Kerrville, Texas This Fall: Riverside Nature Center, Downtown and a River Trail Update

Kerrville has had a hard couple of years along the Guadalupe. Floods in 2025 and again in July 2026 damaged parks, trails and riverfront businesses, and recovery is still going on. But the town is open, the people are welcoming, and a fall visit that spends a little money downtown helps.

Kerrville is the county seat of Kerr County, about an hour northwest of San Antonio up I-10 and roughly two hours west of Austin. Here’s what to know before you go, starting with one big change.

First, a heads-up about the River Trail

The Kerrville River Trail is usually a big reason to visit. It’s a roughly 6-mile, 10-foot-wide path along the Guadalupe for walking, running and biking, with trailheads at Kerrville-Schreiner Park, G Street, Lehmann-Monroe Park, Louise Hays Park, Riverside Nature Center, Lowry Park and the Dietert Center.

Right now, though, the River Trail and all of its trailheads are closed until further notice. According to the City of Kerrville, the trail was damaged in both the 2025 and 2026 floods, and after the July 2026 flood the city closed the whole system while it assesses the damage and plans repairs, including debris and sediment removal. The city asks visitors to respect all barricades and signs. Check the city’s River Trail page for reopening news before you plan a walk.

Riverside Nature Center: open and worth the stop

The good news is that Riverside Nature Center is welcoming visitors. This nonprofit wildlife sanctuary on Francisco Lemos Street, near downtown, is one of the River Trail’s trailheads. It has native plant gardens, a wildflower meadow and pollinator garden, a butterfly garden and a small arboretum.

• Admission: free. The center runs on memberships and donations, and it’s raising money for flood recovery right now.
• Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday; closed Sunday. It’s also closed on Thanksgiving and the day after, the full week of Christmas, New Year’s Day and July 4.
• Accessible path: a 700-foot crushed-granite trail through the arboretum is wheelchair accessible, and the back porch overlooks the wildscape and bird area.
• No pets: because it’s a wildlife sanctuary, pets aren’t allowed on the grounds.

The center also holds bird walks, plant walks, a preschool nature program and other events. Its fall Native Plant Sale is Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, with early access for members at 9 a.m. If you’ve been wanting to add native plants to your yard, it’s a good time to go. Volunteer Riverside Guides give informal tours during regular hours.

Downtown Kerrville

Kerrville’s historic downtown is easy to walk, with flat sidewalks, public art and shops along Water Street and Earl Garrett Street. A few places to start:

• Kerr Arts & Cultural Center (228 Earl Garrett St.) shows rotating regional art exhibits. Its website lists hours of Tuesday–Friday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
• Schreiner Mansion (222 Earl Garrett St.) is a historic home downtown that offers scheduled tours. Check local listings for current tour days.
• The Arcadia Live (717 Water St.) hosts concerts and film nights in a restored downtown theater.
• Cailloux Theater (910 Main St.) is home to performances including the Symphony of the Hills.

Just outside downtown, the Museum of Western Art at 1550 Bandera Highway showcases Western art and holds regular events. Check its website for current hours and admission.

Fall events on the calendar

The local visitor site, Kerrville Crafted, lists a free Waterstreet Festival downtown on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, and the Kerrville Mountain Bike Festival at Kerrville-Schreiner Park Oct. 24–25, 2026. Confirm details on the event pages, especially with recovery work still going on near the river.

If you’re heading farther into the Hill Country, our Lost Maples fall color guide covers a popular leaf-peeping drive west of Kerrville, and Comfort is a short hop down I-10.

Flood recovery means closures and hours can change quickly. Check the City of Kerrville River Trail page and Riverside Nature Center before you head out.

Kerrville is still recovering, and visitors help. Go see the nature center, shop downtown, eat lunch at a local spot, and come back when the River Trail reopens.

Featured photo: Larry D. Moore via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.