This trip is only offered during low water. 5. We started unloading at the Santa Elena Canyon Trailhead, the beginning of our "boomerang" trip on the Rio Grande. Going up Santa Elena Canyon on a boomerang canoe trip. Beginning at Lajitas, this 21-mile trip is the most popular run on the river. The entry to Santa Elena Canyon will be patently obvious, but the sands of Terlingua Creek, which has its confluence with the Rio Grande near the mouth of the canyon, will obscure any evidence of an obvious trail. The parking lot was deserted when we finished untying all the ropes and slathered ourselves with sunscreen (I had learned my lesson on the first day). share. Santa Elena Canyon. Big Bend River Tours: Boomerang River Trip - See 227 traveller reviews, 118 candid photos, and great deals for Terlingua, TX, at Tripadvisor. Big Bend The scenery was gorgeous, and we were able to do three hikes in the evening after we were Sort by. Log in or sign up to leave a comment log in sign up. Smugglers cave straight ahead. Thanks Erica for the memories! Alicia B. Santa Fe, NM. Funny. Santa Elena Canyon (Castolon Historic District, 2 miles round trip). Santa Elena Boomerang Camping. Our guide, Tenor, was super helpful, yet stepped back when we needed time to talk and bond as a group. You will need to wade across Terlingua Creek to find the real trailhead. Thats relatively short by hiking standards. If the water is medium, we will be wither rafting or kayaking thru Hot Springs Canyon where we stop and soak in the hot springs and have lunch at the historic district. It may not be known for particularly challenging or high-quality whitewater, but its incredible scenery, uniqueness as an international boundary, and novelty of its very existence in this parched desert make it an iconic run. MDBajzer. This was a great evening walk! Headed there weekend before thanksgiving and considering it. After my hike, Sandi and baby came down and I did some roadside camping with my 3-year old while Sandi did a 4-day Boquillas river adventure with Far Big Bend Part 2. 2/13. 4 comments. If the water level is low, you do not have to fight the current much going upstream, making this trip quite leisurely. 162 friends. The Santa Elena Canyon Trail (almost three km) is a manageable starting point, while the South Rim Trail (up to 23km) is a wild epic. Trip Details; FAQ; Trip Details. 6 reviews. Santa Elena Canyon sits at the western edge of the Park, whereas Boquillas Canyon resides on the eastern edge. I was persuaded into bringing my camera along for the ride, but not before I sealed it up in a plastic bag first. The primary advocate for the preservation and protection of whitewater rivers throughout the United States and connects the interests of human-powered recreational river users with ecological and science-based data to achieve goals within our mission. After a lunch break, we scrambled through Fern Canyon. I'll be in Big Bend Thanksgiving Week and as much as I want to kayak into Santa Elena canyon (on a 2-person inflatable kayak with 2 people), I'm worried that the water level will be too high (currently at about 590cfs). Boomerang River Trip. Photograph by Aaron Bates. Is this a good enough experience of the canyon? Post 4:24 AM - Feb 12 #1 2020-02-12T04:24. The put in point is at the exit of Santa Elena Canyon. If you have never paddled before, your guide will explain the strokes to you before the trip. 5. TexasAggieHiker. The trail was fairly flat except for the nice switchbacks up the steep canyon. It looks like you may be having problems playing this video. 1,239 7. After a while, I made my way up the mountain, which opened to wide, panoramic vistas. MDBajzer. Erica was friendly, knowledgeable, and so helpful portaging through the shallows. Santa Elena Canyon is known for the famous Rock Slide Rapid, as well as its sheer limestone walls. All reviews the river rio grande short hike small creek easy hike hiking trail water level canoe trip santa elena highlight of our trip the ross maxwell scenic drive main trail great hike short distance gorgeous views national park trail starts miles round trip trail head long drive parking area visiting big bend. Need tips on a boomerang trip on the Santa Elena canyon? Big Bend River Tours led us and a small group (8 people total plus 2 BBRT guides) on a great and exciting canoe trip on the Rio Grande into Santa Elena Canyon. 