our fingers bled and where my Dad would load us up in the back of his truck full of black rubber inner tubes to take us up to the river. We’d float down the river for hours back to our campsite in long trains of 15 to 20 of us hooked together by our legs and feet.

It was at this campsite where our group of six or seven families would gather each year, playing cards or dominos, listening to Journey, Amy Grant or Hank Williams on our boomboxes (a modern day Turtle Box for those that know) and having lots of river time in our lawn chairs in the water or along the banks of the Frio, under those big beautiful Cypress trees. It is here, where we would go to Garner State Park and reunite with friends from years past, where we learned to dance, starting with our Dads, of course. Heck...we even had church service each Sunday with preachin’ and singin’! After all, it was and still is important to thank God for the memories we were making!

Things are different now, and we may stay in rustic cabins, RV campsites or gorgeous homes that sleep 25, but those memories are still being made and the beauty is abundant in so many new ways for all who come to the area. The River Region is a real treasure, a diamond in the rough. Sometimes you don’t even want to tell others about it because you don’t want it to change or get overly crowded. But THEN... just take a look at the beauty of the crystal clear rivers, enormous Cypress and colorful Maple trees,

the beautiful hills (which look like mountains to me), breath-taking drives through vast canyons, the unique and amazing family owned shops and businesses of hard working folks, and you can’t help but share it with everyone you know because you want them to experience it as well.

I lost my dear father in December, and I want to thank him for introducing me to this magical place all those years ago. I hope that you will make your own memories with family and friends. It is something you will ALWAYS cherish and be happy that you did... with your own stories to reminisce about year after year!

Julie

Dad on the banks of the Frio. His happy place.

Sunsets that take your breath away.

Things to see & do

Visit Healing Uvalde Murals Project

In the wake of the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, 21 portrait artists came together to transform Uvalde’s downtown, covering buildings with bright colors and smiling faces to create 21 murals. The murals “honor the lives of the 19 children and two teachers who were killed on May 24, 2022: Nevaeh Alyssa Bravo, Jackie Jaylen Cazares, Makenna Lee Elrod, Jose Manuel Flores Jr., Eliahna “Ellie” Amaya Garcia, Irma and Joe Garcia, Uziyah Sergio Garcia, Amerie Jo Garza, Xavier James Lopez, Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, Tess Marie Mata, Maranda Gail Mathis, Eva Mireles, Alithia Haven Ramirez, Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, Maite Yuleana Rodriguez, Alexandria “Lexi” Aniyah Rubia, Layla Marie Salazar, Jailah Nicole Silguero, Eliahna Torres, and Rojelio Fernandez Torres. The idea for the project came from Uvalde resident, Abel Ortiz, artist and art professor at Southwest Texas Junior College, joined by Dr. George Meza and Monica Maldonado to complete the project, which centers on healing and remembrance. Photo courtesy Abel Ortiz. FYI • A walking map of the Healing Murals project is available on the City of Uvalde’s website. Go to www.uvaldetx.gov and search “murals” to be directed to a downloadable file.

Get a glimpse of Texas history LEAKEY UVALDE RIVER REGION

On Ranch Road 336 (one of the famous Three Sisters roads) you’ll find a historical marker which tells of the site of the McLaurin Massacre. This tale is about one of the last Indian raids in the Frio Canyon, and quite possibly the state. If you find yourself in the Frio Canyon, a visit to this marker is a must. When you pull over to read it, turn off your vehicle, be quiet, and look up to the bluff across the road southwest of the marker. Imagine a group of Lipan Apaches lying in wait up on top, look in the pasture to the west of the marker and imagine the McLaurin family working in their garden. April 19th, 2024 marks the 143rd anniversary of this tragic day, but the McLaurin name still lives on in the hearts of the locals of the Frio Canyon and in the history of the Great State of Texas! From Leakey, take US Highway 83 north one mile; then northwest on RR 336 approximately 5.5 miles. By AnaLisa Glass, Rio Bella Resort.

Head outdoors and take a hike

Beautiful hiking opportunities abound in the River Region, so lace up those boots and get going!You can take a hike along the Summit Trail to Mount Baldy in Garner State Park year ’round, where you’ll experience views like none other. This hike is dog-friendly, and about a half-mile in length. You can see details about all of Garner’s trails here: tpwd.texas.gov/ state-parks/garner/trails-info.At Lost Maples State Natural Area, you can explore more than 10 miles of trails, including a loop that takes you along the top of a 2,200-foot cliff. Don’t miss the Sabinal River Valley View Loop via East Trail, a 6.2 mile loop, featuring a waterfall. Dogs are also welcome on the trail. Admission is $6, kids 12 and under get in free. More at tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/lostmaples.You can also head to Indian Blanket Ranch (Located on Ranch Road 1050, 10 miles west of Utopia or 5 miles East of Highway 83 and Garner State Park) to hike, bike and birdwatch. Find more information at hillcountryadventures.com. Photo by LeAnn Sharp.

ROCKSPRINGS

Visit Devil’s Sinkhole SNA

The Devil’s Sinkhole State Natural Area is a great location for birdwatching, taking a hike, enjoying the great outdoors... and of course, seeing bats! The Devil’s Sinkhole’s Mexican freetail Bat Colony is currently estimated at 4 to 6 million bats at the height of bat season. Tours are provided by the volunteers of the nonprofit Devil’s Sinkhole Society, Inc., a Texas Parks and Wildlife friends group. All tours begin at the Rocksprings Visitors Center on the Rocksprings square. Tours are provided Wednesday through Sundays Bat tour season is from May 1 to mid-November. Once you have a reservation, head to the Rocksprings Visitors Center at your appointed time, fill out your “release and waiver” form, pay your fee, and meet your tour guide. Guests usually view a video before caravanning to the National Natural Landmark, eight miles away. To arrange a Devil’s Sinkhole tour, please call 830-683-2287, or e-mail devilssinkhole@swtexas.net.

Photo by Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept.

FYI • For more information find them on Facebook or visit the website at devilssinkhole.net.

We as a ranch family are passionate about sharing our high quality beef with you while creating a fun family environment for all to enjoy. We invite you to come try our delicious beef – natural, wholesome, and mouthwatering. Our mission is to provide you with the most delicious and flavorful beef products that will satisfy your taste buds and bring you back for more. You can browse the many things we offer inside the store such as homemade leather products, tallow-based beauty products, and much more.

At our Food Truck, we take pleasure in creating fresh, amazing food to share with our customers. Take it to-go or enjoy our outside covered pavilion where you can sit and relax. The children can play on the swings and slides in our playground. If you’re lucky, you might even taste some free samples off the grill. We can’t wait to see you!

Things to see & do

Try your hand at fly fishing!

Aaron Riggins of Pescado con Moscas Flyfishing Adventures offers guided canoe and wade fishing experiences on the Nueces, Frio and Sabinal Rivers by advance reservation only. All three of the rivers are within 50 miles of each other providing concentrated super clear water fishing and thrilling sight casting experience you will never forget. For more information, call 830-486-5629 or visit the web site at pescadoconmoscas.com.

LEAKEY

Real County Historical Museum

Find a replicated log-cabin parlor, kitchen and bedroom, furnished with pieces donated by locals. See an ornate 1880s horse-drawn hearse and local stone dartpoints from prehistoric Native Americans.A former blacksmith shop (adjacent to the museum) houses ranch relics and there are outdoor exhibits of farm implements, a log corn crib and jail cells from the 1910s. The museum is located 1/2 block north of the Real County Courthouse on Evergreen Street in Downtown Leakey, open Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm (March through the first two weekends in December). Closed in January and February. Visit realcountyhistoricalmuseum.com or call 830-232-5330.

UVALDE

Visit Briscoe-Garner Museum

The Briscoe-Garner Museum is dedicated to the remarkable lives of John Nance “Cactus Jack” Garner and Dolph Briscoe, both Uvalde natives and historically important political figures of Texas. The first floor documents the life and career of “Cactus Jack” Garner, the first Texan to serve as speaker of the U. S. House of Representatives and as vice president of the United States. The second floor is dedicated to Dolph Briscoe, who served as Texas governor from 1973 to 1979 and led a distinguished career in public service, business, and ranching.The Museum is one of four divisions of the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, an organized research unit of The University of Texas at Austin. It is located in the house that served as John Nance Garner’s home for more than 30 years. Photo courtesy Briscoe-Garner Museum. 333 North Park Street, Uvalde, Texas 78801. Please check museum hours in advance by calling 830-278-5018.

Visit Cooks Slough Sanctuary & Nature Park

This natural birding habitat is home to some of the best birding in the region. The park includes 25 acres of wetland, two wildlife-viewing stations and five shaded rest stations along the trails. Admission is free, and the park is open during daylight hours.

Highway 117, Uvalde, Texas 78801, 830-278-4115.

Mission San Lorenzo de la Santa Cruz

The site of the former San Lorenzo de la Santa Cruz Mission is located at 675 North Texas Highway 55 in Camp Wood.

The designated national historic and state landmark archaeological site of a short-lived Spanish mission (1762-71) is now being developed as a tourist and historical site by the Nueces Canyon Mission Restoration Organization (NCMRO). Details at missionsanlorenzo.com. Photo: The church at the interpreted by artist Hal Story, based on archaeological findings.

UVALDE

Visit Historic Fort Inge

Fort Inge is listed as a Historic Site In Texas and was established in 1849 by the U.S. military where it remained active for 20 years. Today, the park offers historic trails perfect for afternoon hiking and biking, fishing, and scenic views of the Leona River. The Fort is open on weekends only. Country Road 375 Uvalde, Texas 78801.

UTOPIA

Visit Sabinal Canyon Museum

Browse history exhibits at the Sabinal Canyon Museum, dedicated to the history of the land and families that made it the great region it is today! Exhibits on display include pioneer farm implements, Indian artifacts and more, plus geological exhibits, including fossils and minerals from the Sabinal River Canyon. Museum hours are Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday from 1 pm to 4 pm. Located at 726 Ranch Road 187, Utopia, Texas 78884. 210-414-4341.

CAMP WOOD

UVALDE

SONGS ON THE FRIO

November 7-9, 2025

LEAKEY H Mark your calendars and save the date for a weekend full of listening room-style performances by award-winning country music singer-songwriters to benefit the Frio Canyon November 7-9, 2025. You can be a part of three days of magical moments in the fall on the banks of the beautiful Frio River and around Leakey in local venues.

For details, visit songsonthefrio.com or find them on Facebook.

Stunning decor, luxe amenities, & award-winning design

Each home features a resort-like private pool and hot tub

Spacious vacation houses that comfortably sleep 20+ guests

Our newest rental the Moonshine opens summer 2024

No place like the River Region

Spectacular sunset Photo by Brett Rimkus.

Frio River reflections. Photo by Julie Harrington.

Little beauty by the river Photo by Kim Clay.

Winston in his happy place. RIP li’l buddy. Photo courtesy Nancy Feeley.

