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.
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| A last look back at Santa Elena Canyon |
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| The Rio Grande floodplain |
Desert Mountain Overlook
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| A short trail through Ocotillo to a scenic vista |
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| Prickly Pear |
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| The Chihuahuan Desert and the Chisos Mountains |
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| Bee Mountain (3400' 4.25 miles), an unnamed hill near Burro Mesa (3663' 9.25 miles), and Kit Mountain (3825' 6.6 miles) |
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| Emory Peak (7825' 15.65 miles) |
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| Kit Mountain (left) and Goat Mountain (center) below South Rim (7375' 15.4 miles) |
Cerro Castellan
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| Cerro Castellan (3293' 1000' prominence) |
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| An end-on view of Cerro Castellan |
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| An unusual rock formation across the road from Cerro Castellan |
Mule Ears
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| Mule Ears from the road |
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| View from the Mule Ears Spring Trailhead |
Goat Mountain
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| ADA ramp to the viewing area |
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| Interpretive display |
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| Goat Mountain |
View from Chimneys Trailhead
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| Kit Mountain |
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| Rattlesnake Mountains |
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| Tule Mountain |
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| Burro Mesa |
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| Chisos Mountains |
View from the Switchback
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| Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive below Burro Mesa with the slanted Tule Mountain in the distance |
Sotol Vista
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| Trap Mountain (center) and Goat Mountain (right) |
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| Kit Mountain with Santa Elena Canyon beyond |
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| The slanted top of Tule Mountain (left center) |
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| Burro Mesa |
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| 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.
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