The Best of Big Bend and Alpine’s Amazing Murals

 

Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park.

In Big Bend National Park the distances can be daunting. The Panther Junction visitor’s center is about 40 miles from the campground, so we opted to stop on the way in.  We figured since we had reservations, no need to hurry. Well about that.

The Rio Grande Village RV Campground (which is the only place in the national park with hookups to keep the pups cool) is run by Aramark, a concessionaire. I’d called to make reservations several days ago for 3 nights (5/12-5/15) and apparently the central reservations staff booked us into the wrong campground! They put us in Terlingua, over 50 miles away! Arrrrgh. It took about an hour to get everything squared away and spaces rebooked at the correct campground. Luckily, they were able to accommodate us, or we’d have been putting in some serious miles.

We had another roadrunner welcome us to our campsite, but really enjoyed seeing the javelinas at the campground near the RV park. Although they may look like pigs, please don’t insult them. Javelinas are peccaries and are as closely related to pigs as they are to hippopotamuses! Fun javelina facts – they have scent glands which are pretty pungent and used to mark territory and each other; each one’s nose is different just like our fingerprints; they are herbivores and eat prickly pear spines and all; they travel in large family groups of 10 or so; and they are generally not aggressive, although they can be fiercely defensive. Bob and Carole came back a few days later to see the javelinas and found these two coyotes lounging in a campsite. They look pretty chill. Lol.

I am not a pig!

These coyotes claimed a campsite for themselves. Lol.

On arrival day, 5/12, the temps were in the high 90’s, but we did see 104° before we left. Too, too hot! But still nothing like the 115°+ they hit after we left. That’s a hard pass. I will say the mornings and evenings were near perfect. We hiked a nearby nature trail though a wetland (yes, in the desert!) and then up a hill for a spectacular view of the sunset on the Rio Grande and the Sierra Del Carmen mountains. We also ran across a selection of fun little tchotchkes that enterprising Mexican entrepreneurs leave along the trail. Prices are marked and there was a container to leave the cash in – all on the honor system. Need I mention that a nicely done wire sculpture of a roadrunner found a new home? 😊

We were surprised by the lush wetland area,
although we are right next to the Rio Grande.

Up the hill to a sunset viewpoint.

Totally worth the climb!

Carole got the best sunset shots.

The Sierra Del Carmen mountains in the evening light.

Awesome views and shopping too! Lol.

Hey look! A roadrunner followed me home.

On Monday, 5/13, we were up early to visit the hot springs, the site of a popular resort in the early 1900’s. Several of the buildings are still intact and the foundation of the old bathhouse is a perfect place to soak in the hot spring water and then take a dip in the river. The guys decided to be total rebels and waded across the Rio Grande, crossing the border to stand in Mexico. Only one Mexican cow noticed, and he wasn’t impressed. Lol.

The resort was a popular destination for over
twenty years, closing in the 1940's.

Today, these were the only "guests" on site. Lol.

Lovely morning for a soak.

No passports! Book 'em, Dano.

We scrapped our plans for an afternoon hike when it hit 99°. We started planning activities for mornings and evenings and hiding out in the shade or air-conditioned coach during midday. After supper, we did a short hike in Boquillas Canyon. Between the shade from the canyon walls and a breeze across the waters of the Rio Grande, we were able to beat the heat.

Rog enters Boquillas Canyon.

The Rio Grande flows through the canyon.

The next morning, we drove five miles down Old Ore Road to the Ernst Tinajas. The road is now recommended for high clearance 4-wheel drive and experienced drivers only. Let’s just say it has gotten considerably rougher than when we did it with our front wheel drive CRV seven years ago. Lol. We were all in Bob and Carole’s GMC Acadia, which is all wheel drive. Bob did a great job navigating some really rough road, although he and Rog did get out to scout some of the more hairy spots and filled in a one really deep hole with rocks before we proceeded. Consider it an adventure. Lol.

The guys did a little roadwork before proceeding.

