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Published: February 2nd 2018
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North East Entrance Sign
Start of 45 MPH, seems like walking after 70. I want to say right up front the pictures don't do justice to the view; the park is breathtaking in size, distance, and unique beauty. Words and pictures can't begin to describe it! The park is a little like driving along the bottom of the grand canyon, at the canyon we saw the river and surrounding land from high above. In this park, we are at the river level and looking up at the mountain ranges surrounding us. One of the first things we noticed when entering the park is what is not there...fences. Since leaving the San Antonio area, we have not seen a single stretch of land without a fence and private property sign. Some of these ranches cover many miles along the road and as far off as the horizon. I don't think there is a acre of unfenced space in the millions of acres out here, besides the National Park. When we entered the park (North east side) it was about a 25 mile ride to the nearest ranger station, where we looked at maps and planned our drive through the park. Our first drive, was a 24 mile trip down to the Rio Grande, the views
changed along the way, but it remained a desert. Down by the river, we stopped at an overlook where we could look across to a small Mexican village and few folks hanging out along the river bank. At the overlook, someone had set out some trinkets and beadwork for sale, it was the honor system because no one was there to pay, probably a Mexican over on a day trip since there is a border crossing in the park. The river bank's lush green bamboo and grasses provided a stark change from an otherwise brown country side. There is an RV park and campground right on the river, they have bear proof boxes for campers to store food, bears and cougars are very common in the park. On the way back from the river, we took an off road excursion to the hot springs. The road provided an opportunity to use the Colorado's 4WD along a very narrow dirt trail with a cliff side on the right and a 8 foot drop off on the left, it was a little nerve racking but not unsafe. The walking trail to the springs was lovely, with a few abandoned buildings from long
ago, a cliff wall with mud bird nests under outcroppings, and an old hot spring (water 106 degrees) at the end of the trail. Mi Hyon jumped in and soaked a while, but I had to head back to the truck and check on Maggie. It got up to 81 degrees in the park and it's a 15 minute hike to the spring. There was a breeze and I left the windows cracked so she was fine, but I didn't want to leave her for more then 30 minutes. On the next leg we drove around to the west side of the park, the land changed to a little more grassland prairie, but was still very dry. By now it was 4PM and time to head back 80 miles to the RV. In the park the speed limit is a strictly enforced 45, so the first 20 miles home was long...the rest was 70. Mi Hyon decided not to pee at the last station, boy that was a mistake...there is no where to stop for the 80 miles. I mean not a single store, shop, gas station, nothing...until we came upon a picnic area. No facilities, but there were some
trees and a rain wash (ditch) for privacy. Better than the alternative :-)
I forget to mention in my previous West Texas blog entries, that the speed limits (70, 75, and 80) really allow a person to travel a good distance to places of interest. It's funny though, I saw several people getting speeding tickets on a 75 MPH 2-lane road. I was going 75 and a guy blew past me only to get caught 1 mile up the road. Isn't 75 fast enough? I know 80 wasn't for some folks. In the RV, I go 62-65 in spite of the 80 MPH limit. We made it home safely and plan a shorter day for tomorrow.
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Julie
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mountains
It looks like a cool area but very desolate. Like you say lots of brown! What an adventure you are on.