Texas Water Safari

Texas Water Safari Official page for the Texas River Marathon, the Junior Texas Water Safari, and the Texas Water Safari. The Texas Water Safari is held every June.
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“They don’t call the Texas Water Safari The World’s Toughest Canoe Race’ for nothing. In addition to the length, the challenges include whitewater rapids, multiple portages, and the relentless, soul-sapping Texas heat. Competitors have four days and four hours to paddle from San Marcos, in the center of the state, to the shy little town of Seadrift on the Gulf Coast. There is no prize money for th

e winners; just Texas-size bragging rights for the finishers.” -- Larry Rice, in July 2009 Canoe & Kayak Magazine

Legend has it that in 1962, Frank Brown and Bill "Big Willie" George decided to take their V-bottom boat, without a motor, from San Marcos to Corpus Christi. They accomplished their mission in about thirty days and decided that other people should have the opportunity to experience the same journey. So, in 1963 they set up the first Texas Water Safari. Today the Safari is a long, tough, non-stop marathon canoe-racing adventure, traversing 260 miles of challenging rivers and bay. Many participants enter the race with no intention of winning, but with the goal of joining the elite group of finishers and earning the coveted Texas Water Safari finisher's patch. See the TWS Race Calendar for this year’s dates and deadlines for registration.

11 days until bank support is strong
06/01/2026

11 days until bank support is strong

12 days until toe wrinkles
05/31/2026

12 days until toe wrinkles

**Note for competitors**You should have received not only an email with a link to give the Safari your Garmin tracking i...
05/30/2026

**Note for competitors**
You should have received not only an email with a link to give the Safari your Garmin tracking information, but also a link to sign up for your Check in time on Thursday June 11th!

Both of these are quite vital! Do not wait! IF you do not see those emails, check your spam! Here is a terrific link from the TWS website on how to set up that Garmin and provide us your tracker!!
https://texaswatersafari.org/garmin-inreach-tracker-guide/

A big thank you to TWS Photographer, Ashley Landis, for the incredible count down that should be getting you as excited as it is raising your blood pressure! Hope everyone is having a great training weekend!

13 days until doing your best MacGyver impression
05/30/2026

13 days until doing your best MacGyver impression

A big TWS thank you to Kate Tart for updating the Safari Driving Guide again this year. We do have some changes in the ...
05/29/2026

A big TWS thank you to Kate Tart for updating the Safari Driving Guide again this year. We do have some changes in the #10 Checkpoint, so please follow the link and check mileage, required Checkpoints, the photos and information as you follow your team down the river this year! **And remember that some viewable areas require you to pay for parking. Be respectful and honor those businesses.

Checkpoint 10, page 25, gives the information about the Colville Park/Wooden Bridge Checkpoint at mile 256.

A lifelong supporter of the Texas Water Safari, Gene Colville, never missed a Safari from the Wooden Bridge location as the Guadalupe river enters into the San Antonio Bay. We will miss him dearly, but thank you to his family for allowing us to move the TWS checkpoint to the Colville Park/Wooden Bridge. He will always be with us in spirit at this location!

https://texaswatersafari.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/TWS-Driving-Guide-2026.pdf

We are pleased to announce that we do have a hotel block reserved at a special rate at the San Marcos Holiday Inn Conven...
05/29/2026

We are pleased to announce that we do have a hotel block reserved at a special rate at the San Marcos Holiday Inn Convention Center on Bintu Drive!

Here is our group’s booking link:
Texas Water Safari Booking Link (https://www.ihg.com/redirect?path=rates&brandCode=HI®ionCode=1&localeCode=en&checkInMonthYear=052026&checkInDate=10&checkOutDate=12&checkOutMonthYear=052026&hotelCode=SMMHI&GPC=TWS&numberOfAdults=1&numberOfRooms=1&adjustMonth=false&showApp=true&monthIndex=00)
Please note that there is a service fee associated with reserving online. To avoid this fee, guests may call the hotel directly and mention the group name “Texas Water Safari” or the group code “TWS,” and our team will be happy to assist with making the reservation.

Karinah Lopez
Director of Sales
Holiday Inn San Marcos Conv CTR | 105 Bintu Dr. | San Marcos, Texas 78666

Direct: 512.805.1000

14 days until pulling all-nighters
05/29/2026

14 days until pulling all-nighters

15 days until the ice bucket challenge isn’t a challenge at all
05/28/2026

15 days until the ice bucket challenge isn’t a challenge at all

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San Marcos, TX
78666

Website

http://www.twitter.com/twsafari, http://instagram.com/twsafari, http://www.youtube.com/use

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