Canoeing the Scenic Rio Grande River and Hiking in Big Bend National Park, Texas

The Trip

Grab a paddle and join us on an active canoeing adventure on the Rio Grande, a designated National Wild and Scenic River, and hike in Big Bend National Park of West Texas. Enjoy an optional introductory hikes the first day followed by a four-day fall wilderness river trip through Boquillas Canyon. Fall is a great time to canoe the Rio Grande as temperatures are mild and water flow tends to be higher.

This will be an exciting canoeing adventure through 33-mile-long 2,000-foot-deep scenic Boquillas Canyon. Each canoe will have two participant paddlers who will become a great boating team. You carry your personal and some group gear while paddling through fun rapids and floating idyllic stretches of the Rio Grande River in a wondrous natural setting. We encounter mainly easy rapids and cover moderate distances each day, which makes the outing ideal for first-time canoeists. No previous canoeing experience is needed yet the canyon’s beauty and remote nature will appeal to canoeists of all levels. We hike to cliffs overlooking the Rio Grande River and in explore deep side canyons to find traces of the region’s ancient inhabitants.

Boquillas Canyon is a very scenic river trip. The river cuts through the Sierra del Carmen Mountains of Mexico and Texas. You will marvel at picturesque rock formations and sheer canyon walls. Boquillas Canyon and its side gorges contain a large variety of plants and animals, which provide spectacular hiking opportunities. We will watch for big horn sheep, migrating birds, and the endangered peregrine falcons flying high above the canyon walls.

Included are high-quality two-person canoes, life jackets, and all required canoeing equipment. Experienced guides instruct you on packing and operating your canoe, including demonstrations of different paddling strokes and ways to make your trip comfortable. We start slow and continue with an easy to moderate pace. Guides share stories of the canyons, lead hikes, and serve as our naturalists, identifying flowers and wildlife we observe.

We travel on unceded and contested territories of the Chiso, Jumano, Mescalero Apache, and Comanche peoples.

The trip begins and ends in the town of Terlingua Texas, located in West Texas near Mexico. Day one activities -- two moderate hikes near Terlingua -- are optional prior to the mandatory orientation meeting in the late afternoon. Days two through five enjoy canoeing on the Rio Grande and hiking narrow side canyons with professional guides. On the last day we take-out of the river in the afternoon and are shuttled back to our Terlingua meeting place.

Day 1: Two optional day hikes in Big Bend National Park are planned: Cattail Falls Trail and Chimneys Trail. Both are rated moderate and provide an introduction to the plants, animals, geology, and history of the Big Bend area. In the late afternoon we meet at the mandatory orientation session, where we introduce ourselves and your volunteer trip leader goes over our trip itinerary. Our concessionaire distributes dry bags (and rental equipment, if ordered) and explains packing details. Please note meals and lodging for day 1 are not included in the trip price.

Day 2: After breakfast on your own in the morning, we will gather at our meeting place in Terlingua to be shuttled to our launch point for Boquillas Canyon near Rio Grande Village. We receive comprehensive instructions on loading the boats, learn safe canoeing guidelines and practice some strokes. Then we launch and start our canoeing adventure.

The United States forms the left side of the river and Mexico's Maderas del Carmen Natural Area forms the right. We float past a natural hot spring near Boquillas, Mexico and then continue into the canyon entrance. Within the canyon we are surrounded in many places by sheer cliff walls. In late afternoon, we find a suitable sandbar and set up camp. While our guides prepare dinner, there may be time to explore a side canyon. After a delicious meal, we relax at camp. Big Bend National Park has been designated an International Dark Sky Park, so the stargazing is spectacular.

Day 3: We break camp after breakfast and load the boats to continue our canoe trip. Highlights of the day include paddling through some of the deepest areas in the canyon with fantastically eroded canyon walls. After eating lunch along the way, we pass an unusual formation called Rabbit Ears and take time to explore the fascinating side canyons nearby. An afternoon soak in the Rio Grande can be an enjoyable and refreshing diversion prior to camping in a quiet wilderness setting. At night, observing the night skies across the narrow ribbon of sky visible from inside the canyon will be unforgettable.

Day 4: Our guides prepare another hearty breakfast as we get ready for our ongoing river adventures. There is an intriguing side canyon hike to showcase the geology of the area. We see spectacular views of El Pico, the highest point of the Sierra del Carmen Mountains, rising to over 7,000 feet. And at day’s end we find another suitable riverside wilderness camp and are served our final dinner on the river.

Day 5: As the Rio Grande continues to the take-out point the canyon walls open up to expose sweeping views of the beautiful Chisos Mountains. Mid-day, we pass by the historic Adams Ranch, our lunch stop, where we might enjoy our final river meal under the shade of a giant old mesquite tree. After some final small fun rapids, we approach the old mining area of La Linda, where our adventure ends. A two hour shuttle ride returns us to Terlingua where the outing officially ends. There is an optional no-host farewell dinner in Terlingua this evening.

Please note: the trip price does not include gratuities for the river guides. Gratuities are entirely voluntary and solely at your discretion, but they are customary. The guides work hard day and night to make this trip as memorable and fulfilling for you as possible. If you agree they worked hard and contributed significantly to the success and enjoyment of your outing, you may want to express your appreciation with a tip. Your Sierra Club trip leader does not share any portion of the gratuity; leaders are unpaid volunteers and cannot accept them. Your Sierra Club trip leader will suggest pre-trip a customary tip amount/range and will provide a card/envelope for participants to sign and contribute a tip if desired.