The hike is totally worth the drive though. The word tinaja is Spanish for "large earthenware jar" and in Big Bend it refers to natural water holes, usually formed by erosion. The trail takes you up a dry wash, over limestone stair steps to a 13 ft deep steep-sided basin that holds water year-round. Although the water is tempting, it can also be a trap. Often animals will fall in and be unable to climb out and eventually drown.  The biggest draw for me are the amazing, folded limestone walls and incredible colors, stripes of purple, white, yellow and crystal. It’s one of my favorite spots in the park. Another fun feature, just past the tinajas, there is a super cool chimney that you can climb up into. It’s quite the rock lovers playground!

There's a short hike through a dry wash.

Past wildly folded limestone walls.

The path narrows as you approach the tinjas.

Looking into the steep-sided basin.

And the colors are absolutely amazing!!!

I could sit and ogle the colors and twisted layers for hours.

But there's so much to explore!

Climbing up into the chimney.
You can see sky through the opening at the top.
And it's a fun place for a selfie. Lol. 

The Chisos is the only mountain range contained entirely within a National Park. A visitor center is located in the Chisos Basin, a large depression situated at 5401ft of elevation. Our last day in Big Bend was Wednesday, 5/15, and we drove up into the Chisos through barren, scrubby desert, through grasslands, past leafy shrubs, and finally reached the forests of the Chisos Basin. The area is about 10-20 degrees cooler and gets twice the annual rainfall of the surrounding desert and supports a unique ecosystem of plants and wildlife. Here you’ll find deer, bear, and mountain lions. (Sadly, we saw no wildlife other than birds, a few squirrels, and a solitary lizard. Lol.) There are lots of hiking trails in the area, and we chose to do the the short Window View trail and the 2-mile Chisos Basin Loop trail.

Case Grande rises above the Chisos Basin.

From the Window View trail.

This little woodpecker found a tasty treat.

The cholla are blooming in the Basin.

The usual suspects. 😉

We were sad to depart Big Bend, but we had one more fun thing to do. On the way out of the park we stopped at the Fossil Discovery Exhibit. The main focus of the exhibit is the ancient marine life that once lived in the region, including sea turtles, crocodiles, and ancient sharks. One highlight of the display is the life-sized model of a Deinosuchus – a giant crocodile that lived 75 million years ago, grew up to 33 feet long and weighed in at over five tons!

A full sized Deinosuchus.

Everybody's favorite - T. Rex.

Replica of a femur bone (Rog for scale) from an Alamosaurus found in Big Bend.

Try not to get eaten by an ancient crocodile, it's quite uncomfortable. Lol.

Fun fossils and great views too!

We had just one night scheduled back in Alpine at the Lost Alaskan RV Park. I took the opportunity catch up on my domestic goddess duties, plus we gave the dogs a bath and washed the rigs.  Alpine has more than 40 murals and Bob and Carole drove into town to see how many they could find. Carole took some great pics, so you can thank her for sharing. Here is just a sampling. Their favorite was, “Deep in the Art of Alpine, TX”, how many can you identify?

The short bus gets a much needed bath.

Alpine murals...

...there are soooo many!

"Deep in the Art of Alpine, Texas"
This one was Bob and Carole's favorite.

Jimi Hendrix, ZZ Top, Willie Nelson...
How many famous people do you see??

From here we head to the Davis Mountains where we have some really unique activities planned. Stay tuned!

Living it up in Lajitas!

 

View from our campsite in Lajitas, TX.

Together Big Bend Ranch State Park and Big Bend National Park in Texas cover a staggering 1,112,163 acres (that’s 1,737 square miles!). Needless to say, we had a lot of ground to cover. We opted to stay in Lajitas, which sits between the two parks, about a mile from the state park entrance and 16 miles from the national park’s west entrance.  Lajitas is a fun little resort area. You gotta love a place that has a goat for mayor. Lol. The Honorable Clay Henry is always available for a photo op, although I don’t think he’s above taking bribes. The original mayor was known for his beer drinking habit, although I saw no evidence of that with the current mayor. Lol.

The Honorable Clay Henry, Mayor of Lajitas. 
I'd vote for him!

We arrived at the Maverick RV Park, which is part of the Lajitas Golf Resort on Thursday, 5/9. It’s hard to fathom an internationally acclaimed golf resort in the middle of nowhere in the desert, but here we are. Lol. The RV park has some nice amenities and the resort is gorgeous.

