The Chisos Mountains practically erupt from the West Texas desert. The southernmost range in the United States, they rise from the heart of Big Bend National Park to form a natural amphitheater for some of the most breathtaking views in Texas.
On the first day of 2014, the sun was climbing beyond the Chisos’ eastern rim when I crawled from my tent in the shadows of the mountain basin. The sun’s golden rays struck the panorama of west-facing cliffs, and the fingerlike formations of volcanic rock gleamed red as the light swept across the ridge and banished the shadows.
It was the kind of view that stops you in your tracks. It distracts from the shivering cold, the need for coffee, and the fact that nature’s call is what drove you from your cozy tent in the first place. As the sun continued to climb through the cloudless blue sky, I marveled first at the awesome and immense beauty surrounding me, then at my own smallness in the face of it, and finally at my personal negligence: How was I just now seeing this place?
Well, for one thing, Big Bend is in the middle of nowhere. It is situated on the American side of a “big bend” in the Rio Grande, a stone’s throw from Mexico but a full day’s drive from the eastern half of Texas, where most of the state’s residents live. A small minority of Texans has made the pilgrimage to Big Bend, which remains one of the largest, most remote, and least-visited national parks in the United States.
Forget the crowds jostling each other for a glimpse of Old Faithful, Yosemite Falls or the Grand Canyon. Big Bend offers vastness and solitude at even peak times, which are mostly the spring break months of March and April, and October, when the scorching summer is giving way to the more temperate fall season. Although the park boasts more than 800,000 acres of Chihuahuan Desert, mountain woodlands and river habitat, only 275,000 people visited in all of 2013. To put those numbers in perspective, if every visitor had shown up on the same exact day last year, each person would have had three acres to him or herself.
Travelers who are willing to brave the distance and desert are rewarded with an experience that can be found nowhere else in Texas. They can amble down shady trails through narrow canyons, including spectacular Santa Elena, where the Rio Grande chisels a narrow, 1,500-feet-deep gorge through layers of bedrock. They can trek to the highest peaks, take driving tours through weird desert badlands within view of majestic mountains, relax in natural hot springs along the Rio Grande, or cross the river and ride a horse into the rustic Mexican village of Boquillas.
And while Big Bend has a reputation for extremes, appealing to hardy backpackers and others searching for solitude in a severe environment, the park also accommodates the less adventurous among us, with 123 miles of paved roads and a recently renovated lodge that features comfortable rooms, hot showers and serene views. Getting to the park isn’t the haul it used to be, either. In 2012, the Texas Department of Transportation increased speed limits for many West Texas highways to 80 mph.
After a day of driving, consider a rest in Marathon, about an hour north of the park. The dust-blown town of 430 people owes its continued existence to the travelers heading into Big Bend, and its centerpiece is the Gage Hotel, a historic lodge outfitted in elegant Southwestern style. During my recent visit, the Gage was a little beyond our price range, so my girlfriend and I went down the street and dropped $10 on a lovely campsite behind the Marathon Motel. After setting up camp we headed back to the Gage and warmed up by the fire at the cozy White Buffalo Bar, and we split a buffalo burger under the watchful eyes of an enormous white bison whose wooly head was mounted to the brick wall.
Shirley’s Burnt Biscuit served up comfort food for breakfast. The only gas station in town was plumb out of fuel, but we had enough in the tank to get us into the park—the vehicle entrance fee is $20—and to the fuel pumps at Panther Junction near Big Bend’s northern end.
We were surrounded by desert hills rolling in all directions, studded with spiky sotol, creosote bushes and 65 varieties of cactus, including beautiful purple pads that grew in clumps along the roadway. Then the road turned, and we began a winding ascent into the Chisos Mountains. The desert gave way to the magnificent red canyons and forest of piñon pines, oaks and other trees that thrive at the higher elevation. I had been expecting endless badlands, so the lushness of the mountain woodlands came as a pleasant surprise. Because the elevation there varies so extremely, from about 1,800 feet along the Rio Grande to 7,832 feet at Emory Peak, the mountains trap the passing clouds and receive enough rainfall to support a diverse range of trees, flowers, and critters such as black bear and deer. It is also about the only place in Texas to see the Mexican jay, a pretty blue bird that is native to mountain ranges of Mexico.
