• Santa Elena Canyon

    Rio Grande

    Wild & Scenic River Texas

Things To Know Before You Come

Hot Springs Canyon of the Rio Grande with the Sierra del Carmen rising in the background.
Hot Springs Canyon of the Rio Grande with the Sierra del Carmen rising in the background.
NPS\Big Bend National Park
 
Here are some things you might want to know about the Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River before you visit the area.
  • The Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River is administered as a unit of the national park system by Big Bend National Park.
  • Including the portions of the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park and the Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River, the National Park Service at Big Bend administers 245 miles of border-13% of the entire United States-Mexico border.
  • Congress designated this segment of the Rio Grande in Texas as the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River in 1978 because of its "outstandingly remarkable" scenic, geologic, fish and wildlife, and recreational values.

Did You Know?

Mariscal Canyon

Mariscal Canyon on the Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River can be floated as an overnight trip; often the most difficult part is the drive to the Talley put-in along the primitive River Road. More...