Land of the Frio Photo courtesy Rio Bella Resort.

Axis deer crossing. Photo by Trey Stewart.

GOLFING

Frio Valley Ranch

CONCAN

Players enjoy picturesque scenery at Frio Valley Ranch, with gorgeous hills and valleys and stunning rolling terrain. Nestled in the Frio River Texas Hill Country region, Frio Valley Ranch is a par 72, 18 holes, 7,333 yards championship course.

Panoramic views of the Hill Country are found on every fairway and premium Zoysia grass underfoot makes this a must-play course. Located just minutes from Garner State Park, the distinctive destination course is just over a scenic hour drive west from San Antonio.

Daily rates are $100 ($90 if you pre-pay online). The rate for 9-holes is $65, and club rental is availbale for $50. Gof course hours of operation are 8 am to 8 pm daily. The Cantina serves up burgers, sandwiches, pizza, salads, wraps and more Frio Valley Ranch is located at 520 Mountain Valley Drive. For information, call or text the Clubhouse at 830-834-9340 and the Cantina at 830-834-9315. More information (including reservations and gift certificates) is available on the website at friovalleyranch.com.

in the River Region

Uvalde Memorial

Uvalde offers an 18 hole public golf course located along the Leona River at 221 East Doughty.

Weekday rates are $18 for 18 holes and $13 for nine holes; weekends $22 for 18 holes and $15 for nine holes. Open Tuessay through Sunday from 7 am to 7 pm (closed Mondays). Photo courtesy City of Uvalde, Texas. For more information, call 830-278-6155 or email aybarra@uvaldetx.gov.

Utopia Golf

Billed as “the most beautiful nine-hole golf course in Texas,” Utopia Golf is nestled in the Sabinal Valley one mile south 187. The course is the setng for the 2011 movie “Seven Days in Utopia,” based on the novel “Golf’s Sacred Journey: Seven Days at the Links of Utopia” by David L. Cook. A clubhouse, including a self-serve hospitality room, overlooks the ninth hole at Utopia Golf. Weekday rates are $17 for 18 holes ($15 for juniors and seniors); weekend rates $20 for 18 holes, $15 for nine holes. Cart rentals are $10. Open seven days a week from 8 am to 5 pm. Photo courtesy Utopia Golf

Utopia Golf is at 20567 Ranch Road 187 in Utopia. For information, call 830-966-5577 or visit utopiagolf.com.

live music

Joe Jimmy’s (Concan)

Family friendly with dancing, concession stand and more. Live music and Karaoke. 20970 TX-127, Concan, TX 78838. nealslodges.com/joe-jimmys, 830-232-6118.

House Pasture (Concan)

Live music summer through Labor Day. Check website. 3064 CR 348, Concan, TX 78838. housepasture.com, 830-232-6580.

Hippies & Hops (Concan)

The Leakey Inn (Leakey)

721 River Road, Concan, Texas 78838. 830-232-5459, Facebook.com/hippiechicsconcan

Bent Rim Grill at Frio Canyon Motorcycle Stop (Leakey)

Great food, full bar and scenic views. Live music Saturday nights. 657 W. Ranch Rd. 337, 830-232-6649

Please check the business website and/or call ahead to confirm performers, dates & times. Many businesses operate seasonally.

At the Historic Leakey Inn. Full bar and menu. 527 S. Highway 83,Leakey, Texas 78873. leakeyinn.com, 830-232-5246.

The Blue Flame (Utopia)

See Facebook for details. 1334 Main Street, Utopia, Texas 78884. 810-452-2452

Grand Opera House (Uvalde)

Enjoy a wide variety of productions at 104 W. North Street, Uvalde, Texas 78801. uvaldeoperahouse.org, 830-278-4184

Pearl Springs

Looking to create the perfect wedding weekend? Come see us at Pearl Springs at the Riding River Ranch! Located in Leakey, TX on our private 3,000 acre ranch, our waterfront event venue has all the charm, elegance, and natural beauty for your perfect wedding weekend

WATERFRONT VENUE

ridingriverranch.com/pearl-springs pearlspringsrrr@gmail.com (361)215-5939

Peaceful waterfall. Photo by Julie Harrington.

The lazy days of summer. Photo by AnaLisa Glass.

Garner State Park encompasses 1,774 acres and 2.9 miles of beautiful Frio River frontage, including 11 miles of scenic trails. So, whether you’re camping overnight or visiting for the day, with swimming, fishing, biking, geocaching, dancing, hiking, picnicking and so much more, there’s always plenty to do and see.

Since the ’40s, folks have been gathering for the familyfriendly jukebox dances at the Garner State Park Pavilion. Dances are Monday through Saturday during Spring Break, and Saturday nights ’til summer. Then in summer, you can enjoy a dance every night of the week, with post-summer dances Saturday evenings.

A fun diversion is putt-putt golf at Stinkin’ Sweet Candy Shop and Mini Golf (located at the Park Pavilion), with rentals $5 each including a putter, ball and 18 holes.

You can golf seven days a week from 10 am to 10:15 pm through the second week in August, Saturday and Sunday only

See GARNER SP, Page 24

On top of the world...or Old Baldy! Photo courtesy Alison Withers.

Garner State Park Song

In the Western part of Texas ninety miles from San Antone, there’s a place I go each summer when I get the urge to roam. I’d stand out on the highway, if I couldn’t get a ride I’d walk to Garner State Park.

There’s the cutest girls from Texas and from everywhere. They trade their city slickin’ clothes for some boots and western wear. We swam all through the day and we danced when it got dark at Garner State Park.

She was the cutest girl around. We walked down to the water found a big rock, began to talk at Garner State Park.

Next thing I knew it was 4 a.m. She said my mother’s surely worried about where I am and with the Texas sky above, we couldn’t help but fall in love at Garner State Park.

Well, the summer it was over and we had to say goodbye. We said we’d see each other next year, as a tear fell from her eye. When I came I knew no sorrow; now I’m leaving with a broken heart at Garner State Park.

Oh, but I’ll be back again next year...

What’s YOUR favorite flavor of Gelato from the Garner Ice Cream Shop? Come find out!

Photo by Brett Rimkus..

SKY VIEW

LOG HOME

CLOSE TO THE FRIO RIVER (SWIM AT A POPULAR SWIMMING SPOT DOWN THE STREET)

AT THE TOP OF A HILL FOR PERFECT VIEWS (THE OLD BALDY TRAIL OF GARNER SITS AT THE BACK OF SKY VIEW)

PATIOS GALORE FOR RELAXING AND VIEWING THE SKIES

OVER TWO ACRES OF LAND & WILDLIFE TO ENJOY FOR YOURSELF

3 BEDROOMS, 2.5 BATHROOMS OVER 2800 SQ

FEET INCLUDING PATIOS

FIBER OPTIC WIFI, SMART TVS IN EVERY ROOM, HEATING COOLING FOR EACH ROOM

FULLY STOCKED KITCHEN, BATH TOWELS, STARTER PACK OF KITCHEN AND BATHROOM

ESSENTIALS, LINENS INCLUDED AND BATHING ESSENTIALS

COFFEE AND COMPLIMENTARY DRINKS UPON ARRIVAL

FIRE PIT AND BBQ PIT

during the off season (closed December through March).

The updated camp store has just about everything you need—from firewood to gourmet muffins and coffee, s’mores fixin’s to candy, drinks, ice cream and more. Find snacks and supplies, and rent tubes, barbecue pits, tables, even fans and heaters at the Garner camp store. Paddle boats and boards, kayaks and canoes are also for rent.

Hungry? Head over to the Garner Grill, serving up burgers, fries, corn dogs and more, made fresh to order, Saturdays and Sundays April through May, daily all summer and Fridays and Saturdays in the fall.

Another fun tradition, summer hayrides (hosted by the Friends of Garner State Park Tuesday through Friday from June to August) de-part from the Visitors Center promptly at 7 pm, so

plan to arrive no later than 6:45 pm. Visit the Friends of Garner Visitors’ Center or call 830-232-5999 to make reservations and for more information.

Garner is the most popular state park for overnight camping in Texas. Camping is available in screened shelters, cabins and campsites. Make your reservations early! The busy season is Memorial Day weekend ’til Labor Day weekend, and the park often reaches maximum capacity. Photos by Brett Rimkus.

For information about rentals, the Park Store, Garner Grill and more, visit garnerstatepark.com. To make reservations, call 830-232-6132 or visit 0 . You can follow Garner State Park on Facebook, where you’ll find Brett Rimkus’ dam reports (See Page 32) and other up-to-date news of the park.

Garner State Park. Photo by Amy Manzano.

A place for creating memories

Brothers Gallimore: Dustin(46, left) and Clint(53), sons of Mike

and Janice Welsh. Their parents met at Garner State Park in the summer of 1965. “We both learned to dance under that old oak tree and each had our first kiss at Garner! We have gone every year – sometimes multiple times a year for our whole lives. In fact, both of us were naked in that river before we could walk.” Photo courtesy Gallimore Brothers.

The

Gallimore

Millie, Coco and York gettin’ in some river time!

Photo by Keedra Couch Brown.

Our kind of getaway. Photo courtesy River Rim Resort

Breathtaking views. Photo by AnaLisa Glass.

SWIMSUITS • SUNGLASSES

CUSTOM T-SHIRTS for the whole family!

River Shoes • Unique Gifts & More!

HAT BAR

The Perfect Fit for Every Look –Custom Hats Tailored Just for You!

We specialize in creating one-of-a-kind hats to elevate any outfit. From wide-brimmed classics, traditional cowboy hats to trendy fedoras, our designer, Shelly Reeh, will help you find the perfect hat to express your individuality. Premium materials, expert craftsmanship, and a personalized fitting experience will leave you feeling confident and ready to turn heads.

Visit us today or book your private HAT BAR PARTY for your friends. We also offer bachelor/bachelorette parties and set up at weddings for your guests. Personalized hat-fitting appointments available online! Discover the art of hat-making & start a new style story!

May 23 -Aug 2, 2025 Mon-Fri 10-3 & Sat 10-5

OFF SEASON HOURS Thurs-Fri 10-3 & Sat 10-5

CELEBRATE JULY 4 WEEKEND IN LEAKEY

Downtown Leakey, Texas will once again welcome thousands of guests to the 49th July Jubilee Celebration July 5-6, 2025. The weekend kicks off Friday with the popular Arts and Crafts Village on the courthouse lawn from 9 am to 5 pm. Saturday morning, the fun continues as crowds begin lining the streets early for the annual July Jubilee Parade hours before it begins. More than 100 entries of every variety will move through the downtown streets for an hour as thousands enjoy the unique experience of an old-fashioned small town event.

Before and after the parade Saturday, dozens of vendors and artisans will welcome hundreds of visitors to the Arts & Crafts Village on the courthouse lawn. Visitors will find handmade furniture, unique decorated clothing, candles, home decorations, and many other unique items,Food vendors will offer a variety of treats from ice cream, ice cold flavored drinks to BBQ, and more.