Ok, this does not suck. 

The RV park had a lot of nice amenties...

...and an excellent welcoming committee! Lol. 

Not what you expect to find in the desert!

The resort was lovely, and open to anyone staying at the RV park.

In the afternoon, we drove to the Barton Warnock Museum and Environmental Education Center, which doubles as the visitor’s center for Big Bend Ranch State Park. They have extensive displays on the area’s history and geology. Then we drove through the state park to show Bob and Carole the campsites at Upper Madera, where’d we’d hoped to stay before deciding we needed a place with hookups. We also wanted to scout the Rio Grande to see if we could kayak. We were shocked to find there was no river flowing! There were isolated pockets of water, but absolutely no way you could float it. You’d end up carrying the kayak more often than paddling it!

The Barton Warnock Center was extremely informative.

Big Bend Ranch State Park.

Some sections of the Rio Grande had water, others were totally dry.

For dinner, we drove to the town of Terlingua, about 12 miles away, one of our very favorite places in the area. Once a thriving mining town, with a population of 3000 in the early 1900’s, it became a ghost town after the mines shut down in the 1940’s. In the 1960’s the area was repopulated by “modern pioneers” (naturalists, river guides, musicians, and artists).  They started a co-op and repurposed many of the abandoned ruins. The roof was gone from the old theater, so they turned it into an open-air venue for parties, concerts and theatrical productions (hence the name “Starlight Theater”). In the 1990's, the theater got a face lift and now it’s a lively restaurant and bar.  Today there are several eateries, lodging, art galleries and shops, but the town still has a fun, funky vibe that we love.

Terlingua has lots of public art and ruins.

Rog chose the Starlight Theater for his celebratory birthday dinner. Live music, good food, a historic venue, and the original Clay Henry, Mayor of Lajitas, was present to officiate. Perfect! Rog and I opted for the antelope burgers – not something you see on the menu often and very tasty too.

The Starlight Theater.

The original beer-guzzling Mayor of Lajitas resides at the Starlight Theater. Lol.

Good food and live music too at the Starlight.

On Friday, 5/10, we did the 30-mile Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. Returning on the 14-mile dirt Old Maverick Road (which we did) creates a not-to-be-missed scenic loop through the western part of Big Bend National Park. At our first stop, the Sam Nail Ranch, we found a note at the trailhead saying there was a momma bear and two cubs at the well at 11am. We got there about 11:30am and were thrilled to see the momma and her cubs on the hillside across from the ranch. They were tearing into the yucca plants, eating the tender shoots in the middle. We watched them for quite a while as they made their way up the ridge. The old windmill is still pumping, supplying water for animals and nourishing a greenbelt where the ranch house once stood. We saw bear prints and some dismembered yucca plants near the well, evidence of the bear’s earlier visit.   

So thankful someone left this note!

Seeing this momma bear and her two cubs
was the highlight of our day! 

Old adobe walls of the original ranch house.

The windmill still pumps water creating an oasis in the desert.

Bear snacks. 

We stopped at many of the points of interest along the scenic drive: Goat Mountain, Mule Ears View Point, and Tuff Canyon. The Castolon Visitor’s Center was closed for the summer, but there were some interesting historic exhibits showing there had been cotton fields and a working cotton gin nearby.

Goat Mountain.

The aptly named Mule Ears. 

Looking down into Tuff Canyon.

Castolon Peak

Machinery from the old cotton gin.

We hiked into Santa Elena Canyon, but the river was completely dried up in several places. The monsoons are July through September and until then there’s no river to float. It’s an incredible change from our visit in February 2017, when the river filled the canyon. We stopped along the Old Maverick Road at a small dwelling where farmer Gilberto Luna raised his large family. He lived there until 1947 when he died at the age of 108. His home is built from rock, earth, and plant fibers, this type of dwelling is called a jacal and is well adapted for desert living.

February 2017 and May 2024
What a difference!

Mud flats instead of a flowing river.

Santa Elena Canyon.

It was a lovely hike, but no kayaking today! 

Luna's Jacal.

