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Half
Day Float Trips
 Looking for something short and easy on the
Rio Grande? Join one of our half-day float trips through open
mountainous country of the Big Bend State Park. Perfect for families
with young children and folks short on time, this 2 ½ hour river journey
explores a three mile section of river just upstream from Lajitas.
Note: Trip may be run by canoe or raft, depending on water flows on
the day of departure. This trip does not go through a canyon.
Summer Hours: Half-day floats for the
period May 15 - October 1 depart once a day at 8:30 a.m.
Fall and Winter Departures: Half-day
float trips for the period October 1 - May 14 depart
twice a day (8:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.)
Return Time (to
Far Flung Outdoor Center): Approximately 4
hours
Method of Travel:
Raft, Canoe or Duckie, depending on water levels.
Meals and
Refreshments: Snack and iced water
provided by Far Flung.
Difficulty:
Easy; paddling required on trips traveling by
canoe or duckie.
Other Notes:
This trip travels through the Big Bend Ranch
State Park located west of Lajitas. Due to time
constraints, the half-day float does
not
travel through a canyon.
Recommended
Minimum Age: 3
Prices:
Adults: $69/person
Children 12 and under: $64/person (Trip
price includes all park use fees, but does not include
Texas sales tax of 7.75%, energy surcharge, entrance
fees (if applicable) or gratuity)
Deposit/Cancellation Policies: Half
-day river trips require a $10 non-refundable deposit per person with
the balance due 48 hours prior to the trip departure date.
A Typical
Half-day Itinerary:
After meeting our guides and a
quick round of introductions,
we'll board one of our 15
passenger vans for the 45 minute
ride to the river. The
half-day section of river we run
varies depending on water
levels, but most trips operate
from the Madera Canyon put-in to
the Grassy Banks take-out in the
Big Bend Ranch State Park. This
section of river is located west
of Lajitas, Texas and generally
follows the famous Camino
Del Real or River Road (FM 170).
Arriving at the put-in, the
guides will take a few minutes
to unload and rig their boats
while properly fitting you with
a PFD (personal flotation device
- more commonly known as a "life
jacket"). You will also be
issued a waterproof bag in
which to store items such as
extra clothing, camera,
sunscreen, wallets and other
personal items.
Since safety is our number
one objective - followed by fun
- we'll take a few more minutes
to brief you and the other
guests about specific river
safety topics.
Pushing off the bank, we'll
begin to make our way
downstream. If we are in rafts
this day, our guides will do the
rowing (although you are welcome
to try your hand at it!) and if
the river levels dictate canoes
or duckies, you'll be the master
and commander of your boat!
Yes, this means paddling.
Nothing Olympic, just nice easy
strokes coached, if needed, by
our staff.
Sharing stories about the
river and Big Bend is what we're
all about, so stay close to our
guides if you like tales of the
outdoors. We encourage you to
bring a camera and a pair of
binoculars along for the ride.
We'll stop for a snack
somewhere along this 3-4 mile
journey. Since you most
likely ate breakfast or lunch
before departing on this trip,
we'll have something that boosts
your energy levels and provides
some good hydration. A typical
snack might include any number
of items such as fresh fruit or
vegetables, dips cheese, salami,
crackers, cookies and iced
water.
Coming into the take-out,
we'll reverse the put-in process
and take a few minutes to
re-load gear into our vans and
trailers. The drive back to the
office will take about 30
minutes.
Passports and Other
Documentation:
You will NOT need a passport
or any form of identification to
float the Rio Grande, however
due to Homeland Security
regulations, we won't be
stopping on the Mexican side of
the river for hikes, snacks or
other activities.
If you are NOT a U.S. citizen
we strongly advise you to bring
your passport, visa or other
related documentation which will
not be required on the river,
but will be needed to clear
Border Patrol checkpoints on
your way out of the Big Bend
area
Packing List
- River sandals, water shoes or old tennis shoes
(please, no flip-flops)
- Fast drying shorts/swimsuit (months April -
September)
- Long pants over fast drying shorts/swimsuit
(months November - April)
- Short or long sleeved shirt
- Windbreaker/Fleece jacket (months November -
April)
- Rain jacket or poncho (months June - October)
- Hat or cap (we like wide brim hats in Big Bend!)
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen and lip balm
- Water bottle (we have plenty of iced water!)
