Visiting Texas’ Gift to the Nation

It was time to take a break from our house remodeling and go rest for a while.  We turned our sights on Big Bend National Park, a good 2 days drive from Sweeny, but we turned it into a week’s drive.  We took some time to revisit some of our favorite state parks that included:  Lake Corpus Christi, Choke Canyon, Garner and Davis Mountains.  Seems that I forgot that nowadays, even in the middle of the week, we were scampering to get a reservation for a night.  And sure enough, hardly any Texas license plates in these parks.  So glad all of America is coming to enjoy! We also planned the trip so we could go eat at Kings Inn in Riviera, where we ran into our old neighbor from Boling, Jim Williams!  You never know! While we were at Choke Canyon, we had dinner with good friends Audie and Donna Hutson. Audie and I graduated together. Ron and Audie worked together at Amoco when we were first married.

Beautiful green jay!

Lots of birds at Choke Canyon

Had to take a road trip and enjoy lunch at Kings Inn in Riviera, served family style.

Ft. Davis

Sunset at Davis Mountains

I did know that you needed to make reservations in Big Bend for this time of the year, which I did many months ago.  We’re staying in Terlingua at the Big Bend RVResort and Adventure.  Having a residential refrigerator means using a generator for a week wasn’t the smartest idea. So here we are and it isn’t too bad at all. Especially given the fact that during the day you’re not sitting in the campground, but out exploring.

Weather forecasts early in the week were predicting a very good chance of rain on Wednesday and Thursday. We decided to do our first long jeep drive on Monday while we knew the back roads would be ok.  We were up and on the road before sunrise, as the best place to see a sunrise in Big Bend is at Santa Elena Canyon.  Luckily we’re so far west that sunrise is 7:15 to 7:30 ish.  We made it!

From Santa Elena we drove over to the Castolon Visitor Center where we eventually found the River Road West, a 27.5 mile drive over 4 wheel drive roads.  This road pretty much follows the Rio Grande River.  Did you know that the Rio Grande River originates near South Fork, Colorado?  Anyway, the level is very low at the moment.  Maybe just a couple feet deep in some areas.  We had to put the jeep in 4-wheel drive once, so not too bad.

The sun is just hitting Santa Elena Canyon!

Sunrise

Santa Elena Canyon

Beautiful to watch the sun progress across the canyon.

Views along the way

Can't lose our lobster red jeep.

So many plants and colors in the Big Bend.

The Rio Grande. Yes - that's Mexico.

Looking at the moon and stars before the sun comes up.

Beautiful sunrise at Santa Elena Canyon

Check out the moon!

Another great sunrise picture.  So warm!

We then intersected with the River Road East road, making a stop at the Mariscal Mine.  From 1900 to 1943 this mine produced 1,400 seventy-six pound flasks of mercury – about a quarter of the total produced in the US!  If you use your imagination you can get a feeling for the work of these early pioneers and their contributions to Big Bend’s huge human history. 

Now that's an old car!

Mariscal Mine

This road is about 22 miles long, making for about an 8 hour road trip on some rough and rocky backroads.  Then you have to remember how far you drive back to exit the park near Terlingua.  But wow!  Beautiful scenery!

Tuesday found us taking a road trip over to Lajitas and then to Big Bend Ranch State Park.  There’s a paved road that follows the river over to Presidio.  Back in 2010 we spent New Years Eve in our truck camper, out in the middle of nowhere, and then camped on the banks of the Rio Grande.  The drive was beautiful and the bluebonnets here are outstanding!

Spring is coming!

There's that Rio Grande river, dividing 2 countries

Beautiful bluebonnets here!

So I learned from Ranger Jenny - if the bloom is red it's a signal to the pollinators like bees that it's already been pollinated.

We also stopped in Terlingua, the ghost town and cemetery where so many of the grave sites included beer bottles and cans. Hmmm.......

Wednesday it was cloudy and cool, had a few light rain showers.  We decided to drive over to Rio Grande Village and stop off at Chisos Basin.  You can’t be the view of the Window.

The campground at Rio Grande Village has a really nice nature trail that we walked up.  Great views!  We also made a stop at Boquillas Canyon.  No – we didn’t venture over to Mexico.  Very pretty views!

The Window

The clouds made the mountains even more beautiful!

Spring is coming!

A view from the nature trail.

Well......I wonder who comes back and forth illegally here. We could hear a lot of noise on the river bank.

That evening we were so lucky to have a dinner guest!  Ranger Jenny Swab, who we had the privilege of working with 2 years ago at Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park.  She’s a wonderful ranger, full of lots of knowledge and information, and just a fun person to visit with.

Me and Jenny having a toast in our motorhome!

Thursday was another cloudy and cold day.  We decided to do another Jeep ride over Old Ore Road.  This drive took about 5 hours. Just beautiful!  But there were a few times where you had to stop, get it and see how to travel over the rocky ledges.  Guess that keeps you from getting too bored on these kind of drives.  But how else can you really explore a park like this?  According to the map it was only 24 miles.  Sure seemed further!  After all, there are over 800,000 acres to explore here!  I will have to say that we have gained a few more South Texas pin stripes on the Jeep!  But it’s all good!

I love the colors and diversity of vegetation here!

And the geology!

Friday found us driving out to see Balanced Rock.  Now the literature says an easy trail BUT the last quarter mile looks like a goat trail.  Unfortunately due to my ankle problems, I sent Ron on ahead with the camera.  It was beautiful scenery.

The Balanced Rock - up a goat trail.

Whoops - Ron caught me on my cell phone while I waited for him.  Yep there are 3 bars of Verizon in the Big Bend wilds!

We closed out our time here driving the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive.  It’s a smooth road ha!  We decided to leave a day early so we could make a fast trip to Guadalupe Mountains National Park.  We haven’t been here since the year 2000! 

Sam Nail Ranch

Believe it or not, the windmill is still pumping. And the pecan and fig trees are still alive.

The Ocatillo are about to bust out with their red blooms!  One of my favorite desert plants.

Mule Ears

Just beautiful typical scenery of the Big Bend

So this is the reason I stayed behind on the hike to Balanced Rock....it's a goat trail. And after 5 foot surgeries, I have a phobia when it comes to these kind of trails. Ugh......

Next up we will be headed to Arizona to meet up with volunteer friends Jim and Randa. Then I figure it will be a quick trip home to see how the cabinets are coming along in our house!  Stay tuned!