Above: Thunderstorm forming to the west, visible from the entrance to Santa Elena Canyon. (Marlys Hersey, photo)

Recent dam releases and rainfall have raised water levels on the Rio Grande to create very favorable conditions for recreation in Big Bend National Park and Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River.

The last two weeks of May and the first part of June will deliver unusually high water for this time of year. River enthusiasts of all descriptions and professional guides alike are excited about the available trip options.

Mike Long of Desert Sports said he was pleased that releases coincided with the Memorial Day weekend and expected excellent conditions to persist through the weekend of June 7.

Brewster County Tourism Council Executive Director Mike Davidson was happy to announce "a yee-ha! moment.”

Gazette Publisher John Waters and Editor Marlys Hersey took Davidson’s proclamation to heart – and a raft rented from Big Bend River Tours – to float and paddle approximately 18 river miles from Lajitas through Santa Elena Canyon in about seven hours on Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend.

The Gazette rafters enjoyed idyllic conditions on the river, and were offered expert advice on rafting and getting through “the Rock Slide” from Big Bend River Tours and Desert Sports river guides.

Enhanced flows are expected to last through the first week of June, possibly longer. The spectacular trip through Santa Elena Canyon, which often takes two to three days to navigate comfortably at lower water levels, is now available as a one day trip:  five-six hours on the water with lunch, plus a couple of hours driving through amazing scenery to and from river access points.

Big Bend offers many fascinating and pleasurable travel experiences but when the river is up, a day trip through Santa Elena Canyon is something to be experienced and savored.

Big Bend River Tours (432.371.3030) and Desert Sports (432-371-2727) are amongst the river outfitters based in Terlingua; both offer guided day and multi-day river trips as well as boat and equipment rentals, and much local color and expertise.

Off the river, there is plenty more to do in Big Bend: hiking the high Chisos (an invigorating escape from the heat of the desert); relaxing by hotel pools in Marathon or Lajitas; visiting the Museum of the Big Bend and perusing art galleries in Alpine; mountain biking single-track trails at Lajitas, or dining in Terlingua, Marathon, Lajitas, Alpine, or Big Bend National Park will round out an exciting west Texas adventure.

For current information go to www.visitbigbend.com.

Above: At the entrance to Santa Elena Canyon on the Rio Grande, recereationists stopped for lunch and to float the river. (John Waters, photo)

Above: Big Bend River Tour guests (left) and river guide James (floating, on right) enjoyed a long stretch of calm, adequately deep water in which they floated for several miles through Santa Elena Canyon after running the challenging narrows known as "The Rock Slide." (Marlys Hersey, photo)