See all 3 routes on Rio Grande
Texas | Big Bend
Rio Grande
Rio Grande Village to Heath Canyon
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 at Rio Grande Village and paddle the remote Boquillas Canyon corridor to Heath Canyon / La Linda. The route is Class I-II but high-commitment because of heat, permits, water logistics, sudden rises, limited exits, camping restrictions, and the long take-out shuttle.
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
Rio Grande Village River AccessAmerican Whitewater coordinates are access anchors, not a promise that the current wetted launch line is at the coordinate. Follow NPS signs, current riverbank conditions, and ranger guidance on arrival.
Take-out
Heath Canyon / La Linda take-outNPS says Rio Grande Village is the normal put-in for Boquillas Canyon; do not use private land, Mexican-bank landings, or informal roads as alternate access except for immediate safety needs.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- American Whitewater coordinates are access anchors, not a promise that the current wetted launch line is at the coordinate. Follow NPS signs, current riverbank conditions, and ranger guidance on arrival.
- NPS says Rio Grande Village is the normal put-in for Boquillas Canyon; do not use private land, Mexican-bank landings, or informal roads as alternate access except for immediate safety needs.
- NPS says Heath Canyon is now owned and operated by TPWD and requires Limited Use Permit handling through Black Gap WMA. Confirm the access is open, drivable, and permitted before committing to the canyon.
- At low water below the 150 cfs recommendation, expect dragging, exposed boulders, slower travel, and higher risk at shallow rock gardens. At rising or storm-driven levels, treat camps, side canyons, and narrow canyon sections as flash-flood hazards.
- The route is remote and border-adjacent. Carry required safety gear, repair supplies, extra water treatment capacity, waste system, firepan when fires are allowed, and reliable emergency communication.
Watch for
- Arroyo del Veinte, the lower-canyon Class II boulder feature American Whitewater flags as capable of flipping canoes at lower flows.
- Extreme heat, limited shade, dehydration, treated-water planning, sudden storms, and flash flooding during the summer rainy season.
- Strainers, boulders, rock gardens, shallow dragging, strong wind in open reaches, and difficult rescue due to limited road access.
- NPS camping restrictions near Boquillas Canyon Trail, developed or vehicle-accessible areas, private ranch lands, Heath Canyon, Black Gap fish camps, and cultivated or inhabited areas.
- Current NPS river regulations, private group size limits, required PFDs/spare gear, overnight waste-system rules, and water-quality concerns.
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 | 150 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | American Whitewater Boquillas 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 shapeRio Grande Village to Heath Canyon, about 33 mi
NPS identifies Boquillas Canyon as a two- to three-day trip beginning at Rio Grande Village and ending at Heath Canyon downstream from La Linda.
- Public access coordinates29.17984, -102.96085 to 29.45025, -102.82346
American Whitewater access pages publish Rio Grande Village river access and Heath Canyon Ranch / La Linda access coordinates; NPS confirms the same route endpoints and TPWD-operated Heath Canyon permit requirement.
- Direct live gaugeUSGS 08375300 at 30.4 cfs / 2.32 ft
USGS Water Services returned same-day Rio Grande at Rio Grande Village discharge and gage height at 2026-08-10 07:00 CDT during this implementation run.
- Threshold posture150 cfs minimum-only
American Whitewater recommends 150 cfs or higher for kayaks and rafts on Boquillas Canyon, while noting the reach has been paddled below 100 cfs; this route uses the recommended value as the app-supported floor.
- Camping and permitsNPS backcountry permit required; restricted camping zones
NPS requires a backcountry river permit before launching and publishes river camping restrictions around developed, private, and vehicle-accessible areas; overnight plans must use legal river camps and respect high-water and private-property limits.
- SafetyRemote desert canyon, Class I-II, heat and sudden rises
NPS river regulations and river-trip guidance require self-sufficient safety gear and current conditions checks; American Whitewater identifies Arroyo del Veinte as the main Class II feature in the lower canyon.
- Image decisionNo route-gallery image selected
Bounded NPS, American Whitewater, Commons, USGS, and same-route image review found route-context photos but no clearly rights-clean exact Rio-Grande-Village-to-Heath-Canyon 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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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 150 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 Rio Grande Village River Access and ends at Heath Canyon / La Linda take-out, about About 33 mi to 35 mi on the water.
Is this Rio Grande route good for beginners?
This is listed as a hard route. Treat the live score as a planning aid, then confirm conditions, hazards, access, and group skill before launching.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.