Rio Brande and the Chihuahua Desert
Saturday 2/3
Met Jordan and Stef in Terlinqua Ghost Town. Had dinner at the Terlingua Dinner Theater, found our rustic cabins, unpacked, hung out by the outdoor fireplace for the rest of the evening and made our plans for the week.
Sunday 2/4
We headed over to explore Big Bend National Park. We thought we'd start off with the touristy stuff first. Surprisingly enough, there was very little traffic in Big Bend NP. We pretty much had the place to ourselves for the couple days or so we roamed around. There were a couple folks out and about, but they were mostly congregated around the visitor centers and not out in the further reaches of the park. We ran Old Maverick Road (mostly just a dirt and gravel washboard). Not much to see and we were glad to be done with it. We did hike into Sante Elena Canyon. That was a definite high point of the trip. Awesome scenery. The river made for some really nice photography with the canyon walls reflecting in the still water. Spent a little time on the backroads checking out the site like the Mule's Ears, the Window Trail, and some others. Then we came back on the Ross Maxwell Paved Scenic Drive.
Saturday 2/3
Met Jordan and Stef in Terlinqua Ghost Town. Had dinner at the Terlingua Dinner Theater, found our rustic cabins, unpacked, hung out by the outdoor fireplace for the rest of the evening and made our plans for the week.
Sunday 2/4
We headed over to explore Big Bend National Park. We thought we'd start off with the touristy stuff first. Surprisingly enough, there was very little traffic in Big Bend NP. We pretty much had the place to ourselves for the couple days or so we roamed around. There were a couple folks out and about, but they were mostly congregated around the visitor centers and not out in the further reaches of the park. We ran Old Maverick Road (mostly just a dirt and gravel washboard). Not much to see and we were glad to be done with it. We did hike into Sante Elena Canyon. That was a definite high point of the trip. Awesome scenery. The river made for some really nice photography with the canyon walls reflecting in the still water. Spent a little time on the backroads checking out the site like the Mule's Ears, the Window Trail, and some others. Then we came back on the Ross Maxwell Paved Scenic Drive.
Monday 2/5
Back to Big Bend NP for some more looking around. We checked out the Chisos Basin some and spent some time out on Glenn Springs Road and the infamous Black Gap Road. Cool desert scenery and some interesting roads. Nothing extreme, but I wouldn't want to be out there in a soft tired Forerunner. The backroads out there need a tire with a good sidewall that can live at lower PSI for an extended period of time. We ran about 13-14 pounds for the 9-10 days were were out in the desert country. We also spent some time exploring an old mercury mine and drove down to dip a tire in the Rio Grande.
Tuesday 2/6
Today was hiking Boquillas Canyon in Big Bend and the Tinajas Trail that had some really weird rock formations that were created with some pretty significant pressure that made undulating folds in the land. All in all a good day hiking. Then back to the rustic digs for some star gazing and out door fire placing sitting.
Wednesday 2/7
Spent the day on pavement running west of Terlingua Ghost Town and Lahitas on the US 170 River Road that snakes between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park. Lots of awesome views. This is a "Must Do" drive. It runs along the Rio Grande River and winds its way between the 2 parks. Several short hikes along the route in incuding Hoodoos and some others. Had lunch down by the river.
Thursday 2/8
Headed back over to Big Bend Ranch State Park. Different world over there. Much more primitive. The Park Rangers drive Jeep Rubicons with satellite communications. The motto over there is "Bring 2 Spares". My motto is "Have Really Good Heavy Duty Sidewalls". With a 6-8 ply side wall load range E tire, you should be fine if your tires are in pretty good shape. Not much hiking today, but we did make a trip to the Other Side of Nowhere in the big caldera over there. Long day driving over and back, but it was a good day.
Friday 2/9
Back to Big Bend NP to hike a trail in the Chisos Mountain Basin area. About 2 1/2 miles up a pretty steep incline, but it was well worth the hike. The trail runs up over 7,000' (in Texas????) but coming down, gravity is your friend. We saw several deer on the trail and they didn't seem to worried about us at all. Incredible views at every switchback, although it was cloudy that day up at the summit (can you say "summit" in Texas?) there were 360 degree panoramic views to be had. Best hike of the trip by far.
Saturday 2/10
Got up early for a breakfast burrito in the chilly morning air at an outdoor cafe in Terligua Ghost Town and headed back home. Good trip with great friends.
