29.1339 N 103.5230 W · TRAILHEAD
51 miles of Chihuahuan Desert two-track shadowing the Rio Grande: no signal, no services, no hurry.
8 WAYPOINTS · OSM TILES
MIN 1,880 FT · MAX 2,450 FT
380 FT TOTAL GAIN
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8 WAYPOINTS · 51 MI
Trail notes
The River Road runs the empty southern edge of Big Bend between Castolon and Rio Grande Village, weaving through creosote flats, sandy washes, and the ghost workings of the Mariscal quicksilver mine. The driving is moderate; the remoteness is not. There is no cell coverage anywhere on the route and summer heat is genuinely dangerous. Backcountry permits required for the primitive roadside camps.
Big Bend River Road
51 MI · 2D · DIFF 2/5