Big Bend Revisited :: Santa Elena Canyon

Saturday, March 2nd - - From Rio Grand Village to Santa Elena Canyon is about a 55 mile, very pleasant scenic drive, through the varied terrain of Big Bend National Park. It's worth the drive.

There is not much water flowing through this area of the Rio Grande. On the right you are in the United States, on the left is Mexico. You could easily walk across the Rio Grande, but it is definitely not recommended. In fact, it is illegal to do so.

A trail goes up the canyon wall in a series of short switchbacks on the far right, then takes you on back into the canyon a short distance. The temperature was reaching into the 80s and I had done the hike three years ago so chose not to do it this time.

This is the creek that was full of water during my last visit. You have to cross it to get to the trail. Going across was a bit of challenge then, not so now.

Yep, it was pretty dry. Some of those cracks were 3-4 inches deep.

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Becky Wiseman, "Big Bend Revisited :: Santa Elena Canyon," Kinexxions, posted March 11, 2013 (http://kinexxions.blogspot.com/2013/03/big-bend-revisited-santa-elena-canyon.html : accessed [access date])