From Texas: A Guide to the Lone Star State:
"State 227 continues southwest to the southern entrance of the GRAND CANYON OF SANTA HELENA, 103 m. This fear-some gorge through the Mesa de Anguila (Plateau of the Eel) (3,884 alt.), is 15 miles long and from 1,500 to 1,800 feet in depth. Rock slides and rapids have made navigation of the Rio Grande virtually impossible through the canyon; only a few explorers have made the hazardous trip by boat. The southern entrance is impressive, with great rock walls rising abruptly on each side of the river bed in barren and forbidding grandeur.
Wild animal trails that serve as paths along the right-hand canyon wall can be reached by climbing piled-up boulders each from 100 to 300 feet high, to the lowest ledge. EXTREME CAUTION IS ADVISED, AS THE SIDES ARE SLIPPERY AND THE RIVER JUST BELOW IS VERY DEEP. The rock path along this ledge has been worn down by mountain lions, antelopes, and other animals, and leads sometimes over rock slides, sometimes under great boulders that have fallen from above, leaving only narrow openings through which one must wriggle, and sometimes through openings in a pile. Birds have been known to starve in the canyon, unable to fly above the walls. Airplanes have flown between its sides. In ages past this place was a great limestone plain, but a section was disturbed by the earth's internal action, which forced the lower end of the plain to the elevation of about 1,800 feet above the surrounding country. The coloring varies with the atmosphere, and deep vivid tones creep across the great rock walls in ever-changing harmony. Castles seem to tower along the canyon's path in strange outlines of limestone; and there is no sound save that of the river rapids.
(The shortest and safest return route is over State 227, back to Marathon, 103 m.)"
Blasterz are going to pause for a minute and say a prayer of gratitude for the National Park Service, because when we explored Santa Elena Canyon on Christmas Day 2016, we did not have to climb over 300 foot tall slippery boulders or wriggle into loose rock piles (with the scorpions), or squeeze behind boulders (with the rattlesnakes and black widows), or walk on narrow natural ledges.
We had a nice partially-paved concrete and gravel path to follow, with switchbacks to help with steep inclines and sturdy handrails to hold on to keep from falling off the cliff in the dodgy bits of the trail.
From the NPS website: (
visit link)
"Spectacular Santa Elena
Santa Elena Canyon, downstream, is the most popular overnight or three day trip, not only because the put-in and take-out are easily accessed by car, but because it is often considered the most dramatically beautiful. Santa Elena has the tallest cliffs forming the canyon wall—up to 1,500 feet.
The first 13 meandering miles from the put-in at Lajitas give you a good look at the contrast between the riparian and desert ecosystem. The river becomes more technical in the last seven miles when you have entered the actual canyon. Two miles into the canyon, the largest rapid, the Rock Slide is classified as a Class IV rapid at certain water levels.
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). If the water level is low, you do not have to fight the current much going upstream, making this trip quite leisurely. It is an ideal trip if you only have one vehicle, or if you do not want to pay for a shuttle back to your starting point. A backcountry use permit is required for all river trips; no fee is charged for day-use trips."