1,239 7. Oct 1, 2013 - Santa Elena Canyon is a Scenic Point in Terlingua. Ask any long-time river runner about the must-do Southwest rivers, and Santa Elena Canyon of the Rio Grande is likely to make the list. Unreal how beautiful it was. If the water is high, we will be rafting through either Santa Elena or Colorado Canyon. The steep rocky area looks beautiful and tourists love to visit the place to experience its unique appearance. The Santa Elena Canyon one-day trip offers spectacular scenery with each bend in the Rio Grande. The magnificent canyon keeps its trail occupying a huge area. report. Rio Grande river flows through the canyon and gives the whole scene a picturesque avatar. Whether its the limestone walls of Santa Elena Canyon, the volcanic history of Colorado Canyon, or a warm soak in the Hot Springs Canyon, a day on the river in Big Bend is unlike any other! Angell Expeditions: Santa Elena Canyon Canoe Trip - See 137 traveler reviews, 118 candid photos, and great deals for Marfa, TX, at Tripadvisor. Santa Elena Canyon is one of the major tourist attractions that most of the people never miss visiting while holidaying in Texas. The difficulty level of this trail is moderate. Big Bend River Tours: Santa Elena Canyon Trip - See 225 traveler reviews, 117 candid photos, and great deals for Terlingua, TX, at Tripadvisor. Its also mostly shaded, making it a nice choice on a hot Texas day, but the area still gets hot in the summer, so make sure you bring plenty of water. No experience is necessary but paddling is mandatory. The Santa Elena Canyon Trail is a moderate, 1.7 mile, round trip hike along the bend of the Rio Grande River into the Santa Elena Canyon. I'm taking a few days the weekend of the 21st and heading west to re-set before work starts getting busy. save. DAY 4 big bend canoeing rio grande and camping overnight in Santa Elena Canyon. It is one of the best-known natural features of Big Bend National Park and one of the most popular and crowded places in the entire national park. Big Bend National Park Flights to Big Bend National Park Ideal cfs for Santa Elena Boomerang Trip? My question is: I see theres a Santa Elena trail that goes a way into the canyon. TexasAggieHiker. If the water is low, we will be doing a Santa Elena Canyon boomerang where we paddle upstream, have lunch, and then float back down. However, Angell Expeditions offers a one day boomerang river trip which I might consider. 2 comments. I had selected the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive as my route to Santa Elena because the scenic part of its title promised more of the eye-candy views I was there for, at least in part. hide. 100% Upvoted. Posted on April 2, 2016 by Patrick Smith. We were able to do a three day trip through Santa Elena Canyon on Canoes when other outfitters only offered "boomerang" trips, showing only a small portion of the canyon. Santa Elena Upstream An enjoyable day trip consists of paddling upstream, from the Santa Elena Canyon Trailhead, a few miles into the canyon, and then returning back downstream (also known as a "boomerang" trip). The trip was amazing. Useful. Post Nov 07, 2018 #1 2018-11-07T18:08. Press spacebar to see more share options. Hot Springs Historic District . There are multiple tour companies that can operate a day use Santa Elena Canyon rafting trip, often referred to as a boomerang trip, including . The Santa Elena Canyon Trail is only about 1.5 miles long. Santa Elena Canyon: Beautiful - See 637 traveler reviews, 700 candid photos, and great deals for Big Bend National Park, TX, at Tripadvisor. Some of the switchbacks and paths are even paved and have handrails. We hiked this the night before our canoe trip and it got us all excited for getting on the river. Ideal flow, time of year, level of difficulty, etc. Soak in the Hot Springs. Angell Expeditions Boomerang Overnight, Two Day Canoe Trip ($$$) Eat: Lajitas Resort Breakfast ($) Eat: Lunch and Dinner on the Rio Grande Included Stay: Rio Grande/Big Bend Camping ($$ $$$) DAY 5 lajitas, big bend canoeing rio grande We had an incredible boomerang kayak trip with Erica through the Santa Elena Canyon. Price. A river trip on the Rio Grande is dream come true . The ability to assist in carrying canoes and gear is very helpful, and a spirit of adventure is a must. Should I hike the santa Elena trail and do a separate river trip (Colorado canyon / Dark canyon) or is the boomerang trip more worth the experience /time? Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. Some of the highlights are the dramatic 450m-high cliff walls of Santa Elena Canyon and the massive Casa Grande formation, a mesmerising beacon of the Chisos Basin area. $159 per person, plus taxes and fees $154/person for children 12 and under, plus taxes and fees. Plan your road trip to Santa Elena Canyon in TX with Roadtrippers. 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