WOW.they are organized and have it together. Great river adventure.
Trip Details
Price
$145 per person
This trip requires a 20% non-refundable deposit with the balance due 5 days prior to the date of the trip.
Children 12 and younger receive a $5/child discount on all river trips.
Discounts are available for parties of 8 or more booking at the same time.
Required minimum age
8 years old
Departure time
8:00 a.m.
Availability
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturdays. Should you have a party of eight or more, we can make other days available during the week – simply get in touch.
Minimum group size
4 people
Meeting point
Far Flung Outdoor Center. Click here to see how to find us.
Return time (to Far Flung Outdoor Center)
Finishes at approximately 5:00 p.m.
Included
- Transport to the river (15-passenger van)
- PFD (personal flotation device)
- Safety talk
- All park use fees
- The friendliest expert guides
- Waterproof bags for personal items
- Stories of the river
Our lunches vary based on current supplies, but expect a smorgasbord of picnic foods such as deli meats, cheeses, fresh fruit, dips, chips, pickles, and cookies. Iced water will be available during the trip with tea and lemonade available at lunch. Because of our remote location, specialty foods are more difficult to obtain. Should you have a specific dietary requirement, please notify our office at least 48 hours prior to the departure date.
Not Included
- Texas sales tax at 8.25%
- Energy surcharge
- Tips
Difficulty
Easy; paddling is required on trips traveling by canoe
About the canoe/raft
Canoe or raft, depending on water levels
About the guide
Certified in wilderness first aid and CPR, our guides are outdoor enthusiasts with many years’ experience of running rivers. They’ll haul the gear and, with a little encouragement, even provide entertainment. Realizing that personal involvement increases one’s enjoyment of a trip, they will welcome your interest in learning how to row, paddle, or better understand the desert plant and animal life. Our staff will enrich your experience by sharing their knowledge of Big Bend’s extensive natural and human history.
Explore the Heart of this Big Bend National Park!
On this full-day river trip, you’ll have the opportunity to float, paddle, hike, explore, or just plain relax as the Far Flung staff handles all of the trip details – including a river lunch that will knock your socks off! Before setting off, we’ll give a short brief about specific river safety topics, after which you will be fitted with a life jacket and issued a waterproof bag to store items such as extra clothing, camera, sunscreen, wallets, and other personal items.
Big Bend’s remote, wilderness set-up makes it the perfect place to disconnect from the stress of everyday life. No WiFi here, just incredible nature – the way it’s supposed to be. We are not white water rafting. We are family fun. We are a wilderness retreat. We are the beauty of Big Bend National Park.
* Before your arrival, our staff will check water levels to determine which of three canyons – Colorado, Santa Elena or Hot Springs – is the best section to float for that day. So when you sign up for our day trip, we may not know which canyon we’ll float, but we can assure you of a couple of things. First, we’ll always do a canyon on the one-day trip and secondly, we’ll have a great time on the river regardless of the river section!
Frequently Asked Questions
Because the trip will take us through primitive areas of Big Bend, bathroom facilities are limited. The put-ins and take-outs along the half-day section have compost type toilets. Our guides will carry a basic toilet system, but your choice of restroom will be “pink or blue” bushes or large rocks. You will have access to the Far Flung Outdoor Center restrooms before and after the trip.
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.
We have a retail store complete with t-shirts, shorts, hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, water bottles, and many other outdoor accessories. Our store will be open before and after your trip in the event you need to purchase any last minute article or trip mementos.
Full-day river trips require a 20% non-refundable deposit with the balance due 5 days prior to the date of the trip. Cancellations 5 days prior to departure forfeit the deposit amount. Cancellations (including no-shows) within 5 days of the trip departure forfeit the entire cost of the trip.
It is rare that FFOC will cancel a trip, but in the event we do, all money (including deposits) will be refunded.
FFOC reserves the right to alter, modify, or cancel any trip or a portion of any trip due to weather, water levels or the safety and convenience of our guests. It is the intent of FFOC to operate the river tours in cases where the safety of our guests is not compromised. Guests should appreciate that inclement weather may not be cause for a trip cancellation.
Trip participants must understand and appreciate that river rafting, canoeing and wilderness travel involve certain inherent risks. These risks include, but are not limited to, loss of or damage to personal property, personal injury, or fatality resulting from: capsize of raft or canoe, collision with a vehicle, vessel, rock, log, tree, or other obstacles; falling while aboard a raft; accident or illness in remote places with limited or no medical facilities; and exposure to temperature extremes or inclement weather.
We require all of our guests to sign an agreement and acknowledgment of risk before taking the trip. From time to time, we use photographs and videos of our trips for promotional and business purposes. By going on our trip, you consent to the use of your image, without compensation, for FFOC marketing activities. See you on the river!
Our guides were friendly, knowledgeable, and most importantly FUN! We learned so much about the area as we rode to the river. Yummy snacks were provided, too. We would definitely use Far Flung again for any type of tour!
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We had a great time on our canoe trip down the Santa Elena canyon! The guides were helpful and informative. The trip was beautiful! We appreciated that the trip was very organized and well run.
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Get Out & Explore
Fresh coffee & merch
While you’re at the Far Flung Outdoor Center, start your day off right by indulging in a fresh cup of coffee, homemade muffins, bagels, and kolaches at our on-site coffee shop. Once you’re recharged and ready to go, head on over to our retail shop, pick up some merch, and head out into Big Bend wearing your new threads!
