The Santa Elena Canyon is another of the Rio Grande River’s better works. The canyon is over 1,500 feet deep and 20 miles long. Today it is a popular 2 day raft trip. A hundred years ago it was a trip from hell and many a wooden boat was converted into toothpicks.
Here we are inside the canyon, looking further in. Much of that greenery is a reed or giant grass that resembles bamboo.
Here we are still inside the canyon looking out. That vast flood plain was farmed until the 1940’s. American’s farmed this land, but many were of Mexican heritage, but born in the US.
This is a line camp that was used by the Homer Wilson ranch. He grazed over 4,000 sheep and 2,500 goats on the slopes of the mountains to escape the heat. It was abandoned in 1945, but still looks as if it is in use. Life in this area was tough. The closest rail line was at Alpine, 100 miles north. It took 10 to 14 days to make the trip with loaded, mule drawn wagons.
The Santa Elena Canyon is another of the Rio Grande River’s better works. The canyon is over 1,500 feet deep and 20 miles long. Today it is a popular 2 day raft trip. A hundred years ago it was a trip from hell and many a wooden boat was converted into toothpicks.
Here we are inside the canyon, looking further in. Much of that greenery is a reed or giant grass that resembles bamboo.
Here we are still inside the canyon looking out. That vast flood plain was farmed until the 1940’s. American’s farmed this land, but many were of Mexican heritage, but born in the US. 
This is a line camp that was used by the Homer Wilson ranch. He grazed over 4,000 sheep and 2,500 goats on the slopes of the mountains to escape the heat. It was abandoned in 1945, but still looks as if it is in use. Life in this area was tough. The closest rail line was at Alpine, 100 miles north. It took 10 to 14 days to make the trip with loaded, mule drawn wagons.
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