Folks who have been anxiously awaiting a tour of the Canyon Lake Gorge are in for a treat as the Gorge Preservation Society plans to open for once a month Saturday tours next month.

The first public tour is planned for Saturday, October 6; and for the safe enjoyment of everyone, tours will be limited to 25 people; 23 guests and two docents leading the way.

The Canyon Lake Gorge is one of our area’s most beautiful natural creations. It was “cut” when floodwaters escaped over the Spillway at Canyon Lake during the Flood Event of 2002 and provides insight into the geology and hydrological dynamics of the Glenrose limestone throughout Comal County near Canyon Lake.

The Gorge Preservation Society (GPS), with the help of Texas Master Naturalists, has been working on the trail to make it safe and accessible for the public and for scientific researchers who have been studying the gorge since its creation. This local citizen’s group, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has partnered with the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is dedicated to the development of long-term plans for the Gorge.

Trained docents are ready to begin the next phase in the planning process and that is sharing the beauty and wonder of this natural phenomenon with the public.

The three-hour tours will be conducted on the first Saturday of the month and will begin at 9 a.m. Guests will pay a small fee which can be applied towards a Gorge Preservation Society membership.

For safety reasons and to preserve the ancient formations within the gorge, GPS has some stipulations regarding guests on the tour: an adult is considered to be someone who is 21 years or older; children under the age of 7 are not allowed in the Gorge; one adult must be present for each child who is 7-10 years old; one adult must be present with every 3 children between the ages of 10-15; and one adult must be present with every 5 young adults between the ages of 16-20 years old.

Please be aware that hiking through the Canyon Lake Gorge can be physically demanding and is not recommended for people with bad knees, ankles or heart conditions. Overweight persons may want to rethink hiking through the gorge.

Other than the above limitations, the Canyon Lake Gorge opens up a vista of amazing and beautifully scenic formations that are millions of years old and a sight to behold.

Since there is a limit to the number of people who can sign up (23), if you are interested in taking the tour on Oct. 6, register on the Canyon Gorge website at http://www.canyongorge.org/SaturdayTours.aspx as soon as you can. After your registration has been received, you will be contacted by someone from the GPS to confirm your reservation.