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Photo above: rodeo Rapid,
class II to III white water
on the Mexican side
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10 DAYS BELOW BIG BEND
Run the Rio Grande
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Seven to ten days, plus two days of travel
83.5 miles [134 kilometers]
Year-round (prime time is October through February)
$10 entrance fee per vehicle to Big Bend National Park; free river permit (available at the Persimmon Gap Visitor Center); $4 put-in fee per person; $10 takeout fee per person; $30 fee per vehicle for road access from takeout to U.S. 90
No designated sites
Big Bend National Park (+1 915 477 2251; www.nps.gov/bibe), which provides a list of local outfitters with gear rentals and shuttle services;
Persimmon Gap Visitor Center (+1 915 477 2393);
Big Bend Natural History Association (+1 915 477 2236; www.bigbendbookstore.org)
The Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande ($20), by Louis Aulbach and Joe Turner, available from Desert Sports (888 989 6900 [U.S. and Canada only] www.desertsportstx.com); River Guide to the Rio Grande, Volume 3 ($4.50), available from the Big Bend Natural History Association; Canoe Guide’s Handbook ($11), by Gil Gilpatrick; Complete Wilderness Paddler ($13), by James West Davidson and John Rugge
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$300/$400
(L.A./N.Y.; October departure)
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$255
(4x4, 12 days)
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$85
(Two nights in Marathon)
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$61
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$1,070/$1,170
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(Estimated cost per person, based on an 12-day trip for a group of four. All prices in U.S. dollars.)
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OVERVIEW: Drift Into the Desert
The little-known stretch of the Rio Grande just downriver from
Big Bend National Park in southwest Texas, showcases the
riverine glories of the desert Southwest: twisting slot canyons,
fortresslike bluffs, hot springs, and sporty rapids. Better still,
expeditioners here can often paddle for a week to ten days without
encountering another party.
The hurdles to mounting this paddling expedition are relatively low.
The Rio Grande can be run year-round, but cooler temperatures and
higher water levels make October through February the best time to
go.
Participants need only intermediate camping and canoeing skills. And
just a couple of months of lead time are required to arrange
flights, rentals, and gear.
Once on the water, the payoff comes quickly. Within a few miles of
the put-in at Heath Canyon Ranch, paddlers drift through Temple
Canyon and bounce through Maravillas Rapid.
By day three, the trip’s most spectacular scenery kicks in—and
continues until the takeout near Dryden. Every bend in the river
seems to bring yet another canyon—more than 25 gorges in
all. Many paddlers plan for layover days to explore caves and hike
canyon rims before continuing down the big river.
All prices in U.S. dollars
STEP ONE: Prepare to Paddle
Paddlers should have the ability to handle emergency repairs and
administer first aid. They should know basic canoe
strokes—the J-stroke, rudder, draw, cross-draw, sweep,
pry—and should be able to read and maneuver with confidence
through Class II-plus white water.
Due to numerous wall shots (sharp bends in a river at cliffs and
boulders), a proper ferry technique (paddling across the current) is
important. Two stretches of Class III to IV water on this
route—Upper and Lower Madison Falls—can be portaged, but
most intermediate paddlers can run these rapids at normal water
levels. (Almost all rapids on the route can be lined or portaged.)
Paddlers should also have experience in consecutive-night desert
camping and multiday river trips with at least Class II rapids
(for example, the Allagash in Maine or Upper Green in Utah).
Skill Builders
In the town of Terlingua, just outside of Big Bend National
Park,
Desert Sports (888 989 6900 [U.S. and Canada only]; www.desertsportstx.com) offers one-day
white-water-canoeing clinics in nearby Colorado Canyon (Class
II)
for $110.
Outward Bound (888 882 6863 [U.S. and Canada only]; www.outwardboundwilderness.org) has seven-day courses
in
white-water canoeing or desert backpacking in the Santa Elena
or
Colorado Canyons for $1,095. A ten-day Outward Bound course in
both
white-water canoeing and desert backpacking in either of the
canyons
costs $1,400.