The celebration continues Saturday evening with the July

Christmas on the Square

The Frio Canyon Chamber of Commerce has for many years presented its Christmas on the Square activities at the Real County Courthouse the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The event includes a variety of vendors in the Arts and Crafts Village on the Real County Courthouse grounds in downtown Leakey all day Saturday, with Santa visiting with youngsters, a cookie contest, and more.

Coinciding with Christmas on the Square, the 8th Annual Festivity of Lights organization will light up courthouse trees with thousands of lights. The lighting takes place Thanksgiving evening and runs through January. Local music venues will also feature entertainment for all ages. Photo by Trev Sparks. For information call 830-410-2016 or visit the website at friocanyonchamber.com or.

Jubilee Street Dance at 7 pm on the south side of the courthouse. Two popular bands perform, starting with a Hill Country favorite, the Billy Mata Band performing danceable country favorites you know and love.

The Grooves Band from Austin takes the stage at 9 pm to perform hits from many genres that will keep the dance rocking until midnight. Visitors may bring lawn chairs and their coolers with their favorite beverages and there will be food and nonalcoholic drink vendors open as well. Family friendly pricing is just $10 a person in advance or $15 at the gate, with kids 12 and under free.

Photos by Brett Rimkus.

FYI • July Jubilee is an annual event sponsored by the Frio Canyon Chamber of Commerce. For more information and tickets for the Street Dance or to learn how to become a vendor, visit the website at friocanyonchamber.com.

10th

Annual Wylden Hubbard Memorial Labor Day weekend

The 10th Annual Wylden Hubbard Memorial Youth Rodeo and Goat Roping is Labor Day weekend at the Real County Junior Horse Club Arena in Leakey. Created in honor of Wylden Blain Hubbard of Leakey, the youth rodeo offers activities from youth saddle-bronc riding and mutton-busting to bull riding and goat roping. Wylden was taken to be with his Lord and Heavenly Father sooner than expected, but in his 13 years on Earth he left behind a gift to others that will never be forgotten. Proceeds from the event go to the Wylden Hubbard Memorial Scholarship Fund given to a local graduating senior who understands and exemplifies the legacy Wylden left behind. For information, find Wylden Hubbard Memorial on Facebook. Photo courtesy Hubbard family.

Brett Rimkus

Garner State Park

The Dam Report

Brett Rimkus, host of the Dam Report, is a knowledgeable local who keeps visitors to the Frio Canyon informed about river conditions and how the weather affects the flow. He provides valuable insights into events and developments throughout the canyon area. The Dam Report also features Q & A segments, where Brett engages with guests to answer questions regarding Garner State Park and the surrounding region, enhancing the viewer’s understanding of this beautiful locale. Brett was also a first responder EMT with Concan, Utopia, Uvalde and Frio Canyon EMS. Photo by Brett Rimkus.

The Garner Dance

By DUB SUTTLE

LEFT-RIGHT Dub Suttle and Mike Twilligear. On our way to the dance. We were cowboys, don’t ya know?

courtesy Dub Suttle.

Garner State Park has many things that attract families to vacation here. Whether you are into swimming in the Frio, climbing Old Baldy, exploring Ice Box Cave, or simply enjoying the outdoor adventure, it is the dance at the pavilion that draws you in, but be warned that it will quietly take refuge in your heart and mind forever. The “Dance” at Garner State Park is the essence of Garner State Park and what it is famous for.

A drive or a simple walk through the park during the day will reveal campers preparing for the dance early in the day before they do anything else. You can often see curlers in the girl’s hair during the day in preparation to looking their best, and I have witnessed some actually being as big as orange Juice cans. This may sound funny, but I have to admit that the end result proved that their effort was worth it. The boys are a different story. Most of them don’t even look in a mirror, figuring that what you

see is as good as its going to get anyway.

The crowd starts gathering at dusk. The smell of the river right below the dance floor is the first thing that attracts your attention as you near the pavilion, then the smell of a hundred different brands of perfume and cologne assaults your nose. The blend of aromas is as intoxicating as the thousands of stars that can be seen in the darkening sky. A giant oak tree offers sheltering limbs for the dancers until the sun disappears behind the green hills to the west. The huge concrete dance floor is encircled by a rock wall that forms a perfect place for parents to sit and enjoy watching the younger crowd dance, and there are steps that lead down to the river for those that want to escape the dancing throng for a few minutes. However, be warned that the wall also gives the parents a bird’s eye view of what is going on. You boys have been warned!

Photo

GARNER DANCE, from Page 34

It doesn’t really matter what day of the week it happens to be; you can always find a number of ready, willing, and able dance partners. The juke box is playing songs that have been the same since the ’50s with few exceptions, and that’s the beauty of it. Young dancers can be two stepping to a tried-andtrue classic such as “Fraulein” one minute, then “Waltz Across Texas” the next, and then let everything bust loose to “Wooly Bully.” Line dancing has joined the mix of dance types in the last few years but the enthusiasm for the dance has not faded.

The young dancers still gather underneath the tree while the boys gather up the nerve to go ask a hopeful partner to dance. Some know how to dance, and some don’t. Sometimes the girls get so frustrated with shy or bashful boys that they make the first overture generally with positive results. The end result is that by the end of the dance that night, everyone is more comfortable with their dancing ability, and they can’t wait for the next night.

Many a lifelong friendship has been made and many romances that were kindled at the dance have led to marriage. Today, many of the visitors return as parents or grandparents that want their children to experience the “Dance.”

My parents danced at Garner in the ’40s. I danced at Garner in the ’60s, and I still do. My children dance at Garner, and I plan for my grandchildren to dance at Garner. The dance at Garner State Park is magical. If you ever attend it, you’ll understand!

Photo by Brett Rimkus.

Photo by Brett Rimkus.

Photo by Julie Harrington.

Frio River & GSP T-Shirts H Burlebo

Flip Flops H Patagonia H Consuela Birkenstock H Chacos H TEVA

Yellow Box H Red Dirt Hat Co. H Hats/Caps

River Gear H Sendero Provisions

Howler Bros H Staunch H Cobian

Pura Vida H Brighton H Resort Wear

H Gifts H and More! Snack Shack serving Hand Dipped Blue Bell H Hawaiian Shaved Ice

River frontage park located on Frio River, each site features a picnic table, a fire ring, 20-30-50 amp electrical, sewer & water hook-ups

The FUN of the River Region

Paddlin’ down the ol’ Frio. Photo courtesy Rio Bella Resort.

A 7-pound Rainbow Trout...way to go!

Photo by Denae Farley Schenker.

No electronic devices here! Good stuff!

Photo by Denae Farley Schenker.

Ryu cooling off in the river! Photo by Christina Morales.

Things to see & do

RIVER REGION

At night, you can gaze up at the tranquil Hill Country sky and view globular star clusters and other astronomical sites. Uvalde County is home to one of the only night skies in America where you can still see the Milky Way.

Landmark Oak Tree

The Rio Frio Landmark Oak, State Champion stands on the east side of the Frio River on Farm Road 1120. The tree is on private property, visible from the road. Maintenance and care of the tree is supported by The Texas Forest Service.

Periodic trimming is facilitated by Bartlett Tree Service from San Antonio. They have taken care of the Landmark Oak for more than 20 years. A huge thank you to them! Information courtesy Judy Newman.

Photo by Bailey Photography, courtesy Women Who Wander.

Uvalde County Fairplex

Uvalde County Fairplex hosts plenty of fun-filled activities year-round. Don’t miss the Texas High School Rodeo Finals March 22. April 12-13 folks will gather for the Makenna Elrod Memorial Team Roping and the Cactus Jack PRCA May 1-3. More rodeo action follows with the Uvalde Youth Rodeo Finals (July 19), Heart of the Hills Barrel Racing Finals (August 2-3), Palomino Fest & Pro Rodeo (August 28-31), Texas High School Rodeo (September 13-14) and the SWTJC NIRA Collegiate Rodeo (October 3-4). Uvalde Chamber’s Annual Hunters’ Roundup and Cookoff comes to the Fairplex October 31 to November 1. December 6 brings the Kicks 4 Kidz Car Show and the Rairplez serves host to the Briscoe Ranch Cookoff December 12-13. For more details, visit www.UvaldeCountyFairplex.com.

CAMP WOOD Wes Cooksey Park

Head to Wes Cooksey Park, a truly beautiful and serene space on Lake Nueces and the Nueces River in Uvalde County. In addition to the breathtaking setng, this park offers 30 RV hookups, plus scuba, volleyball, boat ramp, basketball, showers, fishing, swimming, horseshoes, tent camping, more. First come, first serve. Limited availability. $4/person for day use. 33719 TX-55, Camp Wood, Texas 78839. 830-597-3223. Photo courtesy Wes Cooksey Park.

Fourth of July Fireworks

Show

You don’t want to miss the famous Utopia Annual Fireworks Show July 4 at Utopia Park. The popular Utopia event starts at dark, lasts close to an hour and is said by many to be far superior to any “big city” fireworks display around! Utopia Fireworks is run by a team of dedicated volunteers, and the beloved Independence Day event is funded solely by donations. Want to help? Venmo your donation @utopiafireworks25 or mail to PO Box 71, Utopia, Texas 78884.

Photos by Hattie Barham Photography.

RIO FRIO

UVALDE

UTOPIA

NEW Hike & Bike Trails for the Frio Canyon BUSHONG MOUNTAIN PARK

By AnaLisa Glass

Guarded by enormous age-old bald cypress, the crystal-clear waters of the Frio River flow through large hills and valleys in this hidden gem located in Leakey, Texas, the seat of Real (Ree’-al) County. Feeling at one with the beauty of nature, the fascination of the Frio Canyon in southwest-central Texas has drawn hundreds of thousands of visitors each year for generations.

Attractions in this rural region of Texas include tubing, swimming, and kayaking the Frio in the summertime to driving and motorcycling the famous and winding Three Sisters (Ranch Roads 335, 336, 337) and outdoor activities in the spring and fall. In this area, hiking and biking trails are two of the most sought-after favorites for outdoor enthusiasts. These activities provide and encourage active lifestyles and contribute to the improved mental and physical well-being of trail users.

Bushong Mountain Park, a 250-acre public area, will offer 4 miles of walking trails and 8 miles of mountain biking trails for residents and visitors. Operated and developed by a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, Bushong Mountain Park was established in 2024 to be an amenity to the quality of life for the residents of and visitors to the Frio Canyon, complementing and enhancing the town’s existing recreational offerings, and contribute to increased economic development in the area. Trails in the park are under construction now and will be open to the public by summer 2025.

