Spicewood Springs Road to RM 2222 (3.3 miles)

Bull Creek rarely runs except during runoff events following a heavy rain, so it tends to flash and drop quickly, and the water quality is generally poor.  During these runoff events, there is often a pervasive smell of ammonia due to sewage treatment plants upstream (treatment plants are designed around typical influent, so they are often incapable of fully treating the increased influent from a heavy rain.)  During particularly wet years, the creek can sustain a clean and barely runnable base flow due to spring activity. Bull Creek's main attractions are its scenery (it passes through the Bull Creek Greenbelt, Forest Ridge Preserve, and Bull Creek District Park) and the relatively continuous nature of its rapids.  The rapids are mostly straightforward Class II's and II+'s, although there is one Class III drop (BORES, short for "Big One, RElatively Speaking") that can be run as a park 'n' huck.  Some parts of the run have major strainers from vegetation that can sometimes span the entire river. Texas Whitewater describes "grabby ledges, strong hydraulics, and groves of small trees in the streambed" in the last 1/2 mile (below the 3rd crossing of Loop 360), as well as "some of the best side surfing" in this same stretch.  As the creek does not get run very often, current beta on this is unknown. Distances and gradient measured using GIS tools in 2015.