Big Bend N.P.

[crazymama]

I just returned from a 3 day trip to Big Bend National Park, my first time there. What a beautiful, pristine, unspoiled place! The photos don't do it justice.

I was with my mother, and we did a few short hikes as well as float down the Rio Grande. All I could think about was coming back again to hike more, and to kayak down the Rio Grande on my own. There are also lots of dirt roads through the desert with roadside primitive camping, which I think would be fun. Fall, winter and spring are their high season, and there were hardly any people there.

We saw lots of wildlife...javelinas, gray fox, mule deer, road runners, coyote. I was hoping to see a mountain lion or black bear...but no such luck.

The first photos are of our hike down the Window Trail. We stayed in Chisos Basin, a basin in the center of the Chisos Mountains. The water from the Basin drains through a narrow slot on the western edge, which we hiked to (the Window). Its like the top of a dry waterfall, which opens up to a view of the mountains westward.

The next photos are of our float down the Rio Grande through Colorado Canyon, west of the N.P. (in Big Bend Ranch State Park), and the final pictures are of the eastern side of the park--the hot springs, Sierra del Carmen, hike to Boquillas Canyon.

Big Bend Photos

Can't wait to go back!

 

[JimB]

Nice pics Lyle, what a change in weather from your MacNaughton trip .

 

[audrey]

Thanks for the tour, Crazymama! We're planning a Southwest trip for April and you've made it harder to choose where to go!

 

[prino]

. I was hoping to see a mountain lion ...but no such luck.

Nice Pictures Lyle.....after reading that sign, I would think you would have preferred NOT to see one!

 

[albee]

funny story

I was there about a year and a half ago. Big Bend was a little off the beaten path but it was totally worth a couple days of exploring. I tried to sneak into Mexico for lunch one day but I went during siesta and none of the Mexicans were around to row me across the river. I also did a neat hike up into the canyon where the Rio Grande goes in... can't remember the name. I also remember liking the town of Davis, TX, and staying at (relatively nearby) Balmorhea State Park and the hot natural-spring fed pool they had there.

So my funny story involves primitive camping in Big Bend NP. My buddy Rich and I got a permit for one area of the park that was desert to the North of the main road thru the park. We had to hike at least 1/4 mile in and pitch tents so they couldn't be seen from the road. As you know, the desert isn't flat and sandy here, it is semi-covered with 4' high scrub brush and cacti.

So we hiked in during the early afternoon and set up our tents about 100 yards apart from each other. We went back to the car and went for a nice hour-long run on the trails and had dinner at the car. We were then faced with the prospect of wandering back through the brush (which all looks the same) with one flashlight just after sunset to find our tents. Of course the flashlight batteries die about 30 minutes into our search. I found my tent after an hour and a half of wandering. An hour later, I heard Rich stumble by and he still couln't find his tent. That night I was treated to one of the coolest coyote symphonies I've ever heard...

In the morning, I packed up and headed back to the car. When I got there, I found Rich with his car backed up to a roadside monument, hammock strung from his trunk to the monument. Never did find his tent. He hadn't gotten any sleep all night because every time he drifted off, a javelina or jackrabbit would come running out of the bushes or a car would drive by and wake him up!

The monument he had tied his hammock to conveniently described all of the nocturnal animals of the South Texas deserts... I guess you had to be there but it was one of the funniest camping sights I have ever seen!

 

[crazymama]

Albee--loved your story! After seeing the desert myself, I can really visualize your strange and funny night there.

 

[lx93]

I'll be in San Antonio, TX from 12/15 thru early February (I'm in the Air Force Reserve, and will be going for 6 weeks of training there).

Anyone up for bagging some peaks out in Big Bend, let me know! (I have bagged 46 of the 48 White Mts., & 5 other 4k'ers, but no experience desert hiking).

-Matt

 

[Rob S]

Beautiful photos! We were considering a trip to Big Bend for 2006 but had to push it back to 2007. After seeing your pics, I am going to scheme and plot and do whatever it takes to make this trip next year! Thanks for sharing!!