piper01
Member
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2013
- Messages
- 182
Nov 24-25, 2016
I had the unexpected opportunity to visit Big Bend National Park over Thanksgiving. The park hadn't been on my radar, but a week or two before Thanksgiving a friend declared he wanted to go camping and managed to pull together me and two others to join him. The timing worked out; he was taking the entire week off work, so he went out early to grab a campsite while the rest of us started the drive out Wednesday afternoon after work. The route from Houston was simple: drive 500 miles west on I-10, then another 100 miles south on US-385. After a brief overnight nap in the car, we finally made it to the park Thursday morning.
Our first look at the Chisos Mountains as we drove through the park.
After reuniting with our friend at the visitor center, we continued the drive to our first hike: the Window Trail.
We saw neither mountain lions nor the elusive stick people.
Chisos Mountains, consisting of volcanic rocks
Nice, easy to follow trail
Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids!
Soon we encountered the creek, with flowing water this time of year.
View through "The Window" at the pouroff marking the end of the trail.
The return hike
After the hike, we climbed back in our vehicles for the drive to Cottonwood Campground. Along the way, the road passed this neat perpendicular intersection of a dike through the country rock.
We set up our tents and scarfed down our Thanksgiving feast of ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, and homemade apple pie, then settled in for a little stargazing before bed. Probably one of the best Thanksgivings I've had!
We woke up dark and early the next morning to drive to one of the nearby overlooks to watch the sunrise with hot cocoa, coffee, and muffins.
After a stop back at camp for second breakfast (ham and eggs!), we set off for Santa Elena Canyon, our first hike of the day.
I loved the juxtaposition of the new green growth next to the old brown growth.
Cactus, in detail.
The Rio Grande. To the right is Mexico, to the left is the US.
The river running between the limestone walls of Santa Elena Canyon
Water running down the rock left this cool pattern. It looked like it should have been textured, but it was all smooth to the touch.
Iron concretions in the limestone
Spider dance
Fossiliferous limestone
Hiking back. The clouds that had lent themselves to such a beautiful sunrise now resulted in an overcast morning.
The mighty Rio Grande.
Onward to our next hike: Ernst Tinaja! The road was labeled as a 4WD road, but was in good enough condition that any high-clearance vehicle could drive it. I even saw a BMW sedan on the road; must have been a rental.
Flowers at the start of the hike.
Soon, the colors started appearing in the rock: reds, pinks, oranges, and purples.
Tiny faults!
We slowly meandered through this section, stopping often to examine the many folds and colors.
Faults and folds.
Ernst Tinaja
Fault gouge in a zone at least a foot wide
Looking back in the direction from which we had come
More colors
With plenty of light left, we continued on upcanyon, climbing over some minor obstacles.
The first big obstacle: a dryfall which we easily chimneyed up.
It was followed by several other small dryfalls and big ledges to clamber up, one requiring a helpful hand from a taller member of the group.
Fossils!
The canyon walls opened back up, and we were back to easy(ish) walking.
Spider
The return trip back downcanyon, negotiating the rock at the top of the first big dryfall.
Then an easy slide down. Whee!
Late afternoon sun
And back at the tinaja
Just one more picture of the folded rocks, I promise!
Enrst Tinaja was by far my favorite hike of the trip, with the colorful folded rocks and the scrambling upcanyon. I give it two thumbs up!
Quick stop in the late afternoon light at the Boquillas overlook, then onward to the hot springs for a relaxing soak.
Sunset on the walk out the the hot springs, a great end to a great day.
***
part 2 here: http://backcountrypost.com/threads/big-bend-national-park-thanksgiving-2016-part-2.6426/
I had the unexpected opportunity to visit Big Bend National Park over Thanksgiving. The park hadn't been on my radar, but a week or two before Thanksgiving a friend declared he wanted to go camping and managed to pull together me and two others to join him. The timing worked out; he was taking the entire week off work, so he went out early to grab a campsite while the rest of us started the drive out Wednesday afternoon after work. The route from Houston was simple: drive 500 miles west on I-10, then another 100 miles south on US-385. After a brief overnight nap in the car, we finally made it to the park Thursday morning.
Our first look at the Chisos Mountains as we drove through the park.
After reuniting with our friend at the visitor center, we continued the drive to our first hike: the Window Trail.
We saw neither mountain lions nor the elusive stick people.
Chisos Mountains, consisting of volcanic rocks
Nice, easy to follow trail
Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids!
Soon we encountered the creek, with flowing water this time of year.
View through "The Window" at the pouroff marking the end of the trail.
The return hike
After the hike, we climbed back in our vehicles for the drive to Cottonwood Campground. Along the way, the road passed this neat perpendicular intersection of a dike through the country rock.
We set up our tents and scarfed down our Thanksgiving feast of ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, and homemade apple pie, then settled in for a little stargazing before bed. Probably one of the best Thanksgivings I've had!
We woke up dark and early the next morning to drive to one of the nearby overlooks to watch the sunrise with hot cocoa, coffee, and muffins.
After a stop back at camp for second breakfast (ham and eggs!), we set off for Santa Elena Canyon, our first hike of the day.
I loved the juxtaposition of the new green growth next to the old brown growth.
Cactus, in detail.
The Rio Grande. To the right is Mexico, to the left is the US.
The river running between the limestone walls of Santa Elena Canyon
Water running down the rock left this cool pattern. It looked like it should have been textured, but it was all smooth to the touch.
Iron concretions in the limestone
Spider dance
Fossiliferous limestone
Hiking back. The clouds that had lent themselves to such a beautiful sunrise now resulted in an overcast morning.
The mighty Rio Grande.
Onward to our next hike: Ernst Tinaja! The road was labeled as a 4WD road, but was in good enough condition that any high-clearance vehicle could drive it. I even saw a BMW sedan on the road; must have been a rental.
Flowers at the start of the hike.
Soon, the colors started appearing in the rock: reds, pinks, oranges, and purples.
Tiny faults!
We slowly meandered through this section, stopping often to examine the many folds and colors.
Faults and folds.
Ernst Tinaja
Fault gouge in a zone at least a foot wide
Looking back in the direction from which we had come
More colors
With plenty of light left, we continued on upcanyon, climbing over some minor obstacles.
The first big obstacle: a dryfall which we easily chimneyed up.
It was followed by several other small dryfalls and big ledges to clamber up, one requiring a helpful hand from a taller member of the group.
Fossils!
The canyon walls opened back up, and we were back to easy(ish) walking.
Spider
The return trip back downcanyon, negotiating the rock at the top of the first big dryfall.
Then an easy slide down. Whee!
Late afternoon sun
And back at the tinaja
Just one more picture of the folded rocks, I promise!
Enrst Tinaja was by far my favorite hike of the trip, with the colorful folded rocks and the scrambling upcanyon. I give it two thumbs up!
Quick stop in the late afternoon light at the Boquillas overlook, then onward to the hot springs for a relaxing soak.
Sunset on the walk out the the hot springs, a great end to a great day.
***
part 2 here: http://backcountrypost.com/threads/big-bend-national-park-thanksgiving-2016-part-2.6426/
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