Go With the Flow in Junction

Things move at a comfortable pace in Junction. Conversations draw out, days feel long and languid, and the town's meandering rivers wind gently through the limestone bluffs and grassy plains of the surrounding countryside.

The town, population 2,519, sits at the confluence of the North Llano and South Llano rivers, spring-fed tributaries that begin in arid West Texas. In Junction they merge to become the Llano River proper, and wind through the Texas Hill Country, providing around 100 miles of refreshing water with plenty of opportunities for swimming, paddling and fishing.

If you're a Central Texas or East Texas native, you might harbor the idea that Junction is in West Texas, likely because it's often a stop on the long drive out to Big Bend from the state's eastern reaches. But one look at the town's verdant hills and it's clear the town belongs more to the Hill Country than the dry desert west.

Those hills lend Junction a vacation town feel. The main street is bookended on either side by views of their cedar-covered slopes. The town feels like part of the landscape, cradled by the green and white ridges on each side — the perfect place for a relaxing retreat. So the next time you have a free weekend, here's one way (of many) to enjoy it in Junction.

One of the main draws of this region is the stunning natural beauty, and what better way to immerse yourself than camping? South Llano River State Park lies just outside of town, a perfect home base for a weekend away.

The drive out takes you past an eye-catching red and gray roadcut showing the curious traveler exactly what it looks like to slice into one of those beautiful hills — chalky colors of sediment melting into each other.

A few minutes later, you arrive at the state park, where the road crosses the namesake river. Its blue-green water offers a glimpse of the refreshing retreat that awaits you here. Check in at the office, a pristine, modern farmhouse-style complex, and then proceed to the camping area.

The campsites provide a peaceful respite, shaded by pecan trees and surrounded by mesquites and agaritas that glow blue-green in the sun. Small dogs stroll by. Campfire smoke wafts through the air. After the sun sets, chuck-will's-widows call from the brush. In the morning, as the night dissipates, the dawn chorus starts the day anew.

The park contains more than 20 miles of trails, so spend some time exploring. The Overlook Trail is a short and winding path through a forest of cedar and agarita, leading up to the top of one of the limestone hills. Picturesque benches offer rest along the way, and a picnic table at the top is a perfect spot for dinner in the evening light. From up there you can see a good part of the park, with glimpses of the river and the aforementioned roadcut.

For a longer adventure, head out on the Mid-Canyon Trail, a 5-mile out-and-back that passes a bird blind, crosses a dry creek and a backcountry camping area and meets up with the park-spanning Frontera Trail.

If you have more time and an adventurous spirit, take on the 4-mile (but more to reach it) Frontera. “It gives you a real backcountry experience,” says Park Superintendent Cody Edwards. “You can go out there and not see a soul. And all you can hear is the wind blow. You can't see roads, just trail and fence and trees.”

After your hike, come back to camp and cook dinner. You can fall asleep here to the sound of the wind, and wake up to the natural alarm of bird song.

Every Saturday morning from March through December, a dedicated group of vendors assemble on the courthouse lawn for the Junction Area Farmers Market, a can't-miss occasion for those who delight in fresh sourdough, squash pickles, homemade salsa and friendly conversation.

One Saturday in mid-May, Jamie Edwards is running a booth selling farmers market merchandise. One maroon shirt reads, “Nothing Beets the Junction Area Farmers Market,” with a small drawing of a beet.

In addition to running her stand, Edwards is also trying her best to prevent a small herd of children from playing in fire ant beds. She's put out orange traffic cones to mark the beds, but the cones are having the opposite of the desired effect. One of the children is picking up the cones and wearing them on his arms.

Jamie took over as the manager of the market last year. “The market was started because of the pandemic when everything shut down,” she says. “We really needed a community gathering place that was safe and outdoors.” On the other end of the lawn, Connie and Bryan Booth offer a variety of gourmet dog treats at their table, Wags in Bags. A Doberman walking by tracks the table with her eyes on her way out; Connie calls out to the owner, landing a sale of some home-baked treats.

Connie fell into the dog treat business accidentally — one year she baked dog treats for the library bake sale, and the town never forgot. Besieged with requests for more treats, she went home one day to Bryan and said, “I guess I'm in business.”

The Booths have lived here for a long time, and enjoy the supportive atmosphere and leisurely pace of small-town life. Bryan recalls fondly a day that lives on in the collective memory of Junction residents: the day the guacamole truck turned over. “As you're coming into town after you pass the cemetery, do you remember seeing a curve there?” he asks. “Well, a guacamole truck turned over there. It had 40,000 pounds of frozen guacamole.”

The guacamole was donated to the town, and for weeks after, you couldn't go to a community function without encountering a heaping portion. The farmers market might give visitors the shopping bug; luckily, the town square delivers. A local florist offers showy bouquets of blooms. Thrift and antique stores are plentiful, and at one of them a nice pair of men's cargo pants is $2.

And from there, you might embark on a walking or driving tour of town. A little ways down the road from the town square, a charismatic red and white building advertises wool, mohair and ranch supplies. It's a hint at Junction's role as a shipping and marketing center for various local industries.

While you're in town, make sure to enjoy a meal or two. Lum's is a local favorite for barbecue; the Milky Way offers old-school diner charm; Isaak's Restaurant (air-conditioned!) is a time-tested favorite for old-fashioned American eats; and Junction Burger Company offers delicious burgers, including one with mozzarella sticks for the extra-hungry.

Kimble County has more than 300 miles of flowing streams, which is more than any other county in the state. On Sunday, make time for fishing for Guadalupe bass, swimming in the cool water or paddling along the gentle bends of the South Llano.

Nick and Vinetta Sanders of the Bloody Bucket kayak rental company are friendly faces for kayakers looking to rent a watercraft or two. They're willing to drop visitors at various sites along the river depending on the desired paddling time.

Why, you might ask, is their family business called the Bloody Bucket? It's because they headquartered their operation in a former rough-around-the-edges dive bar. It was actually called the Riverside Saloon, but its rowdy reputation earned it a gnarlier nickname in the community. Residents remember one day when a group of Houston businessmen, angry at being hustled in a game of pool by some locals, tried to start a fight and were run out of the bar by a man with a chainsaw.

Depending on your appetite for paddling, there are various trips you can embark on. For a two- to three-hour trip, put in at the state park and paddle into Schreiner Park in town. For a five- to six-hour trip, “We have a RACA site,” says Edwards, referring to TPWD's River Access and Conservation Areas program. “You can put in there at County Road 150 and paddle something like nine nautical miles into the park.”

This trip is idyllic. The bright turquoise water gently guides your kayak downstream. Paddlers may see cattle crossing the river, hear painted buntings and yellow-breasted chats, and traverse expanses of American water willow blooming along the flowing river.

Nothing wears you out like a few hours spent in the Texas sun. After a day on the water, you can head home with the heavy, tired feeling of a weekend well-spent, to spend the next few months dreaming of your return to the dreamy, slow-moving South Llano.

In May, South Llano River State Park welcomed visitors to their new headquarters building, (plus a new amphitheater and bridge). The park was formerly headquartered in an 1877 ranch house, the home of previous landowner Walter White Buck Jr. Just down the road, the new headquarters offers a spacious and light-filled park store, a meeting area and beautiful facilities. The new amphitheater was built in memory of Bob "Bald Eagle" Klemme. Klemme was on a campout at the park around five years ago when he was struck by lightning and passed away. Klemme's close friend Andy Iverson of Midland organized a donation drive with Klemme's family and friends, and dedicated the amphitheater in honor of his friend; it will serve visitors for generations and enable Klemme's memory to live on.