Blog Index

Monday, January 31, 2022

Sunset at The Window - Big Bend National Park


Here are a few images from sunset one evening in September 2021 on our visit to Big Bend National Park in Texas.






An entry fee of $30 per vehicle, $25 per motorcycle, or $15 per person is valid for seven consecutive days at Big Bend National Park. Other fee payment options include the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands passes including the Annual Pass ($80), Senior Pass ($80 for a lifetime), Access Pass (free with a documented disability), and Military Annual Pass (free for active-duty personnel). Also available is a Big Bend National Park Annual Park Pass for $55.

The Big Bend National Park website is https://www.nps.gov/bibe/index.htm.

Sunday, January 30, 2022

Drive from Basin Junction to Chisos Basin - Big Bend National Park


The short 6.3-mile road from Basin Junction to Chisos Basin passes through more varied habitats than any other road in Big Bend National Park. Starting in the north at 4000 feet elevation is the Chihuahuan Desert. The road quickly climbs into the Chisos Mountains with the highest elevation at Panther Pass (5679') before descending into the basin at 5352 feet. Leaving desert plants like ocotillo and creosote bush behind, the road climbs into an evolving forest around 5300 feet. The forest begins with hardy Gray Oak and Drooping Juniper and transitions through Pinon Pine to Arizona Pine and even Douglas Fir.

Lost Mine Peak (7535')

Three outcrops guarding the entrance to Chisos Basin

The long wall of Pulliam Peak

Casa Grande Peak (7325')

Unnamed outcrop guarding the left flank of Panther Pass

Rock outcrops on Lost Mine Peak

An entry fee of $30 per vehicle, $25 per motorcycle, or $15 per person is valid for seven consecutive days at Big Bend National Park. Other fee payment options include the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands passes including the Annual Pass ($80), Senior Pass ($80 for a lifetime), Access Pass (free with a documented disability), and Military Annual Pass (free for active-duty personnel). Also available is a Big Bend National Park Annual Park Pass for $55.

The Big Bend National Park website is https://www.nps.gov/bibe/index.htm.

Saturday, January 29, 2022

Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive Part 3 Retracing - Big Bend National Park


Returning to our vehicle after our aborted Santa Elena Canyon Trail hike, we drove back on the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive to its northeastern terminus at another paved road. We found the terrain had hidden several geologic features on the way down but revealed them to us on the way back. We visited in September 2021.

A last look back at Santa Elena Canyon

The Rio Grande floodplain

Desert Mountain Overlook


A short trail through Ocotillo to a scenic vista

Prickly Pear

The Chihuahuan Desert and the Chisos Mountains

Bee Mountain (3400' 4.25 miles), an unnamed hill near Burro Mesa (3663' 9.25 miles),
and Kit Mountain (3825' 6.6 miles)

Emory Peak (7825' 15.65 miles)

Kit Mountain (left) and Goat Mountain (center) below South Rim (7375' 15.4 miles)

Cerro Castellan


Cerro Castellan (3293' 1000' prominence)

An end-on view of Cerro Castellan

An unusual rock formation across the road from Cerro Castellan

Mule Ears


Mule Ears from the road

View from the Mule Ears Spring Trailhead

Goat Mountain


ADA ramp to the viewing area

Interpretive display

Goat Mountain

View from Chimneys Trailhead


Kit Mountain

Rattlesnake Mountains

Tule Mountain

Burro Mesa

Chisos Mountains

View from the Switchback


Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive below Burro Mesa
with the slanted Tule Mountain in the distance

Sotol Vista


Trap Mountain (center) and Goat Mountain (right)

Kit Mountain with Santa Elena Canyon beyond

The slanted top of Tule Mountain (left center)

Burro Mesa

An unnamed hill and rock formation

An entry fee of $30 per vehicle, $25 per motorcycle, or $15 per person is valid for seven consecutive days at Big Bend National Park. Other fee payment options include the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands passes including the Annual Pass ($80), Senior Pass ($80 for a lifetime), Access Pass (free with a documented disability), and Military Annual Pass (free for active-duty personnel). Also available is a Big Bend National Park Annual Park Pass for $55.

The Big Bend National Park website is https://www.nps.gov/bibe/index.htm.

Friday, January 28, 2022

Santa Elena Canyon Trail - Big Bend National Park


The Santa Elena Canyon is located at the end of the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. The Santa Elena Canyon Trail is rated as moderate with little elevation change and a round-trip distance of 1.7 miles. The park service mentions that one must cross Terlingua Creek. One the day we hiked, the creek was about waist deep. Other hikers walked out into the Rio Grande nearly to the Mexican side of the river on a series of stones and then made a sharp turn to continue following the stones to near the American side upstream from Terlingua Creek. Just before reaching land, they ran out of stepping stones and stepped into knee-deep water before scrambling up the bank and onto the trail. The total distance that hikers balanced on the rocks in the river was about 300 feet. For someone with balance issues, like me, that was a deal-breaker. However, we had a nice walk down to the sand and gravel beach. We enjoyed the view of the canyon from there. Parking is available for about a dozen vehicles. We visited in September 2021.

Warning signs at the trailhead

Informational sign at the trailhead

A boardwalk of sorts

Approaching the canyon

View downstream from the sand and gravel beach

Santa Elena Canyon with a line of rocks across the Rio Grande

Terlingua Creek

The US side of the canyon

The trail on the west side of Terlingua Creek

An entry fee of $30 per vehicle, $25 per motorcycle, or $15 per person is valid for seven consecutive days at Big Bend National Park. Other fee payment options include the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands passes including the Annual Pass ($80), Senior Pass ($80 for a lifetime), Access Pass (free with a documented disability), and Military Annual Pass (free for active-duty personnel). Also available is a Big Bend National Park Annual Park Pass for $55.

The Big Bend National Park website is https://www.nps.gov/bibe/index.htm.