We easily found a $14 campsite in the first-come, first-serve Chisos Basin campground, and although we were apprehensive about sleeping in a tent with low temperatures dropping into the mid-20s, we burrowed into two blankets and four sleeping bags and were just fine. Daytime temperatures climbed into the upper 60s, perfect for a long stroll along the Window Trail, where water from the basin funnels through a narrow gap in the mountains and spills over a cliff to the desert far, far below.
Later, as evening approached on a peaceful New Year’s Eve, the patio of the Chisos Mountains Lodge offered the best view of the sun descending through the Window, and revelers celebrated with drinks and dinner inside the lodge restaurant. The volcanic canyons gleamed red in the setting sun, and soon all was dark, the night filled with stars.
First published in Texas Farm and Home.
385 responses to “Exploring Big Bend”
A motivating discussion is worth comment. I think that you ought to write more on this subject matter, it may not be a taboo subject but typically people do not discuss such topics. To the next! Best wishes!
Oh my goodness! Impressive article dude! Thanks, However I am encountering issues with your RSS. I don’t know the reason why I can’t join it. Is there anybody else getting similar RSS issues? Anyone who knows the answer will you kindly respond? Thanx.
I used to be able to find good information from your blog articles.
When I originally commented I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now whenever a comment is added I recieve 4 emails with the same comment. Perhaps there is a means you can remove me from that service? Thanks a lot.
That is a really good tip especially to those new to the blogosphere. Brief but very accurate information… Thank you for sharing this one. A must read post!
Pretty! This was an extremely wonderful post. Thank you for supplying this info.
It’s difficult to find experienced people about this subject, but you seem like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
Hi, I do think this is an excellent website. I stumbledupon it 😉 I may come back once again since i have book-marked it. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and continue to guide others.
This site was… how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally I have found something which helped me. Thanks.
I blog often and I truly appreciate your content. Your article has really peaked my interest. I am going to take a note of your site and keep checking for new information about once a week. I subscribed to your RSS feed as well.
After I originally left a comment I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on whenever a comment is added I receive 4 emails with the exact same comment. Is there a means you are able to remove me from that service? Cheers.
This article is a refreshing change! The author’s unique perspective and thoughtful analysis have made this a truly engrossing read. I’m grateful for the effort she has put into creating such an informative and thought-provoking piece. Thank you, author, for sharing your wisdom and stimulating meaningful discussions through your brilliant writing!
The next time I read a blog, Hopefully it doesn’t fail me as much as this one. After all, Yes, it was my choice to read through, but I actually thought you would have something interesting to talk about. All I hear is a bunch of complaining about something that you could possibly fix if you were not too busy looking for attention.
You have made some really good points there. I looked on the internet to learn more about the issue and found most people will go along with your views on this website.
There’s certainly a lot to know about this subject. I love all the points you made.
Hi there! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any issues with hackers? My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing several weeks of hard work due to no data backup. Do you have any methods to protect against hackers?
Hmm is anyone else encountering problems with the images on this blog loading? I’m trying to determine if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
fantastic points altogether, you just gained a new reader. What would you suggest in regards to your post that you made a few days ago? Any positive?
It is appropriate time to make some plans for the longer term and it is time to be happy. I’ve read this post and if I may just I desire to recommend you some fascinating things or advice. Maybe you could write next articles referring to this article. I wish to read more things about it!
You’ve made some good points there. I looked on the net to learn more about the issue and found most individuals will go along with your views on this site.
Hiya! I know this is kinda off topic however , I’d figured I’d ask. Would you be interested in trading links or maybe guest authoring a blog article or vice-versa? My website goes over a lot of the same subjects as yours and I believe we could greatly benefit from each other. If you’re interested feel free to shoot me an email. I look forward to hearing from you! Excellent blog by the way!
