psunami

I am going to do this trip the week after christmas and was wondering if anyone else has done it that could offer any good tips or advice.

psunami

by far the most amazing canoe trip i have ever taken. absolutely beautiful! huge canyons, warm springs, just enough rapids to keep it interesting, not too difficult to line. the only problem was packing enough beer to last 8 days; we ran out on day 4.

Troop198

where did you put in and get out? Did you use a serivice to rent? Did you camp? Weather this time of year?

psunami

we put in at la linda bridge. ted thayer, in marathon, arranged for a driver to shuttle our truck, we drove to persimmon gap entrance station to get river permit, then back to fm2627 and down to stillwell store to pick up driver, then on to put in at heath canyon, where we unloaded and sent our truck off with the driver. if you dont have a 4wd vehicle, you have to carry everything about 75 yards to the river. we brought our own canoes, as rental was about 40$ per day, and is not in marathon so we would have had to drive further to pick them up, and since we were gone for 8 days, well you get the idea. the shuttle alone was 300$, and at the take out you have to pay 30$ per vehicle and 10$ per person, but since we split it 3 ways the total was only 120$ a piece. the take out is 2 hours down a gravel road from dryden, really out in the middle of nowhere! our truck was left there the day before we were to take out, and it is inside a locked gate with the combo provided to us. we canoed 85 miles down the river, camping along the way, many nice spots. only saw 1 other couple on the river. lots of springs to resupply water. the weather was absolutely perfect, 70's- 80's and sunny during the day, 30's and 40's at night. only on the last day did the temps stay a little cooler and a few more clouds. the take out is also a little difficult as you have to carry everything up a hill about 75 yards.

ploddinTod

Were you ever hasseled by the border patrol or the people the border patrol was chasing?

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PloddinTod

psunami

never even saw a border patrol, or any illegals for that matter, near the river but they are there, or so i was told, but they really don't want anything to do with tourists, kind of like the wildlife, leave them alone and they won't bother you. we went in down I-10 and so we didn't have to go through any checkpoints, but on return we went down 90 which goes through the border town of del rio, so after leaving there you have to pass through a checkpoint near uvalde, but we weren't hassled, but i have been hassled before though, but if your not bringing anything illegal back, then you shouldn't have any problems. definately not something to deter anyone from taking this incredible journey!