On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
frosty
We left Florida westbound along I-10 with overnights along the way. We made two longer stops for a day trip to New Orleans and to see Austin and the Texas Hill Country.
We spent four days in Big Bend. A friend described it as “the least visited and most revisited National Park.” I’ve always contended you can’t get there until you’re retired because it’s at least a day’s drive away from any other route you’d be taking on a family cross-country vacation, and who’s got the time to spare? The eight pictures that follow are from all four days, from among the 266(!) I took.
This is the Park entrance road, with Chisos Mountains in the background.
On our second day, we drove into the mountains to the Chisos Basin, the heart of the park. Once there, we took a short walk on the Window View trail where there was a great view of the desert through a V-shaped gap in the rocks. This is one of the best places in the park to see a sunset.
The third day was an excursion on the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive through the park to the Rio Grande on the west side. There were a number of turnoffs, vistas, and short trails. The Burro Mesa Pouroff was a bit unusual, at least to me. Pouroffs are seasonal waterfalls that flow during flash floods, carving the rock behind them. It’s not often you can stand at the bottom of a waterfall and not get wet!
The drive ended at Santa Elena Canyon. This was the most stunning sight in the park. The canyon is a slot through this wall of limestone, rising 1,500 feet above the water. As the rest of the surface eroded, the harder limestone wall remained and the river cut through it.
The notch in the wall is the canyon.
A short (3/4 mile), steep trail led to the edge of the river inside the canyon. The guidebook said “be prepared for mud”. At least I didn’t lose my shoes when I lost my balance! This is the trailhead.
A view of the canyon from the trail. The border starts at the far shore of the river – the wall is in Mexico.
Our last day in the park was an exploration of the east side. We drove to Rio Grande Village (campground, visitor center, and store, basically) and checked out the turnouts, side roads, and a couple of short hikes. They included this river overlook from the Boquillas Canyon Trail.
The Last Word On EMP
J R in WV
Just WOW!
Almost enough to get me back into Texas…
But not quite.
Great photos, thanks for sharing!
Good night, all.
Auntie Anne
Now I am sorry I never got to Big Bend. Thanks for the marvelous pictures!
feloniousferb
Loved the pictures! Haven’t been there since 1998, my one and only visit. Loved seeing that canyon again! Thank you!
matryoshka
Thanks for sharing the photos. I was scheduled to go there for a week in April with REI but my trip got cancelled because of COVID. Beautiful place! Still hope to get there. . .some day.
susanna
A dramatic, desolate landscape that’s lushly designed by nature’s decorator.
You captured this spot of beauty. It’s begging me to feel a sense of my own expanse and humility at the same time.
Thank you.
Elizabelle
Beautiful. Thank you, frosty.
?BillinGlendaleCA
I’ve heard that it is very dark there, these things intrigue me.
Elma
Loved my visit to Big Bend. It is, in fact, very dark there at night. Great star gazing.
frosty
@?BillinGlendaleCA: It’s supposed to be a Dark Sky Park but I’ve seen better. Could have been the weather, haze, clouds, etc.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@frosty: Just checked the light pollution map, that’s as dark as it gets, must have been clouds.
Wapiti
We went to Big Bend over Columbus Day one year. Freak weather*: We basically hiked through a cloud bank the first day, seeing nothing like these gorgeous pictures. Before we finished hiking it got colder and started raining. We were in shorts and freezing. Overnight it snowed/sleeted. We went to get breakfast at the lodge at about 8 and by the time we finished they had closed the road out of the park because 5 vehicles had spun out on the iced road. They finally opened the road at about 2 pm and we dragged our butts back to Austin. I might try it again, after the ‘Rona.
* A cold front plunging down from Canada meets a wet front coming north.
cintibud
Another place to add to the bucket list
lgerard
I was there probably 40 years ago. We camped on the banks of the river and took a rubber raft trip through the Boquillas Canyon. The abandoned mercury mine was also interesting. There were many wild horses and donkeys running around as well. The cacti were amazing after a brief rain.
Elizabelle
Big Bend Park is 100 miles from Marfa. I would love to see that, too.
Mart
We went their over spring break. The teenage girls protested the hiked up the mountians, but understood once we got to the top and the views were amazing. Who knew they have mountains in TX? Spring break timing was cool as the cacti were blooming. If not too draughty take a canoe trip. (Wonder if can do that now with homeland security? )
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Elizabelle: Big Bend is 100 from anything.
eclare
I was there once for a few days, it is magical. Big Bend also has little light pollution, I saw so many shooting stars!
SmallAxe
Great shots sir. Was there 30 years ago, it’s a great park. Also has the distinction of being the only place in the US where peyote grows naturally along the river, so it’s got that going for it too ;)
frosty
@Mart: There are outfitters that will take you down the Rio Grande. They were shut down by the ‘Rona the day after we got there (not that it was in our plans anyway). I expect they’ll be back in business once Texas gets things under control. If ever.
Sherparick
Thanks for the great pictures. I look forward to visiting, particularly enjoying that dark, starry sky.
waynel140
Thank you for showing me a part of my home state which I’ve never visited. Another reason to be proud, but not enough to overcome the shame of our politics.
debbie
Just beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
Cowrey
Visited Big Bend NP in early November 2018. Our first time there, won’t be the last. Window View was our first hike where we needed to criss-cross the surprisingly full stream a few times to reach the Window. Folks with good intentions kept warning us about getting too close to the Window as the stream could sweep us over the cliff. Next we hiked the Lost Mine to the top. Kind of crowded but the views that morning were beautiful. It was fun watching tourists climbing up spires to the top for a photo and then realizing that getting down was going to be really difficult. We planned on doing Emory Peak Trail the 3rd day but the cloud cover that rolled in over night was so thick and wet at the campground elevation we figured the hike would be worse. Packed up and headed out. Hopefully the park will open by November so we can visit again.
Yellow Dog
Great pics! We went almost every year from 1998-2006, and I’ve been plotting my return. A few side trips that are well worth the time and mileage: The 50 mile drive along the Rio Grande from Lajitas (20 miles from Big Bend National Park) to Presidio, known as El Camino del Rio, is absolutely spectacular. You can then turn north toward Marfa and have lunch, total round trip about 5 hours plus stops. You can’t quibble about driving time in west Texas!
Next, Fort Davis is about 125 miles from BBNP. The McDonald Observatory is located in the Davis Mountains just outside of town, and is operated by the University of Texas. It’s currently closed to the public due to COVID, but in normal times they have evening Star Parties at the visitor center, including a presentation on current topics by a professional astronomer and the opportunity to do some viewing through some very nice telescopes provided by advanced amateurs.
Previously, it was possible to pay a fee and make reservations to look through the big telescopes in the observatories. Not sure when or if that will become available again. Anyway, for anyone with an interest in astronomy it’s a terrific experience. You can find the website at https://mcdonaldobservatory.org.
frosty
@SmallAxe:
Damn! That wasn’t in my Fodor’s guide to National Parks!
lee
I’ve been there multiple times when growing up and in the Boy Scouts.
Our summer camp is located down there and our troop would take an additional trip down to raft down the Rio for a weekend.
I also took my oldest down there for a long weekend to get her scuba certified at Balmorra.
It really is a wonderful park.
dp
We spent this past Christmas at Big Bend, after making a commitment to take the time to get there. It was spectacular. Of course, this turned out to be the season LSU made the CFP, so we ended up making that wonderful drive from Lajitas up to Marfa, where we watched LSU dismantle Oklahoma. All in all, a wonderful trip, and we can’t wait to go back.