*Bushong Mountain Park board member, Garry Merritt, known for his continued work as CEO of the Great Springs Project, former Real County Judge, and avid conservationist states, “The hiking and biking trails in Bushong Mountain Park will be tremendous community assets for residents and visitors by providing a spectacular natural area to enjoy and tangible and intangible benefits like health savings and economic impact. The park will bring year-round tourist dollars, enhance visitor experiences, and promote health care savings for individuals.” Merritt goes on to say, “Trail users typically spend 12-14% more per day at small area businesses than non-trail users. With the creation of a new destination in Leakey for mountain bikers with exceptional purpose-built trails, local businesses will have the opportunity to benefit from additional non-summer visitors along with biking and running events at the park.”

Experiencing the solitude nature offers is vital in today’s world, giving a much-needed mental vacation from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Bushong Mountain Park is a picture-perfect addition to the Hill Country, providing another protected portion of Texas for all to enjoy. Photos courtesy Bushong Mountain Park.

*NOTE: Great Springs Project and Bushong Mountain Park share no affiliation.

Family Ranch in Sabinal, Texas

Two Lodges sleep 12 each World Class Year ’Round Hunting

Native: Whitetail, Turkey, Hogs

Exotics: Axis, Blackbuck, Nilgal, Eland, Semitar Oryx, Aoudad, Red Sheep, Ostrich & More!

Where Quality and Authenticity Meet.

We are a family ranch dedicated to authentic Texas Hunting for hogs, turkey, world-record aoudad, and both low-fence and high-fence whitetail hunts. Nilgai hunts, blackbuck hunts, semitar-oryx hunts, eland hunts, red stag hunts, red sheep, ostrich and year-round axis hunts are also available.

We focus on quality, not quantity. We are well suited for family reunions, corporate hunts, corporate retreats, or groups of 3 to 10 hunters.

Comfortable accommodations. Each lodge is fully air-conditioned and offers 6 bedrooms, 12 beds, and 4 full baths with a full kitchen, large dining area, and game room. The game room features a pool table, shuffleboard, ping pong, lazorshot shooting range, and old-style video arcade games. We also offer chef service. The lodge has a large covered porch, covered dance floor, outdoor fire pit, pool/ spa, and amazing sunsets!

Palamino

NEED A VACATION ?

You’ve heard about it in songs, you’ve seen it in every Texas travel magazine, now it’s time for you to visit THE Frio River in storied Concan, Texas.

O ering homes for groups of all sizes, many directly on the river and most with private swimming pools, Frio River Resorts features the nest in Concan vacation homes.

Plan your family friendly, memory lled visit to one of Texas’ most popular vacation destinations today!

WOMEN ON THE FRIO

...an outdoor retreat

Calling all women! Gather your tribe or come rolling in solo for the 4th Annual Women on the Frio Outdoor Retreat, April 25-26, 2025 at Frio Country Resort in Concan. Founded by Frio Country Resort’s Cassandra Little and Jamie Holmes, this uplifting outdoor event was established and designed to allow women of all ages (18+) to spend quality time with friends old and new, while laughing, discovering, learning, and reminiscing about everything from days gone by to living in the moment, and preparing mentally and physically for the times yet to come.

“Women on the Frio was created for women to enjoy a weekend along the Frio with a little self-care, maybe learn something new, reconnect with old friends, or just completely disconnect,” Jamie explains. For those with an adventurous and carefree spirit, gathering for a weekend can be exactly what it needs to be, and for those searching to leave the grind of the daily behind, the weekend could be all that is needed to soul-search, decompress, and return home recharged and ready to take on the challenges of everyday life.

Friday promises to set the course for an eventful weekend, with line dancing alongside the crucial Courage Cantina, and an entertaining show with dueling pianos. Blending great music from a variety of genres — jazz, blues, rock, country and more — with a little comedy and a huge slice of audience participation, these musicians will leave great memories of a fabulous first night.

All women are beautiful, so beauty sleep is not needed for Saturday’s full calendar of activities. As the Courage Cantina continues to flow, the day includes classes in archery, self-defense, axe-throwing, charcuterie building, succulent creations, cocktail crafting, plus animal encounters, karaoke, retail therapy and more.

Defining your own experience is one of the most intriguing aspects of Women of the Frio. If the day’s activities are not your speed, you can find a spot on the Frio River to just breathe and soak up the warmth of the sunshine.

“Laughing, enjoying life, taking time for ourselves to renew the soul is one of the most important things women can do for our own mental health and well-being. Today’s world is fast-paced and quite trying with all the negative surrounding us daily. As women, we must support each other and nurture positivity for not only our wellness but for those around us, and Women on the Frio allows us all to breathe in that affirmation,” says one event enthusiast.

After the weekend is over, your heart will know the experience is not. As you depart from this little piece of Heaven, you will leave behind a part of yourself but take with you a peace of mind knowing a renewing voyage of tranquility lies in the hills of the Frio Canyon patiently awaiting your return. Photos courtesy Women on the Frio.

FYI • To find out more about Women on the Frio or to register for the event and book your lodging to join in the fun, visit www. FrioCountry.com/women-on-the-Frio/ or call 830-232-6625. Deadline for registration is April 21, 2025.

By AnaLisa Glass

Sheri

By DUB SUTTLE

There was a Christmas card in my email from my nephew Troy Magers and his family. The card was simply a photograph of all three of his beautiful children. I was taken aback quite a bit by the resemblance of his oldest daughter, Erin, to her grandmother, my sister Sheri. It opened the door to a flood of emotions and memories.

Mom opened the door on her side of the car so that I could see in, but all I could see was what looked like a ball of cotton sticking out of the top of a pink blanket. She pulled the blanket back and I saw the face of what appeared to be a beautiful doll, and that’s what I thought it was until the cool air hitting her in the face made her cry. That’s how I first met my sister Sheri.

The spring of 1951 was unusually warm, and I had been running around in my grandmother’s yard wearing cut-off shorts for two days with an inflatable floatie around my waist that featured an alligator’s head in front.

My parents had left me there for reasons unknown to me, but I didn’t mind. My grandparents kept my mouth full of cookies or pie and showered me with love and affection. My grandfather would even let me tag along when he would grab his shotgun and go out to the chicken coop in the back yard to shoot hawks that were constantly bothering the chickens.

I loved that. So, I was disappointed when I saw the black 1950 Ford come pulling up and heard my dad calling to me, saying that he had a surprise. I figured that it was a toy of some sort, or at least that what I was hoping for.My mother was sitting in the passenger seat. She didn’t get out of the car, but it was plain to see that she was holding something, so I figured that was my surprise. It was.

I admit to being jealous at first because I now had to share my family’s affection with a new kid on the block. It turns out that there was more than enough love to go around, and after several weeks passed and I got to hold her in my lap, she had my heart. Time would pass and we had our childish spats as all siblings do, but we grew up loving each other as brothers and sisters should.

Dad took a job in the oil fields and the family moved to Brownfield, Texas, when I was six and Sheri was three. I started First Grade there and became interested in baseball because the community had an active little league program. My Dad helped me get involved by giving me a new baseball glove and playing pitch with me after work.

Meanwhile, Mom had noticed that Sheri would be dancing to the music on the radio when she thought no one was looking, so my little sister was enrolled in dancing lessons. Turns out that she really didn’t need lessons. She had the music and the rhythm in her so to speak, and it just came out. She became the star of the little ballet troop at the tender age of three.

See SHERI, Page 60

It was while we were living there that I became interested in ants, so I decided to build an ant farm. Sheri wanted to help and thinking that she would be a source of cheap labor, I agreed to let her. We found an old gallon jug that coke syrup had come in. We washed it out and cleaned it up, then filled it half full of dirt. The next task was catching the ants.

Sheri figured out that scraping the ant den with a stick would make them swarm. She would then stick a long blade of grass near the hole of the den and the ants would climb on the stick. Inserting the blade of grass in the neck of the coke jug and scraping it on the side as you pulled it out caused the ants to fall in the jug, and we had them. It only took us about a half hour to get as many ants as we wanted. It was then I discovered that we had a problem.

The jug was too heavy for us to lift so that we could see the ants as they tunneled down into the dirt, so we would have to sit or lay on the floor to see them. We thought there had to be a better way, and I came up with what I thought was a brilliant idea.

Our front porch where we had been building this masterpiece was covered and had open rafters. I got a long piece of twine and tied one end through the handle on the neck of the jug. Using a chair for a ladder, I looped the twine over one of the rafters in the same fashion that you would throw a rope over a limb of a tree. I figured that if I held the jug at eye level Sheri could secure the other end of the string to a nail in the wall. A simple granny knot would do. I thought that it was a brilliant idea.

However, a problem arose when I was not able to teach my three-year-old sister how to tie a granny knot. So, we went to Plan B. Sheri used all her strength to hold the jug up while I tied the knot securing the jug in place. The plan worked.

We were standing eye level looking at the ants in the jug when the string broke, and the jug fell squarely on Sheri’s right big toe, breaking it cleanly in two. There was so much howling and crying coming from that little person on the way to the Doctor’s office that I thought I might have killed her.

The saving grace of all this was that after a cast had been put on her foot and we were on the way home I looked at her and said, “I love you, Sis!” She quickly responded, “I love you more!” I’m going to be all right.

That was the end of her dancing lessons because by the time it took her toe to heal, we had moved to Big Lake, Texas. The town had no baseball program or dancing lessons, but our little brother, Gary Suttle, was born there in August of 1954. Sheri now had a little brother on which to focus her attention.

The family moved back to Leakey in 1958. I was 10 and Sheri was seven. It took no time at all for us to blend into the community because it was as if we had never left. Both sets of grandparents were here, and the town was also full of Aunts, Uncles, and too many cousins to count.

Our childhood days were filled with school and outdoor activities during the winter, and summer jobs and Garner State Park during the summer. I remember being about 12 and Sheri 9 when mother first took us to the dance at Garner. I wasn’t that impressed with it at first because at that age I was more interested in hunting and fishing than dancing with girls. It was a different story with Sheri. She had found her element.

I watched in awe as my little sister quickly made friends with some of the older girls that were dancing this new dance called

the whip. She mastered the dance that night so well that she soon became the favorite dance partner of many of the older boys, boys much older than me.

At first, I was defensive because I thought all these older boys were flirting with my sister, until I realized that they saw her as a “little sister” too, and there was no need for me to worry. Sheri had the ability to make anybody she danced with look good on the floor. I think that anyone that was at Garner during the 60’s would agree with me that Sheri was the Belle of the Ball.

The years would pass, and it came to pass that I worked at Garner during the summers. Mike Twilligear and I worked the morning shift at the store when it was located directly under “Old Baldy.” Working the morning shift left us free to attend the dance every night, and we rarely missed one.

We both had younger sisters that were nearly always there, and we kept a distant eye on them while we were busy wooing the city girls from Houston and Corpus. I was able to watch firsthand as Sheri transformed from a cute little cotton topped girl to a beautiful young woman. Somewhere during this transformation, she developed a crush on one of my friends and classmates, Greg Magers.

She was too young and simply a nuisance to Greg at first, but Sheri was nothing if not determined, and she prevailed. They were married in the summer of 1969 while I was away in the service, and I was not able to attend the wedding, but I was there in spirit. It was quite a while before I was able to congratulate them personally but when I was able to talk to my sister alone, I told her that I loved her. She replied, “I love you more!”

