The waterway sections immediately above this series of reservoirs and below Austin to the Gulf are suitable for recreational use. From this point on, the Colorado has a somewhat shallow and variable flow until it reaches the backwaters of Lake Buchanan. Recreational use appears feasible along the entire stretch downstream from the Concho River. However, the best sections for recreational use are located below the junction of the San Saba River with the Colorado. Two large reservoirs, Lake J. B. Thomas and E. V. Spence Reservoir, are located on the upstream portion of the Colorado River.
Recreational use is also possible for a short distance below the dams when water is being released.
However, the upper reaches of the Colorado River generally are infeasible for recreational use. This 26-mile section of the Colorado River in San Saba, Llano, Lampasas, and Burnet Counties is very unique and scenic. Among its scenic attributes are high limestone bluffs, vistas of rugged cedar-covered hills, and the existence of one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Texas. Gorman Falls is formed at the point where Gorman Creek tumbles into the Colorado over a 75 foot tall limestone bluff. The water coming from the creek is clear and cold, and many ferns and mosses grow on the slippery rocks and travertine deposits below the falls.