At the far south-western end of the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, the Rio Grande runs straight into a wall of limestone and cuts through it. Santa Elena Canyon is a gap in the Mesa de Anguila, a long cliff of rock, with sheer walls about fifteen hundred feet high on either side, and the river, wide and brown in the open desert, turns narrow and green and slow inside it. Mexico is on one bank and Texas on the other. A short trail climbs a few steps from the parking area, crosses the mouth of Terlingua Creek, which may be dry or may be a knee-deep wade after rain, and then follows the river into the shade between the cliffs.
The drive that leads here, named for the first superintendent of Big Bend National Park, is about thirty miles of smooth paved road through the Chihuahuan Desert, passing volcanic ridges, dry washes, and the distinctive jagged shape of Cerro Castellan. Colour changes constantly, with rust, cream and grey bands of rock under a hard blue sky. The road is easy riding, with gentle curves and long straights, but it is exposed and the temperature can reach well over a hundred degrees in summer, so carry plenty of water and wear sun protection.
History is layered here. Castolon, on the way, was a cotton farm and military outpost, with an adobe store that still sells supplies, and it recalls the years of border unrest around the Mexican Revolution. The park itself was established in 1944 and covers more than eight hundred thousand acres, an enormous empty territory that includes mountains, desert and river canyon. Black bears, javelinas, roadrunners and many bird species live here, and the night sky is among the darkest in the lower forty-eight states.
Fuel is the main practical issue. There are no stations on the scenic drive, and the nearest in the park are at Panther Junction and Rio Grande Village, with other options outside the park at Study Butte and Terlingua. Fill up before you leave and bring extra water. The best season is November to March, when days are warm and nights cool, while summer is brutally hot. Heavy rain upstream can cause flash floods in the canyon, so pay attention to warnings.