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Santa Elena Canyon, Big Bend National Park

4.9

#1 of 41 in Things to do in Big Bend National Park

Canyon Nature / Park Must See

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Santa Elena Canyon is located in Big Bend National Park. To visit Santa Elena Canyon on your holiday in Big Bend National Park, and find out what else Big Bend National Park has to offer, use our Big Bend National Park day trip planning tool .

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Santa Elena Canyon Reviews

Rate this attraction

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

534 reviews

Google

5.0

facebook

5.0

85 likes

• By LoBommer

  It was busy when we arrived, the parking lot was full. Walked up the trail to the river, there were a lot of people playing in the brown water! We could see the canyon but it looked ike there was no a...  more »

• By traveling_mandy

  Kids ages 7, 12, and 14 all loved this hike. The water in Terlingua Creek was quite chilly but worth the crossing to experience the canyon. There is a rope to help you up the other side of the creek. ...  more »

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Google

• By Mark Alexandre

  Wonderful way for people & whole families to spend an afternoon. If you're not exactly young & fit, don't be put off by the somewhat steep climb at the start — roughly equivalent to climbing 6-7 flights of stairs, but with beautiful vistas of the vertical canyon walls and back into the park. The rest of the trail is a comparatively easy walk on a slight incline back down toward the river then following along its bank to the end of the trail, which is well worth it for the many gorgeous views. Even young children handle this trail well, though you really gotta keep an eye on them — hold their little hands, as they tend to get really amped up by it all!!

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• By Hal Evans

  Short, easy hike but dangerous climb up to the canyon floor. It is a great adventure and well worth the effort.

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