Getting There

Our trip begins and ends in Terlingua, Texas, the small gateway community for Big Bend National Park. Your Sierra Club leader will provide detailed instructions on where to meet after you register. Terlingua is a long way from any major cities and airports! Driving time to Terlingua from Houston and Dallas is 10-12 hours, 7 hours from Austin and San Antonio, 4.5-5 hours from El Paso, and about 3.5-4 hours from Midland/Odessa (the closest major airport). It is a good idea to add an extra day of driving on both ends of your trip to account for distances and do a little exploration on your own. You have two basic options to get to Terlingua; first is flying into a major airport, such as Midland/Odessa airport, and then renting a car for a week, and driving to the meeting place. The second option is to drive your own personal vehicle, usually going via Interstate 10 then onto Texas Highway 118, to Terlingua. It is important to plan out your travels well to make the drive more enjoyable, keep your gas tank full, and help you not feel rushed. Your Sierra Club trip leader may be able to help in finding other participants to carpool with.

Please do not make any non-refundable travel arrangements until notified by the trip leader to do so. Additional travel information will be provided once approved for the trip.

Accommodations and Food

Accommodations: You are responsible for your own accommodation before the trip and the night of day one. There are only a few motels and campgrounds in Terlingua, so it is important to make reservations well in advance. After you are accepted on the outing, your leader will provide several recommended accommodations options in Terlingua. For days two through four, we’ll be camping at remote and scenic wilderness locations along the Rio Grande River. You are responsible for accommodations the last night (day five) of the trip. You may want to stay in Terlingua that evening and join us for our no-host farewell dinner.

Food and drinks: All meals from lunch on day through lunch on day five are provided. Dinner on night one is not included in the trip price, but there are several restaurants in the area. On the river our guides double as camp chefs; their menu includes a wide variety of quality fresh fruits, vegetables and meats, with a vegetarian option at each meal. Lunches usually consist of hand-made foods and are served picnic-style at riverside stops. Healthy snacks are also available. While on the river, drinking water is always available. At breakfast there is coffee, tea, and juice to drink and a variety of fresh food dishes. Beverages will be provided, including drinking water, lemonade, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. You may wish to bring your own sodas or other favorite beverages in plastic bottles, cans, or wine boxes. No glass is allowed on the river trip and no alcohol is allowed during the day or while on the river. This is for your safety, and the safety and enjoyment of others.

We follow Leave No Trace guidelines for desert river corridors to minimize our impact on this fragile environment, including using chemical toilets for solid human waste. There will be no plumbed or pit toilets available on the river. Sun protection is also very important. A complete checklist of what to bring will be provided by your leader upon acceptance.

Trip Difficulty

The optional hikes on day 1 are rated moderate and are on established, maintained trails and will be 2-3 hours in length. The section of the Rio Grande we float is rated as easy to moderate. There will be some mellow fun (class I and II) rapids to navigate through. Previous canoeing experience is not required. Our professional guides will give instruction on paddling techniques and route finding for optimum safety and enjoyment. Guests must be in good health and strong enough to paddle their canoe and load and unload it. Trip members are expected to set up their own tent, and be willing to participate in a few group activities, such as carrying group food and gear. Some camping experience is recommended. Optional side canyon hikes along the river do not have formal trails, only paths that are rocky and sometimes steep. For maximum enjoyment and safety during the outing, we strongly recommend that you engage in a program of regular muscle strengthening, as well as hiking and canoeing, prior to the trip.

Equipment and Clothing

All canoeing-related equipment is provided by our concessionaire: canoes, paddles, personal flotation device (PFD), dry bags for clothing/gear, and camp chairs. Participants can bring their own sleeping pads, bags, and tents or rent then from our concessionaire. Temperatures in the fall tend to be mild: warm days and cool evenings. The leader will send participants a detailed packing list for our trip.

References

Books:

• Stegner, Wallace, Beyond the Hundredth Meridian.
• MacLeod, William, Big Bend Vistas: A Geological Exploration of the Big Bend.
• Abbey, Edward, Desert Solitaire.
• Weber, Lynne M. and Jim Weber, Nature Watch Big Bend: A Seasonal Guide.

Map:

• Big Bend National Park Map – National Geographic Trails 

Conservation

We’ll discuss the 1968 Wild and Scenic Act that ensures that rivers with “outstanding natural, cultural and recreational values” remain free flowing. Less than a quarter of one percent of our country’s riverways hold the Wild and Scenic designation. A 191-mile stretch of the Rio Grande River in Texas, from Mariscal Canyon inside the park to the Terrell-Val Verde county line downstream of its eastern boundary, was designated in 1978.

Big Bend National Park shares the border with the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Coahuila. Much of the Mexican side of the river is within the Maderas Del Carmen and El Campo Natural Areas, which have a mission of protecting natural and cultural resources for future generations. Big Bend National Park welcomed the protection of the resources south of the Rio Grande and they are “sister parks” forming a very large bi-national park.

Big Bend faces ongoing environmental challenges from outside the park boundary. Air pollution from coal-fired power plants in Mexico can reduce visibility. Water flows in the Rio Grande can drop due to upstream diversions, which can reduce water quality. Both Mexico and the U.S. are working toward solutions to these concerns. We will discuss these during the trip.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.