Greg is a lot like me in that neither one of us inherited the dancing gene that Sheri did. That didn’t stop her from dragging Greg to the dance floor at Garner or elsewhere, dancing was her thing her entire life, and so was Greg.

When Greg was discharged from the Navy they built a home right across the road from Old Baldy at Magers Crossing of the Frio River. I guess the two years that they spent in California was the only time either one of them ever lived anywhere else. They raised a family of four strapping all American boys in the shadow of Old Baldy, Will Travis, Troy the Boy, Big John, and Cole Baby.

See SHERI, Page 62

My sister was a passionate woman, and she loved Greg, her family, and dancing in Garner State Park in that order. Only family meant more to Sheri than dancing and Garner State Park.

Now I had a large appraisal shop in San Antonio during the late ’80s. During that time, I decided to hold an open house during the Christmas season at my office which was in the Lincoln Center at the intersection of Interstate 10 and Loop 410. Several hundred people were invited, so I needed help staging it.

My mother and sister quickly volunteered, doing a knockout job preparing dips, chips, hors douvres, etc. then they both showed up dressed to the nines so to speak.

Now I was accustomed to seeing my mom all dressed up looking beautiful, but it was that night that I realized that Sheri was stunning. She was wearing a little black cocktail dress and she was rocking it. While I was on one side of the room working the crowd and making them feel comfortable, my sister was doing the same on the opposite side.

She missed her calling because she was right at home as a gracious host. It turns out that she had a quick wit and sense of humor as well, because when she was chatting with a group of lawyers one of them asked how it was that she knew me. She nonchalantly said “Dub, oh I’ve known him forever, I even used to sleep with him.” Then she just walked off, leaving them with

their mouths wide open! One of the men said to the others, “You dummies, that’s his sister,” and they all started laughing hysterically.

Greg and Sheri raised their kids and watched them leave the nest to start their own families and all was well until cancer raised its ugly head. After a hard fight and a lengthy struggle, my little sister lost her battle in September of 2007. I went to visit with her a few days before she passed.

She was at home in hospice care and was resting quietly on the sofa when Kathy and I went in. It was easy to see that she was in pain, but she never complained. The visit was short mostly because it hurt me to see her in the condition that she was in. Small talk was made for a while until it was obvious that drugs had made her very sleepy. As I got up to leave, I gave her a hug and said, “I love you, Sis.” Without missing a beat, she said “I love you more.”

I don’t think that is possible.

Greg buried Sheri in the back yard, in the shadow of Old Baldy right across the river from Garner State Park. I know that there is no place that she would rather be in death because that is where she preferred to be in life.

On warm summer nights you can sit at the foot of her grave and hear the music from the dance floor at Garner come wafting down the river. If you close your eyes, you can see Sheri rocking the dance floor like she always did. I love you, Sis!

Old Baldy. Photo by Brett Rimkus.

BELLA VIDA

6 BR/6.5 Bath, Sleeps up to 29 Pool, Hot Tub, Ping Pong, Basketball, Poolside Kitchen/Dining Luxe Amenities/Luxe Kitchen 1

CHULA VISTA

6 BR/6.5 Bath, with pool

Luxe Amenities/Luxe Kitchen 2

Sleeps up to 31 Pool Heater available for additional fee during Fall & Winter stays

Poolside Kitchen/Dining

RUSTIC RIVIERA

5 BR/5.5 Bath, with pool

Sleeps up to 28 Pool Heater available for additional fee during Fall & Winter stays

Poolside Kitchen/Dining

FEATURED AMMENITIES:

• Sheets & towels provided

• All guests get free Frio River Access at 7 Bluff’s Gravel Bar

• Discounted Tubes & Shuttle (even from the houses)

• Discounts at participating local vendors

• Free Wifi

• Ideal location - about a mile to the Frio

• Firepit, Outdoor Lawn games, Great Outdoor Area

• Close to House Pasture Music Venue and Frio Valley Ranch Golf Course

• All properties now managed by Concan VIP

RUSTY CACTUS

4 BR/2 BA Sleeps 12 No Pool Behind Hippie Chicks 4

Luxe Amenities/Luxe Kitchen 3 Why Stay with Us? We’ve Thought of Everything!

Sweets & treats

CONCAN

Baked Goods

Concan Pies

144 CS 348 (River Road)

713-562-8043

Ice Cream, Candy & More Frio Float

21563 TX Highway 127 830-232-5591

Ice Cream & Shaved Ice Frio’s Dry Fifty Snack Shack

Tx. Hwy. 127 830-232-6300

Gelato, Ice Cream & Fudge (Seasonal) Ice Cream Shop at Garner State Park 210-722-5652

Nostalgic Candy & More Stinkin’ Sweet Candy Shop at Garner State Park 210-722-5652

Ice Cream & Candy

Concan General Store 23269 US Highway 83 830-232-6414

Baked Goods

Neal’s Dining Room Highway 127 North 830-232-5813

Ice Cream & Candy

Frio Country Store 1801 County Rd 348 830-232-6574

UTOPIA

Baked Goods

Lost Maples Cafe

384 FM 187/Main Street

830-966-2221

CAMP WOOD

Candy, Fudge & More Bear Creek Fudge Highway 55 Downtown 830-597-6160

LEAKEY

Coffee Shop

Bear’s Market

608 US Highway 83 S 830-232-5559

Baked Goods, Ice Cream Leakey Mercantile Highways 83 & 337 830-232-6299

Ice Cream, Milkshakes & more! Leakey Sweet Spot

449 US Highway 83 Contact on FB Messenger!

Coffee, Frappes, Lattes, Baked Goods Josh’s

615 US Highway 83 830-719-0003

Pies, Cakes, Baked Goods Mill Creek Cafe

849 US Highway 83 S 830-232-4805

Coffees, Ice Cream Baked Goods & more! Leakey Drug Coffee and Wine Bar

183 South Highway 83 830-232-4262

UVALDE

Baked Goods, Coffee Open Range Bakery & Coffee Shop

2211 East Main Street

830-261-1866

Nugget Ice Cream, Specialty Teas Tree City Tea & Water 2205 East Main Street 830-407-5021

Frio Canyon friocanyonchamber.com

Uvalde County visituvaldecounty.com

Utopia and Sabinal Canyon utopiatexas.info

Nueces Canyon

Facebook.com/ Nueces-CanyonChamber-of-Commerce

Sabinal sabinalchamber.org

Uvalde uvalde.org, visituvalde.com mainstreetuvalde.com

Lost Maples State Natural Area

830-966-3413; tpwd.state.tx.us

Garner State Park

830-232-6132; tpwd.state.tx.us

LAUNDRY

Wash Barn in Leakey 1256 S. US Hwy 83 830-232-5690

Neal’s in Concan 20970 Hwy 127 830-232-6118

Sonshine Laundry & Cleaners in Uvalde 104 N. 4th Street 830-278-6767

Riding the Three Sisters

By Tom Wiley

Although the list of Hill Country roads is long, many motorcyclists claim The Three Sisters as their favorite ride. This trio of Ranch Roads—337, 336, and 335—is located in the southern portion of the Edwards Plateau. Whether you travel on two wheels or four, you should make it a point to get out and experience this amazing drive.

As Ranch Road 337 departs Medina, it becomes a roller coaster ride. Shallow creeks tell long-forgotten tales of times when they carved through now-exposed limestone bluffs. Stately ranch houses cling to mountain tops, commanding some of the best views in Texas. The hills become dotted with maple trees as the road approaches Vanderpool.

These and other deciduous trees make nearby Lost Maples State Natural Area a “must see” destination in the fall.The highway makes a long, steep climb out of Vanderpool. For the next few miles, the road narrows and weaves through sheer canyon cuts, offering slow curves with dramatic drop-offs to the valleys below. This is the “real” Texas Hill Country. The approach to Leakey crosses the Frio River. Motorcyclists congregate at the Frio Canyon Motorcycle Stop and Bent Rim Grill, but the hangout is open to all visitors. Some travelers may turn south in Leakey on US Highway 83, toward Garner State Park and Concan.

North of the courthouse in Leakey, Ranch Road 336 splits off and parallels the upper Frio River. This beautiful road makes sharp curves and steep mountain climbs before breaking onto a dry plateau near its terminus with Texas Highway 41.

A favorite stop in the area is the Garven Store, just north of Highway 41 on US 83. There, you can load up on several varieties of jerky; sample one of their home-recipe sausage wraps; or sit out on the deck with a cold beverage. You can continue on Ranch Road 337 west from Leakey towards the small communities of Camp Wood and Barksdale.

From Barksdale, Ranch Road 335 travels 30 miles north, tracing an upper arm of the Nueces River. This route sees little traffic and, yet, offers some incredible views before also “T-ing” into Highway 41.

Hill Country travelers who have never visited this part of the state are always amazed at the scenery they have been missing. The remoteness of this area makes the winding roads and distant vistas even more special.

Other highways tap into The Three Sisters and provide access to Bandera, Utopia, Concan, Rocksprings, and other popular tourist destinations. B&Bs, country cabins, and quaint inns provide opportunities to escape the work week and dangle toes in chilled streams or hike hills teeming with wildlife.

And if the question comes up about where to eat, just follow the motorcycles!

Right On The Frio River,

Porter's Tree Haus

LOST MAPLES SNA

By GREG WALTON

Underlying most of Texas is a thick slab of limestone, laid down by a series of shallow seas. As the Rocky Mountains rose, a fault developed in the limestone, often called the Balcones Fault. It ran in an arc from Del Rio to San Antonio, and then north towards Waco.

Over time, the north and west section of this broken slab, today known as the Edwards Plateau, rose in elevation, while the south and east section, known as the Coastal Plain, receded underground. The area of elevational change between the two became an escarpment, known to us as the Balcones Escarpment. This escarpment is most pronounced along its southern edge, from Del Rio to San Antonio.

the water deeply eroded the landscape. This moisture carved down through the limestone, creating erosional gullies, creeks and canyons. The largest of these canyons were named by the Spanish, with names like the Nueces, Guadalupe, Frio, Sabinal, Seco, Hondo and Medina. Moisture falling on the Edwards Plateau flowed south as well. When Gulf air encountered the escarpment, thermal updrafts created extreme thunderstorms, which further accelerated the erosional process. The long ridges between the canyons that we see today, generally running north to south, are not “hills,” they are uneroded fragments of the original Edwards Plateau.

The eventual melting of the ice sheets after the last ice age set free tremendous amounts of water, which flowed south across the face of Texas toward the Gulf. As it moved,

The Bigtooth Maple is one of the most attractive and interesting of Texas trees, and it thrives in this area. It is a small tree, growing up to 50 feet tall. It does well in limestone soils and is relatively drought-tolerant. Mature trees have beautiful

See LOST MAPLES, Page 70

red and yellow fall color. The Bigtooth Maple is also known as the Sabinal Maple, Western Sugar Maple, Uvalde Bigtooth Maple, Canyon Maple, and the Southwestern Bigtooth Maple.

