Last updated on .
The Santa Elena Canyon Trail is one of the most popular trails at Big Bend National Park in Texas. It takes hikers through the stunning Santa Elena Canyon.
The Santa Elena Canyon Trail is a moderately difficult 1.7 mile round-trip hike. The trailhead is at the end of the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. Hikers should be prepared for mud. Visitors can also take an overnight rafting trip down the river through the canyon from Lajitas. This requires a river use permit.
Terlingua Creek
The first part of the trail leads you to the Rio Grande which formed the canyon. This is a great spot to look down the canyon.
The trail then cuts to the right at Terlingua Creek and follows the creek to a narrow spot where you can jump across. When the creek floods, the trail is impassible.
Santa Elena Canyon
After crossing Terlingua Creek, the trail heads back towards the mouth of Santa Elena Canyon where a steep climb on a series of paved steps awaits. Once at the top, there are spectacular views of Big Bend National Park.
From there, the trail follows a ridge and gradually returns back to ground level along the Rio Grande. It then takes you all the way to one of the narrowest points of the canyon before the trail naturally ends.
Santa Elena Canyon is eight miles long and 1,500 feet deep. In some places, it’s only 30 feet wide at the bottom. The canyon also forms an international border. The canyon wall on the trail side is in the United States while the opposite wall is in Mexico.
The powerful waters of the Rio Grande carved this natural wonder over millions of years, leaving us with dramatic scenery to enjoy while visiting Big Bend National Park.
