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A Day In The Park: Big Bend National Park

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Big Bend National Park harbors a sprawling landscape rich in geology and so much more/Rebecca Latson

"Big" is a great descriptor for Big Bend National Park, where the park's more than 801,163 acres range from desert lands to mountain peaks and are rimmed on the south side by one of the country's great rivers.

Drive through the park deep in Texas and you'll come upon the vast expanse of the Chihuahuan Desert and the volcanic Chisos Mountains that were created from violent eruptions as well as uplift and erosion of an ancient seabed. As contributing photographer Rebecca Latson, herself a geologist, explains, "You’ll see textbook examples of volcanic and sedimentary geology, with some faulting and folding thrown in for good measure."

"There are many other enjoyable diversions in Big Bend," Ms. Latson wrote in her 3 Days In Big Bend National Park feature for Traveler's Essential Park Guide, Winter 2016. "You could explore the historic remains of the Sam Nail Ranch found along the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, soak in the 105-degree waters of the hot springs in the park’s Hot Springs Historic District where a bathhouse once stood, or simply relax."

"Situated about halfway between El Paso and Laredo, Big Bend is a vast swath of riverine corridor, high and rugged terrain, scenic canyons, and arid plains, Traveler's Bob Janiskee wrote in 2008. "Not merely big (the eighth-largest national park in the Lower 48), it is also remote in the true sense of the word. It’s not near any cities or transportation hubs, it’s not on the way to anything, and you really have to want to get there.

"Some say that Big Bend is the least known of all the National Park-designated units in the Lower 48. True or not, the place does have an image problem. Local Indians believed that this was a place where the Great Spirit stored rocks. When Spanish explorers encountered this area they simply called it 'the uninhabited land.' Today, relatively few Americans even know there’s a national park there."

But there is a national park there, and it's a fascinating place, rich in intriguing geology, visions of fortune that failed, and a magnet for birders, many who hope to spy the Colima warbler that flits up from Mexico to breed.

Big Bend is prevailingly sunny and warm, but temperature varies with both season and altitude and the weather can change very quickly (and sometimes dangerously) any time of year. Fall and spring weather is typically pleasant, and winter is usually mild. Summers are hot, as befits a subtropical desert, so if 100-degree heat is a turnoff you’ll probably want to avoid the hottest months (May and June) and do your leisure thing at the higher and cooler elevations if you visit during summer. During the rainy season, which brings frequent thunderstorms from mid-June to October, you need to watch out for flash floods and dangerous lightning.

When you do visit, find some time to leave your room after dark. Big Bend is a designated Gold Tier Dark Sky Park. According to the International Dark Sky Association, a “gold tier” designation means, “The full array of visible sky phenomena can be viewed—e.g. aurora, airglow, Milky Way, zodiacal light, and faint meteors.”

For the truly adventurous, head down to the Boquillas Border Crossing and cross the river by rowboat to Mexico for an afternoon.

Traveler's Choice For: Hiking, backpacking, floating the Rio Grand River, bird watching.

Comments

We are planning a motorcycle trip to the park in April.

Is it safe for us to do so?


Jimh--

Well, the biggest safety factor is: can you ride well in not so great conditions?  If you're a solid, safe rider, who won't have problems with the sometimes crappy pavement on the roads south to the park, and some in the park, you'll be fine.  Also, be extra careful at dusk: enough large wildlife are active at dusk that time of year in and around the park that even cars need to slow down.  Temperatures should be great for you in April. 

I recommend camping in the Chisos Basin campground.  Also, if you have time, I suggest a day ride up the river from Terlingua/Lajitas to Presidio and back: when I did that in my car I wished I was on a motorcycle.

If you're worried about migrants & drug smugglers, there's still very little of that in and near the park: it is too far from anywhere on the US side with only 3 or 4 roads out,  so INS pretty easily captures anyone moving north, so migrants & smugglers work elsewhere.  Big Bend never had near the problems that Organ Pipe did, and Organ Pipe is now cleaned up enough that visitors can go anywhere in the park.

Oh, also, if you eat in Terlingua, don't try to be macho and ask for the hottest chili they have: that's unsafe!

Enjoy!


Planning a trip in early May, during the new moon. Where are some good locations for Milky Way photography. It needs to be near a road in a safe place, not planning on camping. Also what type of wild flower blooms can be expected in early May. Will probably stay in Terlinga.

Thanks


Hi Gerald - I think I can help you with your questions, a little bit. I've visited and photographed in Big Bend during the winter and the spring. For star photography, try Sotol Vista. It's my favorite spot, located along the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, past the Homer Wilson Ranch parking area. The turnoff will be to your left and you'll see a sign for the view area. You can get a nice, wide open vista from there. It has a paved parking lot and even a restroom.  Another good spot is right at the Chisos Mountain Lodge. Take that short paved walk from the parking lot to the area overlooking the Window and set up your tripod there. If you come into the park from the Persimmon Gap entrance, the view is wide and open all along the park road, perfect for night photography. You might hear a coyote in the distance.

Your May visit should provide you with all sorts of gorgeous cactus blooms. While I don't know the start and stop times for various cactus blooms, you will probably see flowers on cholla, prickly pear, maybe eagle claw cactus. Usually, the blooms are starting to end in May, but it really depends upon how much rainfall the park receives prior to that. Late March used to be the start of the cactus blooms, but I've found late April into early May to be the best time for blooms. The bluebonnets will probably be all gone by then, but maybe not.

Enjoy your trip. Big Bend National Park is indeed an amazing place. If you do a search here on the Traveler's site for Big Bend photography, here's one article you'll pull up:  https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2015/10/photography-national-parks... 


Thanks you for replying to my query. I read your "Armchair guides" for Big Bend they were very interesting and informative. Thanks again


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