Roy Walton, who was born a few miles from Lost Maples in 1903, recalls that his family owned much of the park back in the ’20s. “One of the most beautiful places I know hereabouts is a canyon up on the old Wildcat Ranch, up where the maples are. Mystic Canyon, it was called. The shape of the cliffs there, the colors of the maple trees, the sweet taste and clarity of the water, it is easy to see that God did some of his best handiwork there,” he says.

In the 1970s, the state decided to establish a state park in the canyons surrounding the maple groves at the upper end of the Sabinal Canyon. The goal was to balance the values of recreational use with environmental protection. This represented a gigantic step forward in the state’s view of land as a resource to be protected, and not just exploited.

The concept of a “State Natural Area” and Lost Maples State Natural Area was the first in the system. Lost Maples was where Texas first began to figure out the balance between human use and environmental resource protection.

Lost Maples State Natural Area is a unique place, both geographically and geologically. The park is situated where three distinct Texas bioregions come together: the Texas Hill Country/ Edwards Plateau, the South Texas Plains and the West Texas desert. It includes both open grasslands and steep canyons.

Consequently, the park hosts a wide variety of plants, ranging from upland desert plants, such as sotol, cactus and several varieties of yucca, to riparian and canyon species such as escarpment cherry, rough-leaf dogwood and maple.

Many of the plants in the park are endemic, meaning that they exist only here. It is a place of uncommon beauty, at once typical of the Balcones Escarpment canyons and yet unique. It is a magical place, and if you haven’t visited it, you should.

Photos by LeAnnSharp.

LOST MAPLES,

Photo courtesy Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.

Visiting Lost Maples SNA

By ROB MCCORKLE

Texas

NParks & Wildlife Department

o matter the time of year, a visit to Lost Maples SNA will not disappoint. Guests hoping to enjoy the park under less crowded conditions of late October and early November when the maples’ color peaks should consider an early fall visit. Nights tend to cool off and during warm, sunny days, the waters of the Sabinal and spring-fed swimming holes prove tempting spots to take a soothing splash. Almost 11 miles of well-marked trails lead to scenic overlooks, spring-fed ponds populated by Texas’ state fish, the Guadalupe bass, prime birding habitat and 30 primitive backpack camping sites. Composting toilets near several backcountry campsites make the wilderness experience a bit more pleasant. Water-and-electric campsites are at a premium at Lost Maples SNA. The 30 campsites, which also feature in-ground barbecue pits and shaded picnic tables, book up to five months in advance for the peak fall foliage period. Other times of the year, booking reservations early is recommended.

In keeping with Lost Maples’ state natural area designation, the park has limited development and facilities. However, young and old alike can enjoy nature photography, hiking, camping, bird watching, backpacking, fishing and swimming. Photo courtesy TPWD.

FYI • Day use-only park entry fees (guests age 13 and up) are $6. You can pre-pay entrance a month ahead of your date of arrival to insure entrance during busy seasons. Hikein campsites are $10 a night and water-electric sites are $20. Lost Maples State Natural Area is located five miles north of Vanderpool on Ranch Road 187. Parking at Lost Maples State Natural Area is limited to 250 cars, so be sure to schedule fall trips during the weekdays, if possible.

The history, folklore, legends and natural history of the Southern Hill Country is a rough blend of frontier hardship, country wisdom and tough personal experience. These volumes are based on numerous interviews of the area’s elders and presented in their own words, along with photos, maps and sketches. The story of this region is worth knowing, for it illustrates much of what makes Texas a special place.

“These books of interviews with old-timers of the Sabinal Canyon are models of what such works should be.” — John Graves, The Rivers of Texas (2002)

Frio Bat Flight

From March through September on a ranch near Concan, you can watch in delight as 10- to 12-million Mexican free-tailed bats emerge from Frio Cave at Frio Bat Flight. The beautiful and private 10,000-acre property on which the cave is located has been continuously owned by the same family since 1874. Bain and Kirstin Walker run Frio Bat Flight tours, each season hosting a whopping 3,000 to 4,000 visitors, all who come to see the second largest bat population in the world (that’s open to the public). Bain takes questions from audience members as the crowd waits in anticipation for the bats to begin emerging from the cave about 30 minutes before sunset.

These bats will travel up to 35 miles from the cave every night, covering several hundred miles in one evening. They are insectivores, preferring to dine on agricultural pests.

“Scientists have discovered the bats eat, on average, their body weight nightly. That amounts to about 100 tons of insects a year!” says Bain.Photo by Melissa Ball.

FYI • Bats emerge from Frio Cave March through September. Frio Bat Flight entry is $15; $12 for kids 6-12; and $12 for seniors. Kids 5 and under get in free. Tour times vary by season. For more information, call 888-502-9387, email info@friobatflight.com or visit the web site at www. friobatflight.com.

Bain Walker educates the crowd as they wait for bats to emerge. Photo by LeAnn Sharp.

Hill Country NATURE CENTER

You’ll find fossils, arrowheads, plus Texas snake, bird, bat, butterfly and insect displays highlighting the natural attractions of the River Region at Hill Country Nature Center. You can even see the happenings inside a bluebird nestbox, with the help of some cool technology. Nature Center founder LeAnn Garrison-Sharp for years has made it her mission to share the natural wonders of the area, providing visitors a great chance to learn all about birding, bats, native plants, champion trees and the natural history of the area.

Hill Country Adventures offers a variety of educational tours. With several national champion trees in the area, including the largest tree in Texas, there’s plenty to see on the Natural History/ Big Tree tour, offered year round.Guided birding and nature tours offer guests a chance to drive to and hike on private Hill Country Ranches and State Parks along the beautiful Frio and Sabinal River Valleys. The nature trails at Indian Blanket Ranch (adjacent to the Center) provide a picturesque path for hiking, jogging and mountain biking. Another attraction at Indian Blanket Ranch is the Bluebird Trail — 40 nestboxes and six viewing stations with benches where you can see small cavity nesters including Eastern Bluebirds, Black-crested Titmouse, Bewick’s Wren, Ash-throated Flycatcher, and Carolina Chickadee with nests, eggs or baby birds. Nestbox Trail Birding Tours are available March through June — advance reservations only.

There’s plenty more spectacular birdwatching on the ranch with 126 species of birds sighted — you might see a Golden-cheeked Warbler, Black-capped Vireo, Vermillion Flycatcher, Zone-tailed Hawk, Hummers and more. Bring your camera— photo opportunities abound.

To hike, bike or birdwatch anytime, look for details on the explanation sign at the Nature Center gate. Admission is $10 per person for the day, ages five and under free, leashed dogs $5. Sign the release form and pay by dropping admission in the dropbox. The trail is open daylight to dark.

Dark Sky/Night Viewing is now available on Indian Blanket Ranch by advance reservation only. Bring your telescope and camera for spectacular meteor shower, Milkyway, planet, star and satellite viewing! Admission $25 per person, no dogs allowed at night. Reservations are availableby emailing info@hillcountryadventures.com.

Photos courtesy Hill Country Nature Center.

FYI • There are no trail fees if you are staying in lodging on Indian Blanket Ranch. For more information on lodging and trails on Indian Blanket Ranch, visit the website at www.indianblanketranch.com. For information about Hiking and Biking, Big Tree Tours and Nature By Kayak Tours offered through Hill Country Adventures, visit www. hillcountryadventures.com or call 830-966-2134.

The Wild Bunch By

DUB SUTTLE

Mom and Dad moved the family to west Texas when I was still in diapers. The oil fields offered a better way to make a living for a man with a 4th grade education, so my Dad took advantage of that. The old saying that you can take a boy out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the boy proved to be true, because Dad brought us all home to Leakey on every long weekend. I looked forward to the trips home because my grandparents, my Aunt Jerri, my uncle Bob, and my uncle Earl, well they all spoiled me rotten.

Uncle Bob was most memorable to me in 1953 because he was in his 30s at the time and was decidedly single. He was known far and wide as a member of the “wild bunch,”’ which consisted of Bob Tampke, Bob White, Guy Shackelford, and of course, Bob Suttle. These boys were all in their 30s, had never been married, and were best described as being wild, wooly and full of fleas.

The boys started roaming far wide in search of girlfriends in other towns, and it is said that they found a proverbial “motherlode” in nearby Sabinal. The problem started when the Sabinal boys took offense to these so called “Leakey Hillbillies” stealing their girlfriends. Guy Shackelford seemed to be having a high degree of success with the Sabinal girls.

It turned out that there was to be a street dance during the 4th of July in downtown Leakey and several of the Sabinal girls were to be dates with members of the “wild bunch.” The Sabinal boys didn’t like this so they put out the word that they were coming to the dance and they were coming to kick some “wild bunch” booty. This was a big mistake on their part, because when Vera Brice in the Leakey Drug Store heard about it she couldn’t wait to let the boys know. “This is going to be fun to watch,” she said.

them. The biggest boy from Sabinal served as the spokesman for the group, proclaiming in a loud voice that he was looking for Guy Shackelford, and that when he found him he was going to kick his umm hmmm! Guy just smiled then said, “Start kicking!”

The Sabinal boys quickly formed a circle around the two combatants but the fight didn’t last long. The out of town boxer took a wild swing at Guy which was adeptly dodged, with Guy countering with a hay maker that knocked his opponent out cold.

The Sabinal boys were still in a circle around Guy when he issued the challenge of “Who wants to try next?”

Well, by this time the group had decided that maybe they weren’t so mad at the Leakey boys after all. While they were pondering about what to do next, the three Bobs were circling behind the circle the Sabinal boys had formed, then pushing them within Guy’s reach, one at a time.

I am told that they said, “Here you SOB, it’s your turn!” as they pushed each boy into the circle.

The results were the same each time. The unwilling opponent was quickly knocked out cold. The fourth knockout caused the boys that were still standing to decide that they had no further business in Leakey. They surrendered. The “wild bunch” allowed them to retrieve their wounded and retreat back to Sabinal. Lesson learned! Each member of the ”wild bunch” was allowed to travel to Sabinal for any reason what so ever from that time forward, without any incidents.

A few weeks later, Bob White managed to acquire a new Ford coupe with a V-8 engine, and the boys decided to set a new land speed record on their way to a dance in downtown Camp Wood. Guy Shackelford didn’t go with them because he had a date in Sabinal. The three Bobs made the 20 miles over that winding mountainous road in 20 minutes. Rumor has it that there might have been some alcohol involved.

Vera Brice knew something that the Sabinal boys didn’t. You see the “wild bunch” was called that for several reasons, one of them being that Guy Shackelford, the mildest mannered of the four, was also no one to be trifled with. He was a strikingly handsome young man, but most importantly he was wiry, he was fast, he was quick with his wits and faster with his fists. He had never been beaten in a fist fight. The plot was set. Here’s how it played out.

