Between Castolon and Santa Elena Canyon, the road follows the broad floodplain of the Rio Grande. From the late 1880s until 1961, Mexican and American families lived, farmed, and ranched along the river and its tributaries. Historical locations in this remote place trace the stories of Indigenous Peoples, soldiers, farmers, and entrepreneurs where the cultures of Mexico and the United States meet. Along the scenic eight-mile one-way drive are Old Castolon, the ruins of La Coyota, views of rural Mexico, homesteads such as the Dorgan and Sublett farms, and the cliffs of Santa Elena Canyon.