On the Rio Grande

In Big Bend National Park (#60-Revisit)

One of our favorite National Parks, so far (top 5?), a place in Far West Texas where night skies are dark as coal and rivers carve temple-like canyons in ancient limestone.  Here, at the end of the road, hundreds of bird species take refuge in a solitary mountain range surrounded by weather-beaten desert.  Tenacious cactus bloom in sublime southwestern sun, and species diversity is the best in the country.  Along it’s southern border is…

Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River (#61-Revisit):

Altogether, a 196 mile free-flowing stretch of the Rio Grande, which winds its way through desert expanses and stunning canyons of stratified rock, from ~the southern point of Big Bend, to well east of Boquillas Canyon in eastern Big Bend, almost all the way to Amistad NRA (just 3 miles short)!

On our first visit here, January 2015, we stayed in a cabin up in Chisos Basin for 4 nights, and in 3 days:

1. hiked the 2 most popular trails in Chisos (~10 miles)
2. went southwest all the way to Castelon and into St. Elena Canyon, visiting “all” the most popular sites & short trails, on our return to Chisos
3. went southeast to Rio Grande Village and to Boquillas Canyon

This time we camped near the end of the southeastern road, in Rio Grande Village, for 6 nights/5+ days.  We took more time to “just hang out” (we actually got out our camp chairs and watched the javelina and road runners in the campground),

attended several Ranger Programs, and repeated little in the way of “touring”/hiking (we did hike back into Boquillas Canyon).  We didn’t revisit the western half of the park at all.  One thing both visits had in common…New Moon in an amazing Dark Sky Park!   First time was by accident, this time was planned. 

New hikes and adventures included: 

• On the one windy day, we did a 6+mile RT hike from Daniels Ranch (near Rio Grand Village) to the Historic Hot Springs.  Windy meant sand in the face as we approached the Hot Spring, but also meant we never felt all that hot.
• We took a guided canoe trip down the Rio Grande, from a put-in a few miles upstream, back to Rio Grande Village.  Lunch stop was back at the Historic Hot Springs, where we did the Loop Trail with a guide who did it bare-foot!  Really!  We also dipped our feet into the Hot Springs, which hadn’t done the day before.  It was a most lovely day.
• We drove up to Chisos Basin on the evening of the New Moon, just to see the sky, have dinner, and go the evening Ranger Program.  We went back a second time, yesterday afternoon, to do the 2-mile loop trail around the basin, have dinner, and take pictures of the current lodge.  It will be demolished this summer, for a totally new rebuild.
• We went to Boquillas del Carmen, Mexico for lunch (Gail had Goat Tacos) and a little wandering around one day.  One gets there via a unique border crossing, open only 9 am to 4 pm, connecting Big Bend National Park to Mexico’s Ocampo Protected Area.  The crossing can be done for free, if one wants to walk the shin deep river, or for $5 round trip, taking the 30 second road boat ride.  Interesting tidbit…the Wildfire Crew which supports Big Bend comes from Boquillas del Carmen.  Most interesting international cooperation. 
• We made a visit to the Fossil Discovery Exhibit.  The world’s largest known flying creature of all time was found in Big Bend NP, a pterosaur (flying reptile) with a 35-foot (10 meter) wingspan. Another giant predator from the parks’ fossil record is a 35-foot long giant alligator.  

Made it to Davis Mountains State Park

Where we still don’t have cell service…went into Fort Davis to post this! 

For more pictures, see (in-work) Adventure Album: Across South Texas

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