A canoeist in a wide-brimmed hat paddles through Santa Elena Canyon on the Rio Grande, with towering tan and orange limestone cliffs rising on either side and two more canoes visible ahead on the calm green water.

One Row at a Time

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After a couple of failed attempts — one year the Rio Grande ran too low to float a canoe, another year it moved too fast to be safe — we finally made it into Santa Elena Canyon by canoe in … Read More

Golden-hour view over a bend in the Rio Grande near Santa Elena Canyon, with desert scrub, sandbars, and the Chisos Mountains glowing on the horizon.

Paradise Lost: A Canyon Under Siege

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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 … Read More

Sheer limestone cliffs of Santa Elena Canyon tower above the calm green water of the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park. The canyon walls and a strip of blue sky are reflected in the still river, with a weathered gray boulder and green reeds in the foreground.

Walls That Need No Wall

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On a December morning in 2021, I stood at the mouth of Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park, where the Rio Grande slips between limestone walls that rise as much as 1,500 feet (457 m) above the water. … Read More

Panoramic view along FM 170 in Big Bend Ranch State Park showing a vehicle on the road in the middle ground, colorful mineral-rich mountain faces displaying yellows, greens, and rust-orange tones, the dramatic Flatiron peaks rising in the background, and sparse Chihuahuan Desert scrub in the foreground beneath a bright blue sky with wispy high-altitude clouds.

Nature’s Own Wall: The Case Against a Border Barrier in Big Bend

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The plans for a border wall across Big Bend Ranch State Park and Big Bend National Park continue to face strong opposition in Texas. The project has encountered significant resistance from residents, landowners, and both Democratic and Republican officials in … Read More

A shallow, rocky stretch of the Rio Grande flows through a wide channel bordered by golden dried grasses and reeds, with a rugged volcanic mesa rising against a clear blue sky in the background. A sandy island of sparse dry vegetation sits mid-river, splitting the current into riffles. Photographed along FM 170 (El Camino del Rio) in the Big Bend region of West Texas.

Wild Water, Ancient Land — The Rio Grande Along El Camino del Rio

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If you’ve ever driven FM 170 in West Texas — also known as El Camino del Rio, the River Road — you already know it’s one of the most breathtaking stretches of highway in the entire country. This shot was … Read More

A wide-angle landscape photograph of a black Jeep Wrangler driving on a winding dirt road in a vast, arid desert plain. The road leads towards several imposing, multi-layered brown mountains under a blue sky with light, wispy clouds. The foreground is filled with dry, low-lying brush.

Where Canyons Touch the Sky

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Lens-Artists Challenge #388: Your Journey in 5-10 Images Anne-Christine asked us to consider these questions for this week’s challenge about a trip we took: “What were the highlights, what are the memories that will stay with me forever? Maybe the big … Read More

Santa Elena Canyon at Big Bend National Park

Santa Elena Canyon

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One of my favorite destinations in Texas, Big Bend National Park, offers isolation from large cities. A hike along the Santa Elena Canyon will even augment the quietness one can find in the park. Just try to go there when … Read More

Health and Wellness: Healing with the Five Elements

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Lens-Artists Challenge #327 – 5 Elements The Chinese Five Elements theory is a fundamental concept in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Sofia brings up these five elements in this week’s Lens-Artists challenge, asking us to look at “the elements that create … Read More

The Short Hike with Big Rewards: Exploring Santa Elena Canyon

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Many photos show the Santa Elena Canyon and its massive walls as one approaches the canyon. It is, after all, an iconic site in Big Bend NP. On the other hand, the view from inside the canyon and looking out … Read More

Santa Elena Canyon

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— The whole park was so different when we visited Big Bend NP in September 2018. Because of recent rains in the area, everything was very lush green. Wildflowers were covering the park, and even the cross on the Rio … Read More

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