We ended our drive at the Thirsty Goat Saloon in the Lajitas Golf Resort. When we were here seven years ago, we met India, who was 74 at the time, at the Terlingua Community Market. She asked if we’d seen the painting of the naked lady above the bar at the Thirsty Goat and told us she’d posed for it when she was a lot younger.  We’d never made it in, so a visit was high on our list. The bartender said there are many stories, but no one knows for sure who the lady in the painting really is. I did find a 2017 review that mentioned the painting of “India”. Did we really meet the mystery woman in the painting? We’ll never know for sure.

Group selfie at the Thirsty Goat.

Did we meet the mysterious woman who graces the bar? Maaaaaybe. 

We started off Saturday, 5/11, at the Terlingua Community Market and scored some amazing baked goods and homemade goat’s milk soap. Maybe the Mayor’s wife contributed? Lol. We grabbed an iced latte at Espresso y Poco Mas where we were visited by a friendly roadrunner.

The Terlingua Community Market is tiny, but well worth a visit.

We needed some coffee to go with our baked goods from the market.

This little beggar was interested in our chocolate chip cookies.
(I told you there would be more roadrunner pics. Lol)

Then we headed for the backdoor of Big Bend National Park. We’d explored this area in 2017 when we were on a hunt for the Red Buffalo, an elusive pictograph. We never did find it, but fell in the love with the area and were excited to share it with Bob and Carole. Ginormous red rock boulders cleaved from the canyon walls are scattered about. We hiked as far as the spring and found some petroglyphs and pictographs, as well as grinding holes that were made by the early native peoples who lived in the area. It's just like a giant playgound and so much fun to explore.

The back door of Big Bend National Park.

Boulder field.

This puts things into perspective.

Petroglyphs along with some 1902 graffiti (L) and Pictographs (R).

Ancient stone mortars.

Love the balanced rocks. They look like huge mushrooms. Lol.

This is a really fun area to explore.

Hello!

Tell me this doesn't look like a giant dinosaur egg!

The spring is just a trickle but a welcome source of water.

2017 and 2024
I found my rock again!!

After a couple of hours in the sun, we were hot and tired and eagerly anticipating a cold beverage and big plate of BBQ at DB’s Rustic Iron BBQ – another place we remember fondly from our time here in 2017. We were extremely disappointed to find it was closed on a Saturday. What?? Turns out DB had been up early to make a bunch of brisket and chicken which he donated to a local festival and was closed for the day.

One of the bakers we met at the Terlingua Community Market had told us about the Voices from Both Sides, a celebration held annually on Mother’s Day weekend. It’s like a giant family reunion where folks from both sides of the border can wade across the Rio Grande and mingle. There were food booths, live music, and lots of folks having a great time on both sides of the border. We picked up some of DB’s chicken (sadly, the brisket was long gone) and took it back to the rig for a late lunch.

Voices from Both Sides .
A wonderful time sharing food, music and fun across the border.

We even managed to score some of DB's chicken. 

Sunday, 5/12, was our moving day, but we were only going 60 miles to Rio Grande Village RV Campground in Big Bend National Park. We opted to get up early, so we could squeeze in the Closed Canyon hike before moving to our next spot. Closed Canyon isn’t quite a slot canyon, but its tall walls provide shade in the narrow canyon. The first part of the hike is through a sandy wash in full sun, entering the cool shade of the canyon is a relief and beautiful too, with curving walls towering on both sides of the narrow wash. The hike isn’t long, but it does involve some climbing. Up and down over boulders and pour overs. We did this hike the last time we visited the park and turned around at the exact same spot, at a steep pour over, below a big choke stone. This time there was a chain and sign indicating it was the end of the trail. I know some people have hiked past that point to the Rio Grande, but without ropes it would be hard to get back up. Guess the park service got tired of rescuing poorly equipped hikers and decided to mark the end of the trail. Lol. 

Walking into Closed Canyon.

Rog navigates around a boulder.

Bob and Carole descend a pour-over. 

Further into the canyon we go.

Rog and Bob stand on a giant choke stone.

We made it to the end of the trail.

After our hike, we went back to the campground and then left around noon for our next destination in Big Bend National Park. More national park awesomeness coming your way!