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Texas | Big Bend
Rio Grande
Gravel Pit to Rio Grande Village
Check current paddling conditions for this Rio Grande route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Route overview
Quick facts and what's next
Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.
Quick facts
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
Launch from the Gravel Pit river access and float through Hot Springs Canyon to Rio Grande Village. The route is gentle at most levels and currently just above the NPS 30 cfs canoe/kayak floor, but high-clearance access, heat, shallow water, and NPS permit requirements still matter.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
Gravel Pit river accessThe Gravel Pit coordinate is an access anchor for the river access/campsite road area, not a guaranteed wetted-edge launch point. Use the signed NPS river-bank access at the end of the road and current bank conditions.
Take-out
Rio Grande Village take-outNPS says River Road East and Gravel Pit Road require high-clearance vehicles and can become extremely muddy or impassable after rain.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The Gravel Pit coordinate is an access anchor for the river access/campsite road area, not a guaranteed wetted-edge launch point. Use the signed NPS river-bank access at the end of the road and current bank conditions.
- NPS says River Road East and Gravel Pit Road require high-clearance vehicles and can become extremely muddy or impassable after rain.
- NPS says no overnight camping is allowed along this stretch of river. Use only separately permitted primitive roadside campsite plans at Gravel Pit or normal developed campground plans away from the route.
- The same-day gauge reading is only barely above the 30 cfs NPS floor. Expect shallow riffles, slow travel, and possible dragging if the hydrograph drops.
- This is a border river trip. The NPS river permit does not authorize entering Mexico, and parties should follow all current park, private-land, and river-use rules.
Watch for
- Slow first miles, shallow riffles below Hot Springs, low-water scraping, and missed take-out discipline at Rio Grande Village.
- Summer heat, limited shade, sun exposure, dehydration, and the need to carry enough water even on a short float.
- Thunderstorms, sudden rises, muddy access roads, and flash-flood response in side drainages.
- Required PFDs, extra paddle/spare gear expectations, and current NPS river regulations.
- Private-bank and international-boundary limits; do not land in Mexico or use informal access except for immediate safety.
Route gallery
See this route on the water
Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking
Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Rio Grande at Rio Grande Village, Big Bnd NP, TX |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 30 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official data source |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | NPS Hot Springs Canyon flow guidance |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesWhat to know before you go
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Official route shapeGravel Pit to Rio Grande Village, about 5 mi
NPS identifies Hot Springs Canyon as a half-day float from the Gravel Pit put-in along River Road East to the Rio Grande Village take-out.
- Public access coordinates29.151417, -103.002417 to 29.179840, -102.960850
NPS documents Gravel Pit river-bank access and Rio Grande Village as the take-out; published Gravel Pit coordinate references are stored as access anchors rather than guessed wetted-edge launch points.
- Direct live gaugeUSGS 08375300 at 31.5 cfs / 2.33 ft
USGS legacy RDB returned same-day Rio Grande at Rio Grande Village gage height and discharge at 2026-08-10 13:00 CDT during this implementation run.
- Threshold posture30 cfs minimum-only
NPS says the spring-recharged Hot Springs Canyon stretch is possible in a canoe or small kayak down to 30 cfs.
- Camping and permitsDay float only; permitted Gravel Pit basecamp nearby
NPS says there is no overnight camping along the Hot Springs Canyon stretch, so the route is day-use only; Gravel Pit itself has primitive roadside campsites that require a separate backcountry permit.
- SafetyLow water, heat, high-clearance access, permit and border rules
NPS documents low-water paddling, River Road mud and high-clearance requirements, mandatory river permits, no Mexico entry, required PFDs, storm/high-water caution, and day-only camping limits.
- Image decisionNo route-gallery image selected
Bounded NPS, Commons, USGS, and same-route review found route-context photos but no clearly rights-clean exact Gravel-Pit-to-Rio-Grande-Village paddling asset selected for local reuse.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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Keep exploring
More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Rio Grande paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Rio Grande?
Paddle Today watches Rio Grande at Rio Grande Village, Big Bnd NP, TX and uses 30 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Rio Grande route start and end?
This route starts at Gravel Pit river access and ends at Rio Grande Village take-out, about About 5 mi on the water.
Is this Rio Grande route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.