Bill and Nancy Smith Family
Travels and Holidays

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Big Bend National Bark - The Rio Grande

It was getting late in the afternoon by the time we had been through the visitors center, been in The Basin, ate lunch, back out and around to head back south for the river.

Nancy waits by the Explorer as Bill takes this picture of the 1500 foot cliffs through which the Rio Grande River runs, as it separates the United States, on the right, from Mexico, on the left of that gap. This is not erosion. The story is that this split occured during the formation of the mountain range. The the river was able to flow through naturally. Let's go look...

As you approach the river and the cliffs, there is a parking area where you then must walk across a dry river bed to get to the cliffs, which are quite accessible on the US side, as will be seen. (Don't try to walk across when the dry bed is wet, of course!)

These folks are returning from their hike. The river is coming out of the canyon just to their rear on the left of the picture. You can begin to see the ledges in the center of the picture where the path on the US side rises several hundred feet in switchbacks.

This view from the base of the cliffs shows the railings along some of the switchback paths and some people going up and down. Nancy and I were both able to walk to the top, where there is a nice view a little ways down the canyou (see below). To the left in the above picture, you can see the 1500 foot canyon walls, as they go around the bend - the sun was still shining on the other side, but we were in the shade, of course. This view is a little west of straight south.

This is the view down the canyon from the top of the "stairs." The path continues, downward, back down to the river, which can be seen on the left. The person in the photo apparently liked the idea of a picture from here, also! Annette and Larry went on down to the river on this side - they also had to come back out, over the same path. Nancy and I decided to return from the top - after enjoying the view downriver, to the southeast, and, watch some canoers coming out of the canyon!

A great view! The Basin is back up there inside that ring of mountains (upper left)! This view is generally easterly (the setting sun is roughly at my back!). Each canoe carried two persons with their camping gear. The next photo is of Nancy standing along the river, just to the left of the front canoe, at the bend (on the US, the left side, of the river, of course). The land on the right side of the river, above, is Mexico.

We were happy to walk back across the dry river bed area and wait for Annette and Larry in the Explorer. It was getting cold, and dark, but, they did arrive before too much time had passed. The long drive back to Alpine, quite a bit of it was rough dirt road, was largely in the dark. A good time was had by all. We slept well in our room at the Ramada Inn!

Page created 17 Jan 2000, last updated 17 Jan 2000.
Direct questions and comments to Bill or Nancy.