Rafting

You can bring your own equipment or rent from a local outfitter for all river excursions.

Plan Around Rafting

A good stop is not just something to read about. Once it belongs on the day, move into a saved trip and build the route around it.

Add to trip View park guide

Use this detail page to confirm that the stop is worth it, then carry that decision into a trip draft while the park context is still fresh.

Rafting Details

River trips are a fun and relaxing way to see the park from a different perspective. There are many possibilities ranging from half-day floats to multi-day excursions. You must adhere to the park's [river use regulations](https://www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/riverregs.htm). The most popular areas to raft are in the Santa Elena Canyon and the Rio Grande River. In the open canyon waters of the Rio Grande, it is possible to go days without seeing another rafter, but you won't go long without seeing fish, birds and turtles that call the waters home. You can bring your own equipment, or the outfitters below offer a wide variety of services including, rentals, shuttles and guided trips. Please contact them before arriving to schedule any activities. There is often concern about being close to the international border. When floating in the river, you may cross back and forth across the border freely with no passport required. However, landing on the Mexican side of the border can be seen as an illegal crossing unless you land to bail/repack a boat, scout rapids, or seek shade when overheating. - [Angell Expeditions](http://angellexpeditions.com/) - [Big Bend River Tours](http://www.bigbendrivertours.com/) - [Big Bend Overland Tours](http://www.bigbendresort.com/) - [Desert Sports](http://www.desertsportstx.com/) - [Far Flung Outdoor Center](http://bigbendfarflung.com/)

Difficulty

Open

Distance

N/A

Estimated time

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Region

Activities