Rio Grande River The Rio Grande flows from its headwaters in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado for 1,865 miles to the Gulf of Mexico near Brownsville, Texas. For 1,250 miles, the Rio Grande is the boundary between the United States and Mexico, sunshine is abundant year-round on the Rio Grande. While this sounds welcoming, heat stroke and heat exhaustion are dangers to guard against during the hot months. Conversely, hypothermia is a life-threatening danger during the balance of the year. Infrequent and brief periods of cloudy weather are confined mostly to the winter months.
Appropriate clothing and other gear should be carried from November through April as cold fronts can bring freezing weather with rain or snow. The “rainy season” extends from mid-July through early October and can result in locally heavy thunderstorms and flash floods. Rapid river rises can be dangerous if unprepared. Relative humidity is normally between 25%-40% year around.
The statistics shown below are from Rio Grande Village, elevation 1,850 feet above sea level.
Since you need a high clearance vehicle to reach Mariscal Canyon, it is a wonderfully remote day or overnight river trip. It is the shortest canyon in the park, 10 miles long, with varied scenery and stunning limestone cliffs rising up to 1,400 feet. A few Class II-III rapids (depending on water levels) give this excursion some excitement. Check with a ranger about road conditions before embarking on your journey.
Put-in and take-out information
High clearance vehicles are usually required to reach both Mariscal Canyon access locations. Count on two to two and a half hours driving time from Panther Junction to Talley. It is a good idea to go to Solis before you put in at Talley and scout the area to be able to recognize it from the river. It is best to have someone available to drop off your crew and gear at Talley, then meet you at Solis.
Put-in: Talley is the put-in for Mariscal Canyon. Be sure to check road conditions before making your final plans. The river road is rarely passable to passenger cars and sometimes is so rough as to be passable only to four- wheel-drive vehicles. Be especially careful to avoid getting stuck near the end of the Talley road, where you will encounter loose, drifted sand.
Take-out: Solis is the common take-out for the canyon. Be careful not to overshoot—it\'s a long way to the next one.