The Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande, is one of the most remote stretches of wild river in the Lower 48. Straddling the border between the USA and Mexico, this 200km stretch of the Rio Grande makes for a  challenging, remote river trip, that sees fewer than 200 paddlers attempt each year. The first Spanish conquistadors who entered this area called it El Despoblado, desolate or worthless land. This section of the Rio Grande was the last segment of the U. S. boundary to be surveyed. Up to challenge, In March of 2017, our group set out on a 9 day canoe trip to experience this wild river for ourselves.   

We began our adventure  at Rio Grande Village in Big Bend National Park, exactly where Wayne and I finished our 175km paddle through the Great Unknown back in 2015. The first stretch would take us through the majestic Boquillas Canyon to the abandoned Mexican mining town of La Linda. From there, we would leave almost all traces of civilization behind, as we entered harsh landscape of sprawling desert,  jagged  mountains and imposing chasms.  This lower stretch is flanked by remote river canyons  with walls towering nearly 2,000 feet overhead.