I have figured out some significant things through your blog post. One other stuff I would like to talk about is that there are many games in the marketplace designed in particular for preschool age young children. They contain pattern recognition, colors, wildlife, and designs. These generally focus on familiarization rather than memorization. This keeps children and kids occupied without feeling like they are learning. Thanks
Right now it appears like Expression Engine is the best blogging platform available right now. (from what I’ve read) Is that what you’re using on your blog?
I enjoy reading through an article that will make men and women think. Also, thank you for allowing for me to comment.
Aw, this was an extremely nice post. Taking a few minutes and actual effort to create a very good article… but what can I say… I put things off a whole lot and never seem to get anything done.
I love it when people get together and share views. Great site, stick with it.
bookmarked!!, I really like your site!
Hi there, I believe your web site could possibly be having browser compatibility issues. Whenever I look at your web site in Safari, it looks fine however, if opening in Internet Explorer, it’s got some overlapping issues. I merely wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other than that, wonderful website!
You should be a part of a contest for one of the finest blogs on the net. I’m going to highly recommend this website!
You made some good points there. I looked on the net to find out more about the issue and found most individuals will go along with your views on this site.
I love it whenever people get together and share views. Great blog, stick with it!
I was just searching for this information for some time. After six hours of continuous Googleing, at last I got it in your site. I wonder what is the lack of Google strategy that don’t rank this type of informative websites in top of the list. Usually the top sites are full of garbage.
You made some good points there. I looked on the internet to learn more about the issue and found most people will go along with your views on this website.
I wanted to thank you for this fantastic read!! I definitely loved every little bit of it. I have got you saved as a favorite to check out new things you post…
I appreciate, cause I found exactly what I was looking for. You’ve ended my 4 day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a great day. Bye
I enjoy reading an article that will make men and women think. Also, many thanks for allowing for me to comment.
Hello there! I could have sworn I’ve visited this site before but after browsing through a few of the posts I realized it’s new to me. Nonetheless, I’m definitely happy I discovered it and I’ll be book-marking it and checking back frequently.
I like it whenever people get together and share ideas. Great website, continue the good work!
This is the perfect blog for anybody who hopes to understand this topic. You know so much its almost tough to argue with you (not that I personally will need to…HaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a subject that’s been written about for many years. Great stuff, just great.
Hello there! I could have sworn I’ve been to this website before but after looking at a few of the articles I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m certainly happy I stumbled upon it and I’ll be bookmarking it and checking back often.
Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I appreciate you writing this write-up and the rest of the website is very good.
Having read this I thought it was really enlightening. I appreciate you finding the time and energy to put this informative article together. I once again find myself personally spending a lot of time both reading and leaving comments. But so what, it was still worthwhile.
Everything is very open with a precise clarification of the issues. It was definitely informative. Your website is very useful. Thank you for sharing!
Hello! I could have sworn I’ve visited this website before but after looking at many of the posts I realized it’s new to me. Regardless, I’m definitely pleased I came across it and I’ll be book-marking it and checking back frequently!
Great beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your site, how could i subscribe for a blog site? The account helped me a acceptable deal. I had been a little bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided bright clear concept
You’re so interesting! I don’t think I’ve truly read through a single thing like that before. So nice to find someone with some original thoughts on this issue. Seriously.. thank you for starting this up. This web site is one thing that is required on the web, someone with a little originality.
Howdy! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be ok. I’m undoubtedly enjoying your blog and look forward to new posts.
Good article! We are linking to this great article on our site. Keep up the good writing.
After looking into a number of the articles on your site, I really like your way of blogging. I saved it to my bookmark webpage list and will be checking back in the near future. Please visit my web site too and tell me what you think.
I blog quite often and I really thank you for your content. Your article has truly peaked my interest. I will take a note of your site and keep checking for new details about once per week. I opted in for your Feed too.