- Camera
- Binoculars
- Your own supply of soft drinks (no glass,
please!)
- Small ice chest (no foam chests, please!)
Full
Day Float Trips
 Join us as we float through one of the many incredible canyons of the
Rio Grande in Big Bend. Our day trips depart from the office at 8:00
a.m., returning about 5:00 p.m.
Departure
time: 8:00 a.m.
Return
time: Approximately 5:00 p.m.
Method of
travel: Canoe or Raft, depending
on water levels.
Meals and
Refreshments: Lunch, iced tea,
lemonade and water provided |
Difficulty: Easy; paddling
required on trips traveling by canoe.
Recommended Minimum Age: 6
Each day's canyon selection and the type of river craft (canoe or
raft) in which we travel, depends on the water flows of the Rio Grande.
Providing you with an experience that exceeds your expectations is the
most important mission of your guide.
A Typical Full Day Itinerary:
Before your arrival, our staff will check water
levels to determine which of two canyons -
Colorado or Santa Elena - is the best section to
float for that day. Back in the 80's we always
had sufficient water in Santa Elena canyon to
run a day trip, but with the drought of the 90's
and ever increasing demands on the Rio Grande
(from both the U.S. and Mexico), it has become
impossible to predict water flows too far in
advance. No matter which choice is made, please
know that we'll have an enjoyable, educational
experience on the river!
After meeting our guides and a quick round of
introductions, we'll board one of our 15
passenger vans for the 45 minute ride to the
river. Arriving at the put-in, the guides
will take a few minutes to unload and rig their
boats while properly fitting you with a PFD
(personal flotation device -more commonly known
as a "life jacket"). You will also be issued a
waterproof bag in which to store items such as
extra clothing, camera, sunscreen, wallets and
other personal items.
Since safety is our number one objective -
followed by fun - we'll take a few more minutes
to brief you and the other guests about specific
river safety topics. Pushing off the bank,
we'll begin to make our way downstream. If we
are in rafts this day, our guides will do the
rowing (although you are welcome to try your
hand at it!) and if the river levels dictate
canoes or duckies, you'll be the master and
commander of your boat! Yes, this means
paddling. Nothing Olympic, just nice easy
strokes coached, if needed, by our staff.
Sharing stories about the river and Big Bend is
what we're all about, so stay close to our
guides if you like tales of the outdoors. We
encourage you to bring a camera and a pair of
binoculars along for the ride.
We'll stop for lunch somewhere along this
river journey. A typical lunch includes a make
your own sandwich buffet complete with deli
meats, cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion
and condiments. Chips, salsa, dips, fresh fruit
and cookies round out the picnic. Iced tea,
lemonade and water will be plentiful.
Coming into the take-out, we'll reverse the
put-in process and take a few minutes to re-load
gear into our vans and trailers. The drive back
to Far Flung will take about one hour.
Passports and Other Documentation:
You will NOT need a passport or any form of
identification to float the Rio Grande, however
due to Homeland Security regulations, we won't
be stopping on the Mexican side of the river for
hikes, snacks or other activities.
If you are NOT a U.S. citizen we strongly
advise you to bring your passport, visa or other
related documentation which will not be required
on the river, but will be needed to clear Border
Patrol checkpoints on your way out of the Big
Bend area.
Prices:
Adult Price: $130/person
Child Price (12 years and younger):
$125/person
(Trip price includes all park use fees, but does
not include Texas sales tax of 7.75%, energy
surcharge, entrance fees (if applicable) or
gratuity)
Deposit/Cancellation Policies: Full-day river
trips require a $10 non-refundable deposit per person with the balance
due 48 hours prior to the departure date of the trip.
Packing List
- River sandals, water shoes or old tennis shoes
(please, no flip flops)
- Fast drying shorts/swimsuit
- Long pants over fast drying shorts/swimsuit
(months November - April)
- Short or long sleeved shirt
- Windbreaker/Fleece jacket (months November -
April)
- Rain jacket or poncho (months June - October)
- Hat or cap (we like wide brim hats in Big Bend!)
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen and lip balm
- Water bottle (we have plenty of iced water!)
- Camera
- Binoculars
- Your own supply of alcoholic beverages or soft
drinks (no glass, please!)
- Small ice chest (no foam chests, please!)
Click Here To Reserve A Float Trip |
