Rio Grande River Road

Rio Grande River Road

FM 170 - Fort Leaton to Terlingua Store



The River Road (FM 170) from Presidio to Big Bend National Park is one of those most iconic drives in Texas. Most of the drive is within the boundaries of Big Bend Ranch State Park.

I had a GoPro camera, set for time lapse photography, attached to my left side mirror. I hoped this video and accompanying photographs would give everyone just a taste of what the River Road is all about.

The only other time I have driven the river road was from Terlingua to Presidio and that was a long time ago. On this day, after visiting Fort Leaton we headed southwest down FM 170. There are lot of places to pull away from the road and park to get a better view of the scenic terrain, plant life, wildlife and the river. There are also primitive campsites along the river. They are available through the Big Bend Ranch State Park. If you are lucky you might see a group of Kayaks or Canoes navigating down the river. Around every bend and over ever hill the view changes as the river valley meanders its way through the Chihuahuan Desert.

Things you need to know:

  • Total Miles from Fort Leaton to Terlingua Store is 59 miles
  • Drive time with no stops 1 1/2 Hours
  • The road condition is good.
  • When in the Big Bend Area, pay attention to your gas gauge. Gas Stations can be far apart.

Resources:

Updated: 6/28/2020