Big Bend, Colors and Ghost Towns

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Big Bend National Park

The Big Bend Park gets its name from its location on the Rio Grande where it makes a northward turn. Due to its location, this is not a park that people arrive at when they are on their way somewhere else. People that arrive at Big Bend are here because this is their destination. The bend of the Rio Grande is big, but so is the park. It encompasses 801,163 acres, the Chihuahuan Desert and the Chisos Mountains. The park has Mexican black bears that reintroduced themselves into the park. The Peregrine population is the only Peregrines in the country that did not have to be reintroduced. They survived the decimation of the species that occurred elsewhere in the country. Also in the park are mountain lions, javelinas (hav-uh-LEE-nuhs), assorted other wildlife and over 400 species of birds.

We originally camped on the east side of the park. While in that area we visited the Boquillas Canyon, the Hot Springs area and the Dugout Wells. When we first arrived the landscape seemed very barren. The longer we stayed here, the more I see and appreciate the different plants and their adaptations to the environment. We went on some Ranger walks or to programs put on by either Rangers or volunteers. They were on a variety of topics and have all been enjoyable and informative. The weather has varied from warm to freezing. One afternoon we were walking a trail in short sleeves and feeling rather warm. The next night we were bundled in winter coats and blankets at a presentation in the evening. The temperature at night has frequently been in the 30’s, but the daytime is in the 60’s. The humidity has been between 6 and 11 percent.

One night I took the dogs out for their last outing. Behind the RV there was a nice grassy area and beyond that a variety of plants and a more natural area. The area was extremely dark and the beam of my flashlight was feeble. Neeko stopped abruptly and growled towards the bushes. Lizzie was busy smelling something on the ground behind us. She doesn’t hear very well anymore, so remained oblivious to Neeko’s growl. He repeats the growl and it really spooked me, so we made a beeline for the RV. We got George and a brighter light and headed for a better lit area. I couldn’t see what Neeko was growling about, but it’s a good idea to listen to anyone with more acute senses!

The central area of the park is where the Chisos Mountains are located. We have visited that area while we have been camped on either side of the park. There is a lodge and restaurant in that area and is a busier place. There was a TV in the shop and it caught our attention. It had CNN on, so it was fascinating to briefly see what had been going on in the world outside of the park. Also there is no cell phone service in most of the park. We did learn where we could pick up a signal, but it was 21 miles from where we were camped. One of the Rangers commented on how nice it is to not have cell phone service, so no boss can call during the day while they are out in the park.

The west side of the park is different from the other areas. There are badlands that have formed in the last 60 years due to erosion. We are now camped outside the western end of the park at Study Butte/Terlingua. We drove the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, visited the Homer Wilson Blue Creek Ranch, the Castolon area, and the Santa Elena Canyon.

One of the interesting evening events is watching the mountains turn a lovely deep pink. Then it seems that abruptly they are gray. It is like the color has been switched off!!

One afternoon we took a scenic drive to Presidio. This was a drive that we wouldn’t do with the RV as it involved a mile long 15% grade. I was surprised to see green fields and farms. According to “Off the Beaten Path” this area is the self proclaimed onion capital of the world.

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Photos

View from Chisos Mountains
Big Bend NP has different, distint areas. Here we were in the Chisos Mountain area. It was nicely cooler in this area.

Sierra del Carmen at sunset
This was the view of the mountains from our campground. They are located across the Rio Grande in Coahuila, Mexico.

Rio Grande
View from our hike to the Boquillas Canyon.

Chihuahuan Desert
There are 4 distinct deserts in the US. Each is different with unique plants. I was surprised by how different the Chihuahuan desert looked compared to the Sonoran desert in Arizona.

Petroglyphs
These were located near the Hot Springs area.

Sniffing creosote
This plant smells like an old chimney. To smell it on a dry day, cup some leaves, exhale on it, then inhale. On a humid day when some rain is coming, the air smells like this plant.

Towing a what???
This was a surprise when we were near Santa Elena Canyon. It was a chopper from a news station.

Old gas pump
This pump wasn't designed for the new higher prices.

Comments

[Sharron Probyn]

Love your blogs!
Hi Lynn and George, I'm enjoying your blogs and seeing many pictures of places Joyce and I were at in 1996. We didn't get to Big Bend, however, because when we were there they would not allow dogs in the park. Guess that has changed (for the better). They told us it was because there were so many mountain lions roaming....and were dogs were great appetizers. So it is nice to see the pictures. When I took the first blog up to Joyce she just grinned from ear to ear. She gets such a kick out me reading them to her and showing her the pictures. A little less bordom in her life! Glad you are having a good time but it sounds a bit cool although I suppose not unseasonable for this time of year. Take care and give the "kids" a hug for us. Sharron