How Long Would It Take To Walk the Length of the Rio Grande?

The Rio Grande makes up part of the border between the United States and Mexico and is one of the most important rivers in the region. It runs through the northern parts of Mexico up into the southwestern U.S.

Starting all the way up in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado, the Rio Grande flows south through the entire state of New Mexico.

It continues to snake along the border between Texas and Mexico, before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico in southeastern Texas. Providing water for agriculture, industry, and communities along the way.

The full length of the Rio Grande is about 1,900 miles (or 3,060 kilometers). The time it would take to walk the length of it would depend on a few different things: speed of the walker, the terrain, and the route taken.

The altitude would become a factor as well, as it changes. Along the way... the elevation of the Rio Grande can range from over 14,000 feet (4,270 meters) in the San Juan Mountains to below 3,500 feet (1,070 meters) where it enters the Gulf of Mexico.

The average walking pace for adults is about 3 to 4 miles per hour. Assuming a person walks at an average of 3 miles per hour and walked 8 hours per day, it would take approximately 79 days to walk the entire length of the Rio Grande.

Walking along the actual riverbank may not always be feasible or safe, so a walker may need to take a longer route that follows roads or trails parallel to the river. The estimation above is based strictly on riverbank walking.

Overall, you'll want to plan out around 3 months if a Rio Grande walk is in your future!