Baker's Crossing

TPWD owns a small piece of land adjacent to the bridge on the downstream river left (northeast) side of the crossing (look for the Devils River SNA sign.)  Paddlers are free to access the river here, but there is no long-term/overnight parking or camping allowed.  Parking and camping are available 1/4 mile south on Hwy. 163, at Baker's Crossing Camp.  Both the locals and the sheriff claim that Baker's Crossing Camp has a high incidence of vehicle vandalism (including removal of wheels), and they advise strongly against leaving an unattended vehicle there.  It is unknown how legitimate this risk is.  It is possible that the locals are overstating the risk in hopes of discouraging paddlers from running this section of river, or in hopes of encouraging paddlers to use an outfitter.  Regardless, it would be ill-advised to leave valuables or a nice car at Baker's Crossing Camp.

If you can catch Mr. Baker, the landowner adjacent to the state-owned put-in, he has been known to let boaters camp and park on his land-- for a price.

The springs that provide most of the base flow for the Devils are about 8 river miles upstream from here (above that point, the river is normally dry), but there is no public access above Baker's Crossing.