Santa Elena Canyon: Big Bend's Toughest Trail
The Santa Elena Canyon hike itself is about two miles, but the first part of the hike is difficult to get to. We walked through a dry creek bed, then climbed up the 6’ tall sand walls of the creek bed to get to the trail. Once on the trail, it was a vertical climb up the north canyon wall with switchbacks in full sun and without much in the way of handrails!
We were definitely thankful for cooler weather and hiking boots! After the vertical climb, you descend back down the canyon wall and along the Rio Grande through a forest of bamboo. You eventually come to an opening in the bamboo and a bunch of huge boulders that make you wonder if the canyon might fall in on you. That fear is only made worse with all the people yelling and trying to get the canyon walls to echo their voices! But, we had an incredible time on this hike and even Steve said he would want to do it again.