The dance started promptly at 8 pm. Highway 83 was blocked off from traffic and the dancers were having a great time right in front of what was then Brice’s Grocery Store.

I am told that there were 10 Sabinal boys that showed up at that time, putting the word out that they were looking for Guy Shackelford. He wasn’t hard to find.

All four of the ”wild bunch” were standing with their dates in the middle of the street when the Sabinal boys formed a circle around

Not being satisfied with their success on the trip over, they decided to try to break their own speed record on the way home. They didn’t make it. The car missed a hair pin turn, jumped a guard rail, then fell down the canyon for more than 500 feet. One of the boys managed to jump out and landed in the road. One fell out halfway down the canyon. The third rode the car all the way down. It is said that the good Lord looks after idiots and drunks. Well, these guys might have qualified on both counts, because other than minor scratches and bruises, there were no injuries. The car, however, was totaled.

The boys gathered at the Leakey Drug Store the next morning to lick their wounds and drink coffee. The proprietor, Vera Brice, noticed their condition and began what was little less than an interrogation.

•

“Well, she said, I guess you boys learned a lesson last night, didn’t you?”

“Yeah Vera, we dang sure did!” one of them replied.

“Well, just what did you learn?” she demanded.

“Well, we learned to buy our beer in cans, we broke every bottle we had!”

Little did Vera know that Bob Suttle and her daughter, Libby, had been dating for quite a while already. In fact, they were married a short time later, and she became my Aunt Libby.

Uncle Bob’s life changed for the better. He lived a long life, something that probably would not have happened had Libby not tamed him. Libby joined the ranks of my other aunts and uncles that continued to spoil me rotten.

It was a little less than a year later when we came home from West Texas to visit. Early Saturday morning, I went with Dad to Uvalde in order to get a new set of tires for the car. We stopped at Happy Hollow on the way back to get some gas. It was then that I noticed a shiny toy fire truck in the window of the store. It had lights that burned, a real siren, and it actually pumped water. It had a price tag of $5 and I had to have it. Being five years old, I didn’t realize that $5 was equal to a day’s wages in those days. Dad said I couldn’t have it of course, and some of you may find this hard to believe, but I threw a fit. I got a good spanking for it!

That night I went with Mom and Dad to the Leakey Drug Store where everybody gathered in those days to visit. This was well before the days of television, and the internet wasn’t even imagined yet. Norris and JoAnne Fisher ran the Drug Store, and while Mom and Dad were sitting on the old cypress stumps that served as stools, visiting with Uncle Bob and Aunt Libby, I noticed that same red fire truck in the window of the Drug Store. I had to have it. I threw a fit, again.

Dad said “No!” He spanked me again, and I calmed down. The conversation between the adults continued. I didn’t even notice when one of them went inside. Shortly thereafter, Aunt Libby walked outside and handed the red Fire Truck to me. Dad started to say something, but noticed the look in Libby’s eye, and thought better of it. My Dad was a lot of things, but dumb wasn’t one of them. My Aunt Libby owned a special place in my heart from that day on.

The Grim Reaper took Uncle Bob in the early ’80s. Years later we laid Aunt Libby to rest in a peaceful spot right next to him in the Leakey Floral Cemetery. They are together again. I feel a tremendous loss because Uncle Bob and Aunt Libby were always in my corner through all the years. I know that they still are, and that I will see them again. I just miss them. Rest in peace you two! I love you both.

Fun on the Nueces River. Photo courtesy The Riv.

God Bless the Frio River. Photo by Julie Harrington.

24 Hr. Emergency Service

Hospice & Palliative Care

Respiratory Care

Urology

Cardiology

Women’s & Newborn Center

Medical Surgical

Intensive Care Unit

Social Services

Radiology/Diagnostic Imaging

Women’s Imaging Center

Laboratory

Outpatient Speciality Clinic

Rehabilitation Center

Inpatient & Outpatient Surgery

Hyperbaric Therapy & Wound Care

Cardiac Rehabilitation

Hematology & Medical Oncology

Radiation Oncology

Oncology Rehabilitation

Senior Behavioral Health Services

Air Transport Capability

Where did the rivers’ names come from?

By GREG WALTON

The rivers of Southwest Texas are its most unique natural feature. Emanating from a thousand springs spread over a 50-mile band of rugged Balcones Escarpment terrain, they have carved countless cliffs, canyons and valleys on their inevitable journey to the sea.

Each of these rivers originates in the rough and jagged canyon country, commonly called the fault zone, between the Edwards Plateau and the Coastal Plains. The early history of these rivers, and how each got its name, is an interesting aspect of the history of the larger region itself.

The Edwards Plateau is like a giant sponge sitting on a tilted dinner plate. Rainwater enters the ground through various cracks and crevices, caves and sinkholes, until it percolates down to a solid layer of limestone. The water then flows south and eastward underground until it emerges at a spring along the Balcones Escarpment. This Escarpment was created 15 million years ago, when the lower Coastal Plains broke away from the higher Plateau, leaving a highly erodible edge.

Springs occur all along the edge of the Escarpment, with particularly large springs at Del Rio, Brackettville, San Antonio, New Braunfels, San Marcos and Austin. In the River Region, these springs are smaller but more numerous, and they form hundreds of small canyons and creeks. These tributaries eventually form into notable three rivers.Spanish explorers first came to this region in the 1600s, moving from Mexico in the south and west toward the north and east. As they did elsewhere, they named each of the natural features as they discovered them.

The NUECES RIVER is the largest of these three rivers, and was the first to be encountered. Indeed the Frio and Sabinal can be considered tributaries of the Nueces. The entire region is

See RIVER NAMES, Page 82

The Nueces River. Photo courtesy The Riv.

The Frio River. Photo courtesy Rio Bella Resort.

sometimes known as the Nueces River basin. The first explorers, finding the river’s mouth in Corpus Christi Bay somewhat hidden, named it the Rio Escondido, or Hidden River. Other Spanish explorers, further inland and coming from the arid southwest, were relieved to see permanent water, abundant grass and large trees.

The trees in particular provided a welcome respite from the desert sun, and the nuts they produced were tasty and plentiful. Therefore they named the river the Pecan River, or Rio Nueces in Spanish. In 1762 they established two missions here in the upper Nueces Canyon, Mission San Lorenzo de la Santa Cruz, and Mission Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria del Canon, as well as a presidio, a short distance away.

Continuing to the east, the Spanish explorers next encountered a river which, because of the large and frequent springs along it, produced very cold water. Unlike the Nueces River, the predominant tree along the Frio is not the pecan but the cypress. The Spanish christened this river the Cold River, or RIO FRIO in Spanish. The Spanish apparently made no attempt to settle the Frio Canyon, but they did take note of the abundant water, tree cover and other resources. It is this cold and plentiful water which makes the Frio such a great river for canoeing, kayaking, fishing and swimming.

Moving still eastward, they next came to a river lined with very large cypress trees. This stream they named the Cypress River. In Spanish, the word for a single cypress is “Sabino”. But in the Spanish language if you want to describe a large group of trees rather than a single specimen you add the suffix “al”. Thus a large group of cypress trees is not a sabino but a sabinal. In this way the SABINAL RIVER was named. Again, the Spaniards made no permanent settlements in the Sabinal Canyon, but General Juan Ugalde, for whom Uvalde County was named, fought a significant battle here against the Apaches in 1790. This canyon has also been known as Arroyo de la Soledad (Stream of Solitude) and Canon de Ugalde (Uvalde Canyon).

2025 FEATURED EVENTS

Jan 23-25: Uvalde County Jr Livestock Show & Sale

March 15-16: Heart of the Hills Barrel Racing Season Kick-Off

March 22: Texas High School Rodeo Finals – Region 8

April 12-13: Annual Makenna Elrod Memorial Team Roping

May 1-3: Cactus Jack PRCA Xtreme Bulls

July 19: Uvalde Youth Rodeo Finals

August 2-3: Heart of the Hills Barrel Racing Finals/Awards

August 28-31: Palomino Fest & Pro Rodeo

Sept 13-14: Texas High School Rodeo Reg 8 Season Kickoff

Oct 3-4: SWTJC NIRA Collegiate Rodeo

Oct 11-12: Hailey Kinsel Youth Barrel Race

Oct 23-26: South Texas Showdown Ultimate Roping

Oct 31-Nov 1: Uvalde Chamber Hunters Roundup & Cook-off

Nov 17-22: San Antonio Rodeo PRCA Qualifier

Dec 6: Kicks 4 Kidz Car Show

Dec 12-13: Briscoe Ranch BBQ Cook-off

The beautiful Sabinal River. Photo by Chelsea McCloud.

The magic of the River Region

Frio River Record Channel Catfish measuring in at 20.25 lbs. / 34.5”. Way to go, Fisher Rimkus!

Photo courtesy Brett Rimkus.

Life is short. Eat the pie! Photo courtesy Concan Pies.

Take a li’l time for a some live music.

Photo courtesy Back Porch & Grill.

Laci’s first Garner trip. Photo by Cara Canada McCollum.

The Grand Opera House

The Grand Opera House at 104 North West Street, built in 1891, is the oldest theater in Texas. The Grand Opera House is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The beautiful twostory Romanesque style theater, renovated in 1982, quickly became a social center in Uvalde and a leading venue in the area for plays and musicals and cultural events. Upcoming 2023 shows include “The Hit Parade” March 22, Zak Mirz: Flashes of Magic April 5, an Improv Comedy Night June 21 and the YOU POP Summer Youth Theater Program July 25-27. Check the website for additional performances.

CHURCHES

LEAKEY

Church in the Valley 724 US-83, Leakey, TX 78873 churchinthevalley-leakey.com

Leakey Methodist Church 419 Market Street leakeyunitedmethodist.org

Leakey Church of Christ 229 3rd Street leakeychurchofchrist.org

UTOPIA

Utopia Baptist Church 241 Johnson Street utopiabaptist.com

FYI • Hours are Monday through Friday from 10 am to 3 pm. Visit www.uvaldeoperahouse.org or call 830-278-4184 for more information. Photo courtesy Grand Opera House.

El Progreso Memorial Library

Uvalde’s El Progreso Memorial Library was founded in 1903 by a group of Uvalde women who wished to start a new civic organization, the El Progreso Club. They set three goals for themselves: self-improvement, civic improvement, and the founding of a public library.

Today, the library provides for the informational, reference, research and recreational reading needs of the local Uvalde City and County Area as well as the isolated Southwest Region of Texas in an innovative, 36,000 square foot, $5.7 million state-ofart facility offering leading edge technology. The comprehensive facility includes the Virginia W. Davis Archives, Weisman Museum of Southwest Texas, a bookstore and meeting rooms. Accredited by the Texas State Library, El Progreso offers a full range of TexShare electronic databases and Interlibrary Loan through statewide programs. Internet and WiFi connection are available. The Children’s Wing offers games, puzzles, a Story Time center, and more.

