Camping at Landa Park (Comal)

[RumBum]

So has anyone stayed at Landa park for Comal diving? We're going to drive the motorhome out that way this weekend. Looking for reports on the campground and maybe a new arm of the river to dive?

 

[YellowfinKunkfish]

I did a little research on it last summer, and couldn't find any good reviews. None of them were very recent though, so you never know, it might be a decent spot. We would like to dive the comal, and would like to take the pop-up down, but don't know where to stay. If you stay here, please let us know how it was, and if it was easy access to dive the river, and all that stuff! I know I couldn't find any other campground right on the river.

Rhonda

 

[Jay_SMART_Diver]

The CHUM Club from Houston comes up on occasion and they always use Landa RV & Campground that gives direct river access below Wursthalle, they also rent tubes and have a shuttle.

 

[ReefHound]

Yes, I have camped there the last two years, in a tent. How you like it depends on what you're looking for. As a campground, do not expect something on the order of a state park or national park site. You are in an urban area and next to a busy railroad. The trains run all night and blare their horns continuously. Bring earplugs or an insulated RV. The ground is basically gravel with a little bit of grass here and there. There is minimal wildlife and it is not much of what I would call the "camping experience".

But the location is very convenient for diving/tubing the Comal. You can get sites directly on the river, there are tube rentals and shuttles on site, restrooms/showers have always been clean and in good order, you have water and electric hookups, it seems safe, the clientele are quiet and well behaved (except for us), and the rates are reasonable. We find that it serves as a decent base camp for our river activities. We'll be back.

 

[austinspace]

One time I entered the river from Landa Park Drive @ Elizabeth Ave (NW corner of Wursthalle). Swam upstream a bit toward the little waterfall where it gets quite deep. Current is fairly strong - hang on to a rock, or the steel hook attached to one of the concrete cassions, and watch the critters in their world. LOTS of crawfish here, and a great spot to breathe a half tank. Don't go far downstream - there's that big waterfall!

But I'm not sure if diving is allowed upstream of the waterfall -- if you find out whether it is or not please let us know!

 

[eieio_24]

I did a little research on it last summer, and couldn't find any good reviews. None of them were very recent though, so you never know, it might be a decent spot. We would like to dive the comal, and would like to take the pop-up down, but don't know where to stay. If you stay here, please let us know how it was, and if it was easy access to dive the river, and all that stuff! I know I couldn't find any other campground right on the river.

Rhonda

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There is really not another camping area that is right on the Comal River, in an area that allows for the most use of the river for diving. From the Landa RV and Campground mentioned in another post in this thread, you can dive or swim from the camp all the way to the Tube Chute. I would not recommend diving gear beyond the Tube Chute unless you have a vehicle at the last public exit to bring you back. Plus, some areas are quite shallow. Do NOT go through the Tube Chute with diving gear. I have been through it with a tube and without, and have bumped rocks. I have also dove below the Tube Chute and held on, barely, to rocks and a large concrete block beneath the water, and in the rough rapids below the tube chute are a lot of obstacles which to bang yourself or your scuba gear against, possibly causing a lot of damage. I usually put in around Texas Tubes, which is along the same street and way to Landa RV, but I put in at the public parking across the river from those businesses. Texas tubes is about as far upstream as a public entry, except for the Landa RV Park mentioned in another posting. Enjoy the stay, but when I stayed at this particular park, we thought they were a**h**es. We will not be back and will stay elsewhere. The best park I think, is Hueco Springs RV park, along River Road along the Guadalupe River. It's not on the Comal, but a nice and beautiful place to stay with very nice staff. Also we're are somewhat locals to the New Braunfels area, as well as the Hill Country area, so I happen to have some information on both areas. I don't know everything though, and didn't know about the dive areas on Inks which were mentioned by the new user bubbles (or something like that)... Hope it works out and I would also like to discover where she was talking about on Inks, about those two dive spots that were supposed to be good - I hadn't heard of them..
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[RumBum]

Thanks for the responses! Landa was very rude when we called. Might check out Hueco Springs.

 

[Foo]

We have stayed at Landa quite a few times, and every time, I cringe when I call them because they CAN be very rude. FooMan can't even go in to pay anymore because he didn't gee-haw with the lady there at all... now, anyone who knows FooMan knows how easy he is to get along with, but he almost lost his cool with this one...

So, if you can bit the bullet a bit, it is a very cool place to stay if you have a site down by the river. Depending on the size of your motor home, however, that could get tricky as there is a hellacious curve and hill that you must maneuver to get to the river sites.

 

[Joe-Diver]

You are in an urban area and next to a busy railroad. The trains run all night and blare their horns continuously.

That right there makes it a "no-go" for me.....

 

[DougM]

I agree with almost everything mentioned above. I am from N.B. and dove the Comal Thrusday. First of all, do not plan on diving the river during the day unless you want a 100's of drunk tubers above your head. Wait until dark and do a night dive, everyone clears out, except the drunk ones that sit around the banks trying to catch fish (HA) and throw stuff in the water at you. Then when you exit the water, expect to be called "scuba steve", it's a given. You will hear comments the entire time you are on the bank walking back to the entry. Secondly, due to our drought, the spring is drying up and there is almost no current, which isn't bad, but now the slit (from your fins, etc.) and trash (from the tubers) isn't being washed down stream. Vis was very poor Thrusday night, maybe 5-7', in the clear spots. Your average depth will be 5 to 6' and with the slity bottom and no current, it's very hard to keep from stirring it up.

So, if your going, wait until at least 10pm for the water to clear, people and slit.

Don't mean to sound negative, but with the tubers and the drought, it has been a very disappointing dive the last few weeks.