For basic to advanced river skills, Nantahala Outdoor
Center
(800 232 7238 [U.S. and Canada only]; www.noc.com), based in Bryson City, North
Carolina, leads two- to five-day instructional canoeing
courses ($380
and up).
STEP 2: Decide When to Go
Though the route can be run year-round, water levels and weather
vary significantly.
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March through April: Low to medium water levels;
sluggish canoeing; pleasant weather; peak wildflower and cactus
bloom
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May through June: Low water levels; very hot; long days
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July through September: High water levels; sudden
water-level changes due to flash floods (a deck cover is advisable);
rainy season (thunderstorms); high temperatures
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October through February: Best canoeing water levels;
pleasant weather (70-degree [21-degree-Celsius] days, 30-degree [-1-
degree-Celsius] nights)
STEP 3: Spec Your Canoe
Unless you own a canoe and live within driving distance of this part
of the Rio Grande, you’ll need to rent a boat. Look for a 16-
or 17-footer [5- or 6-meterer] with a moderate rocker (3 to 6 inches
[8 to 15 centimeters]). Preferred material: rugged, flexible
Royalex. The canoe should have D-ring cargo lash points (four to
six), small bow and stern flotation bags, and bow and stern lines at
least 15 feet [4.6 meters] long.
At Desert Sports, a 16-foot [4.9-meter] Royalex Mad River Explorer
rents for $40 for the first day, $30 per day for the next seven
days, and $20 per day thereafter. Rentals include two life jackets,
three paddles, and, on request, flotation bags.
STEP 4: Pack for the Place
In addition to basic, three-season camping and canoeing
equipment—tent and fly, sleeping bag, ground cloth, bailer,
sponge, stove, et cetera—make sure you take layers of
waterproof and quick-drying clothing and long pants of
lightweight material to protect your legs from the sun. Select light
colors, which reflect heat.
Bring polarized sunglasses to cut the glare off the water,
along with a strap. Pack a sun hat with a "stampede string"
to prevent your headgear from blowing off in strong winds.
Your canoe-repair kit should include duct tape and bailing
wire. (The wire can be used to "sew" rips in the Royalex.) A
folding chair comes in handy for lounging around camp.
Fire pans should be used to avoid leaving long-lasting scorch
marks on the desert.
STEP 5: Check Water Levels
Before departure, call a local outfitter or Big Bend National Park
to check the water levels at the takeout: John’s Marina, at Dryden
Crossing.
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Less than 2.8 feet [0.8 meter]: Forget it.
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Between 2.8 and 3.5 feet [0.8 and 1 meter]: Runnable
but bony; expect to scrape rocks and to drag the canoe. The trip
risks becoming tedious.
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Between 3.5 and 4.5 feet [1 and 1.4 meters]: Ideal
conditions.
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Between 4.5 and 6 feet [1.4 and 1.8 meters]:
Challenging; use caution.
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Between 6 and 10 feet [1.8 and 3 meters]: Experts only.
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More than 10 feet [3 meters]: Consider turning your
expedition into a rafting trip.
STEP 6: Take Off for Texas
Southwest, American, Continental, and Northwest service the
airport at Midland, Texas, where car-rental companies
are located. Select a vehicle with high clearance—you may
encounter rough roads.
If you arrive late in the day, lodging is available in
Midland or in Marathon, four hours south. If you arrive in Midland
early in the day, you can drive six hours south to Terlingua or
nearby Lajitas, both of which have lodging and outfitters with
shuttle service.
For $80, drivers from Desert Sports in Terlingua transport paddlers
and their gear to the put-in at Heath Canyon Ranch. For $165, they
pick up paddlers at the takeout at John’s Marina. Drivers from Big
Bend River Tours in Lajitas charge $100 for put-in shuttles and $225
for takeout.
—David Noland
Next: Bike the Rockies >>
Photograph by Mark Gamba
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