In the San Juan Range of mountains, there is a prominent peak rising to 13,827 feet, known as Rio Grande Pyramid. (37.679702, -107.392429) A short distance to the northwest of that mountain is the headwaters of the Rio Grande River which rises from the snow capped San Juan Mountains near the summit of the 13,478 foot Canby Mountain (37.799589, -107.546032).

And a Grand river it truly is, yes, the mighty Rio Grande starts as an elevation of over 13,000 feet in the heart of the Colorado San Juan Mountains and flows much of its length at high elevation through the Rio Grande Rift.

From the head waters of the Rio Grande in the San Juan Range of the Colorado Rockies, it flows some 175 miles in Colorado, then enters New Mexico and literally cuts this state in half during its 475 mile flow southward. Then, upon entering the city of El Paso, the original path of the river formed the border between New Mexico and Texas for some 25 miles before finally leaving New Mexico. ¹

Then, entering Texas, the river travels some 1260 miles to reach the Gulf of Mexico west of Brownsville, Texas. This gives the river a total of about 1900 miles from source to mouth.

The Rio Grande draws from 11 percent of the continental US, with much of that being drought-prone land. That vulnerability is compounded by scores of dams and irrigation diversions, which has left significant portions of the river dry in its bed in recent years. In 2001 the river failed to reach the Gulf of Mexico for the first time and this happened again in 2002.

To arrive at the head waters of the Rio Grande river, it is a walk of 2.3 miles (from 37.795083, -107.548176 in Stony Pass) north on the Continental Divide Trail or 1.2 miles (from 37.791623, -107.542657 which is south on Forest Road 520 about one half mile from Stony Pass) on the Colorado Trail. Once you arrive at the Rio Grande river, the head waters are about 300 yards upriver to the the west of the trail.

Yes, the source of the Rio Grande can be walked to in just a few miles from Stony Pass, itself 12,650 feet, but do not try this in any season except summer unless you are fully outfitted for extreme weather conditions.

For several years now, I have been wintering along the Rio Grande river at Falcon Lake in Falcon state park. I have found that the greatest amenities that come with camping here in the winter are the birding and the sunsets.

As the river turns, it is about 240 miles upriver from the Texas Coast but only 140 miles of travel by Texas highway.

To arrive at the mouth, it is a drive of about 22 miles east of Browsnville on SR 4 and then is 3 miles south along the beach.