The writer Edward Abbey, no stranger to Western rivers and canyons, described it as “the most primitive country to be found along the Rio Grande, a harsh and lonely land of spectacular beauty.”

The Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande are legendary for their beauty, and their inaccessibility. The canyons run for 140 miles between La Linda, in Brewster County, and Langtry, and there's no access by paved road. It requires a boat, and at least a week, to see this country.

But the Lower Canyons are more than a wilderness destination. They're also a unique ecosystem. In recent years, scientists have begun to better understand the ecology of this remote part of West Texas.

A soak in the ri...