Anyone who has ever been to Big Bend National Park has probably hiked into Santa Elena Canyon — it’s one of the park’s signature trails, and the view is unforgettable. This shot was taken at golden hour, looking out over a bend in the Rio Grande toward the canyon, with the Chisos Mountains catching the day’s last light on the horizon. The canyon’s walls rise as much as 1,500 feet (457 m) straight out of the river, and on every visit we make to Big Bend, we hike that trail again — it’s quiet, and those towering walls keep calling us back.
We’ve also canoed the Rio Grande into the canyon itself, and the scale of those sheer walls is something I still can’t put into words from the water. It’s also obvious, paddling or hiking through, that no one is climbing those cliffs or crossing into the USA through here — the terrain does that work on its own.
It was with a heavy heart that I learned this morning, August 13, 2026, that U.S. Customs and Border Protection has begun bulldozing this stretch of desert. They say it isn’t for a wall, but for a patrol road. Why a patrol road is needed in a place no one can cross on foot is something I still can’t wrap my head around — and I don’t think I’m alone.
The nonprofit NoBigBendWall.org has been tracking the project and is asking anyone who opposes it to make their voice heard. You can email BigBendComments@cbp.dhs.gov with “Big Bend Vehicle Border Barrier System Construction” in the subject line. There’s also a comment phone line, though when I called, it let me enter a couple of prompts, then played a looping message in Spanish with no prompts. I did press 1 just out of the blue and got me to a mailbox, and I left a message, though I have no way of knowing whether it will be heard or simply archived.
I keep coming back to this photo because it’s the Big Bend I want to remember — quiet, wide open, and untouched. I hope it’s the one still there the next time we go, which is this coming December.
That is the story behind the shot. For more like this, enjoy these related stories: Big Bend NP, Landscapes, National Parks, Rio Grande, Santa Elena Canyon, and Texas. Until the next shoot, keep chasing the light and the wonders it reveals.
Sources:
- No Big Bend Wall, Big Bend Border Facts — https://nobigbendwall.org/big-bend-border-facts/
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection, CBP Requests Public Comment on Brewster County, Texas Vehicle Barrier System — https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/cbp-requests-public-comment-brewster-county-texas-vehicle-barrier
- The Washington Post, Bulldozing begins at Big Bend National Park for border construction — https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2026/08/12/bulldozing-begins-big-bend-national-park-border-construction/
- National Park Service, Hike Into Santa Elena Canyon — https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/hike-into-santa-elena-canyon.htm
Discover more from Through Brazilian Eyes
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
I'd love hearing back from you. Let me know if you have any questions or something is not working on the site.