Tube Texas

Tubing Rules and Regulations

What Are The New Tubing Rules?

A float trip is a relaxing affair, but there are few rules that you'll need to abide by.

General Rules that Apply Everywhere

• No Glass
• No Styrofoam
• No littering

Alcohol Rules

Alcohol is allowed on all the rivers of Texas. However, there are a few new rules that may effect bring alcohol.

Guadalupe and Comal River Rules, 2008

In the city limits of New Braunfels, there are new alcohol rules for tubing. These include:

• No containers smaller than 5 ounces (no shots)
• No coolers larger than 16 quarts
• Coolers must have a locking mechanism on the lid (zipper, Velcro, latch, cord)
• No radios that may be heard from 50 feet or more
• No beer bongs
• Noise devices may not be audible beyond 50 feet
• No jumping from bridges, dams, or trees

The cooler rule is a per-person rule. Therefore each person in your party could bring their own cooler if you wanted. A 16 quart cooler holds approximately 20 beers.

The container size rule is aimed at stopping people from bringing "jello shots" onto the river. Typically these are brought in small 1-2 ounce plastic containers with lids, typically seen at condiment bars.

Comal Specific Rules

• Inflatables must be less than 5 feet in width at the narrowest point
• Limit of two tubes per person
• Canoes and kayaks may not use the Last Tubers Exit on weekends and holidays

Guadalupe Specific Rules Only in City Limit

• When river flow is above 500cfs, children under 8 must wear a life jacket
• When the flow is above 750cfs, everyone must wear a life jacket.
• When the flow is above 1000cfs, no tubing, only rafting.

What Parts of the Rivers Are Effected?

Only the parts of the Guadalupe river that are in the city limits are effected. All of the Comal is effected.

If you put in to the Guadalupe on the 1st Crossing, and exit before the town of Gruene, then you'll have tubed completely outside of the city limits, and none of the new rules apply.

Will I Get in Trouble for Violating These Rules?

Yes.

Getting Around the Cooler Size Limit

If there's some circumstance where taking a second cooler with your party just won't work, then you might think about this idea for tubing.

Most all outfitters will provide a mesh sack to throw your trash in. You tie this to your cooler tube.

I've always put a stash of extra drinks in the trash sack, and then resupplied the cooler with them as needed. I do this so that even a huge tubing group can use one cooler.

To properly do this, you'll need to add water to your cooler. You want the cooler to be liquid, not holding packed ice. This lets the drinks sink, and get cold within minutes.