FYI • For more information visit www.elprogreso.org.

Frio Canyon Baptist Church 919 US-83 friocanyonbaptistchurch.com

St. Raymond Catholic Church 326 Mountain Street 830-232-5852

New Fellowship Church 84 Camino Alto 830-232-4287

CONCAN

Concan Baptist Mission 23711 US-83 concanbaptist.org

Concan Church of Christ 23169 N. Hwy 83 concanchurchofchrist.org

SABINAL

Central Christian Church 516 N. Center Street sabinalcentralchristianchurch.com

First Baptist Church 607 N. San Antonio Street firstbaptistchurchsabinal.org

Sabinal Methodist Church 200 Fisher Ave W 830-988-2535

Parish of Saint Patrick 511 N Orange Street 830-988-2255

Utopia Church of Christ 132 Main Street thelordsway.com

Living Waters Outreach 13976 FM 1050 awaterholefortheworld.com

Utopia United Methodist Church 571 Cypress St utopiaumc.com

St. Mary’s Catholic Church 32141 RM 187 stpatricksabinal.org

CAMP WOOD

First Baptist Church 813 Nueces Street fbccw.org Hill Country Church of Christ 1 Highway 55 North 830-597-6175

St. Mary Magdalen 311 E. 3rd Street 830-638-2165

Nueces Canyon Church of Christ 1656 TX-55 830-597-4131

REAGAN WELLS

Reagen Wells Baptist Church 8415 FM 1051 N, Uvalde, TX reaganwellsbaptistchurch.org

Fall Frio. Photo by Melissa Cummings.

Volunteer River Clean Up

HOW IT WORKS

• Gather your group.

• Float the River.

• Pick up trash on the way down.

• Earn $ for charity of your choice!

Be a part of the Uvalde County Volunteer River Cleanup Summer Program!

Volunteer River Cleanup Days are Monday through Wednesday in the summer months to avoid the large groups of tourists. Groups meet at a designated location, sign waivers, and receive t-shirts, trash bags, tube and other supplies. A place to will be designated to place collected trash.

Cleanups can range from two to eight hours, depending on the section and flow of the river. Coordinators will work with you to find a section that accommodates your group’s schedule.

To participate, you must be at least 14 years of age, be a competent swimmer and sign a waiver form. Participants under the age of 18 must have their waiver signed by a parent or guardian.

Photo courtesy visituvaldecounty.com.

Visit visituvaldecounty.com/uvalde-volunteer/ for details or email hailey@visituvaldecounty.com to register.

Family Nurse Practitioner R. Angelica Navarro-Gonzalez, FNP-BC, ARNP

Family Nurse Practitioner

Many hues of the River Region

NEED A CAPTION.

Fisher Rimkus’ record catfish. Photo courtesy Brett Rimkus.

Life is short. Eat the pie! Photo courtesy Concan Pies.

Photo by ?.

Laci’s first Garner trip. Photo by Cara Canada McCollum.

Spring’s rewards. Photo by Chelsea McCloud.

Headed into the sunset. Photo by Chelsea McCloud.

A moment in time. Photo by Chelsea McCloud.

Splendor of fall. Photo by Chelsea McCloud.

Jodie Greene 830-683-7575 jodie@greene-realty.com

Greene 830-683-7051 chantz@greene-realty.com

Gill 832-693-4173 pgill127@gmail.com

Thrash 254-366-6782 scott@deertexas.com

Every Tuesday & Thursday CONCAN Friends of Garner Hayrides (June 1 - August 7) Arrive at Visitor Center by 6:45 pm. Hayrides leave at 7 pm, return about 8 pm. Space is limited, registration required. 830-232-5999, srasco@friendsofgarner.org.

Every Wednesday LEAKEY Karaoke at the Back Porch. 527 South Highway 83. 830-232-3746.

Every Thursday in June & July LEAKEY Real County Junior Horse Club Play Nights realcountyjuniorhorseclub.com.

Every Thursday LEAKEY

Steak Night at Gypsy Sally’s. 373 Market Street. gypsysallysleakey.com.

Every Thursday UVALDE Game Night at El Progreso Library. 5 pm to 8 pm. 830-278-2017. elprogreso.org.

Every Thursday UTOPIA

Open Mic Songwriters’ Night at The Blue Flame. facebook.com/theblueflameutopia

Every Friday LEAKEY

Live Music at the Back Porch Bar & Grill 527 South Highway 83. 830-232-3746.

Second Fridays UVALDE

Four Square Friday

Late night shopping, food, live music and art. Downtown Uvalde, 6 pm to 9 pm. 830-278-4115, visituvalde.com.

Wednesday through Friday CONCAN (Feb-May/Sept-Dec)

Ranger Led Hikes at Garner State Park. tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/garner/field-trips

March 29 SABINAL

Sabinal Chamber of Commerce Chili Cook-Off at Wild Hog Festival.

Benefits Sabinal VFD. Call 210-827-4013 for information.

March 29 SABINAL

34th Annual Wild Hog Festival & Craft Fair. SabinalWildHogFestival.com.

April 5 UTOPIA

EMS/Fire/Park Auction at the Firehouse/Community Building.

April 5 UVALDE

Uvalde Grand Opera House presents Zak Mirz: Flashes of Magic. uvaldegrandoperahouse.org.

April 19 CONCAN

5th Annual Fenders & Food Trucks on the Frio. Large car show, food trucks, vendors, prizes, live music and an Easter egg hunt at Andy’s on River Road. floatthefrio.com.

April 5 UTOPIA

Easter Egg Hunt at Utopia Park.

April 5 CONCAN

Concan Wildflower Festival.

Farmers market, vendors, live music, food trucks and more. 9 am to 5 pm. riverbendonthefrio.com.

See EVENTS, Page 91

Utopia Ranch Rodeo May 25.

Photo by Hattie Barham.

April 22 LEAKEY

Earth Day at the Springs.

Music, market, picnic. Bob Livingston and his Band performs. 692 Evergreen Street. thespringsleakey.com.

April 25-26 CONCAN

River Rock Fest at Joe Jimmy’s. Music by Guns 4 Roses, Back in Black and Passing Strangers. nealslodges.com.

May 2-3 UVALDE

Cactus Jack PRCA Xtreme Bulls Uvalde County Fairplex. uvaldecountyfairplex.com.

May 3 UTOPIA

4 County Qualifier + Crawfish Boil. At Utopia Park.

May 3 CONCAN

2nd Annual Holy Guacamole Cook-Off and Celebration. Guacamole, fajita, salsa and margarita cook-off. Vendors, music, food and more at Andy’s on River Road. floatthefrio.com.

May 3 UTOPIA

4 County Qualifier + Crawfish Boil. At Utopia Park.

May 10 UTOPIA

Lions Club Ice Cream Crank Off At Community Building.

May 25 UTOPIA

Utopia Ranch Rodeo At Utopia Park.

June 7 UTOPIA

Slade Bomer Memorial Roping. At Utopia Park.

June 21 UVALDE

Uvalde Grand Opera House presents Improv Comedy Night. uvaldegrandoperahouse.org.

June 23 UVALDE

Uvalde Grand Opera House presents San Antonio Opera. uvaldegrandoperahouse.org.

See EVENTS, Page 92

June 27-28 UTOPIA

Utopia Open Rodeo At Utopia Park.

June 28 CONCAN

Aaron Watson live at House Pasture Cattle Co. Get tickets at housepasture.com.

July 4

Fourth of July in Utopia UTOPIA

Don’t miss this fabulous fireworks show at Utopia City Park starting at dark.

Dueling Pianos at the Back Porch Bar & Grill LEAKEY 527 South Highway 83. 830-232-3746.

JULY 5-6 LEAKEY

July Jubilee

Enjoy a rodeo Friday and Saturday nights, plus a Saturday morning parade downtown. FrioCanyonChamber.com.

July 19 UVALDE

Uvalde Youth Rodeo FInals. Uvalde County Fairplex. uvaldecountyfairplex.com.

July 25-27 UVALDE

Uvalde Grand Opera House presents YOU POP. uvaldegrandoperahouse.org.

August 3 CAMP WOOD

63rd Annual Old Settlers Reunion

Free, family-friendly event features parade, music and a dance. 830-597-6241, nuecescanyonchamber.org for Information.

AUGUST 30 LEAKEY

10th Annual Wylden Hubbard Memorial Real County Junior Horse Club Arena. Find details on Facebook.

SEPTEMBER 1 UVALDE

First State Bank of Uvalde Labor Day Parade North Getty Street. uvalde.org.

September 18 UTOPIA

Big Give SA On Utopia Town Square.

October 3-4 Concan

Fall on the Frio Fest

Teams from across the state, vendors, live music, cornhole and activities for children of all ages. Come as a competitor or judge – everyone is welcome. Fall on the Frio is an established Champions Barbecue Alliance sanctioned event. friofest.com.

See EVENTS, Page 93

Aaron Watson plays House Pasture June 28.

Photo courtesy Aaron Watson.

October 24-25 UVALDE

Uvalde Grand Opera House presents Mystery at the Opera House. uvaldegrandoperahouse.org.

November 1 UTOPIA

Annual Arts & Crafts Fall Fair

Don’t miss this anuual Hometown fair! Vendors at more than 60 booths displaying handmade items from jewelry to soap to photographs and more. Live music, face painting. 9 am to 4 pm. Benefitting Utopia Senior High School Scholarships.Utopia Town Square on FM 187.

November 7-9 LEAKEY

Songs on the Frio

Weekend full of performances by award-winning country music singer-songwriters to benefit the Frio Canyon. Performances on the banks of the beautiful Frio River and in local Leakey venues. Visit songsonthefrio.com or find them on Facebook.

November 27 - mid January LEAKEY Festivity of Lights

More than 30,000 lights on the Real County courthouse for the holiday season. Kickoff celebration at dusk Thanksgiving evening with lights through January. Find them on Facebook!

November 28 LEAKEY

Dueling Pianos at The Back Porch Bar & Grill

527 South Highway 83. 830-232-3746.

December 5 UVALDE

Christmas at the Crossroads Parade.

Vendors, visits with Santa and more. Downtown Uvalde.

December 12-13 UVALDE

15th Annual Briscoe Ranch at the Crossroads State Championship BBQ Cook-Off

Don’t miss this Champions Barbecue Alliance event at the Uvalde County Fairplex. uvaldecountyfairplex.com.

River Region’s awesome views

NEED A CAPTION. Photo by ?.

Views

Fisher Rimkus’ record catfish. Photo courtesy Brett Rimkus.

Life is short. Eat the pie! Photo courtesy Concan Pies.

Laci’s first Garner trip Photo by Cara Canada McCollum.

A familiar sight around here! Photo by Jan Larsen.

The colors of fall on the Frio. Photo by Brett Rimkus.

for miles on 337. Photo by AnaLisa Glass.

A beautiful sunset captured Photo by Jan Larsen.