My First Visit To Big Bend National Park

Oh how I wanted to go to Big Bend National Park over my 8 travel years, but on the way out west in January it is too cold there.  I usually go to Utah as temperatures rise before heading home in March, but this year with less than great weather and gas prices being very high, I decided to head home through Texas saving the extra miles of travel and higher costs..  One year in my Prius Travels I did plan to go to Big Bend NP on way home, but due to lack of reservations at Big Bend NP campgrounds, I passed going. 

This year it was different as although Big Bend NP online camping was booked for months I was able to be better prepared to find a place to stay outside of the national park, allowing me to visit 2 full days.

Above: Down along the border with Mexico on the right on the plateau (right). Here in the southwest of the NP the Rio Grande River follows along this plateau that is on the Mexico side.

Above: This cut in the plateau is where the Rio Grande comes through.  To the right is USA and left Mexico. There is a hike into this cut but it was crowded and I decided not to try hiking it.  It was spring break and the park and parking lots were very full.

There are many miles of river on the south side of the park.  I spoke to a man who tried to drive this road along the river from one end of the park to the other and with his jeep he found it too difficult so I didn’t bother with my truck camper combination.

The above picture of the river is from the southeast side.

Here from a overlook on a trail at the southeast end of the park I found the best view of the Rio Grand River.

I walked down to the river.  To the right is Mexico 

In the picture above if you look closely you will find a woman who looked like she walked over to Mexico to talk with a mexican on the other side.  The river is not very deep.

Above is a picture showing where I took the pictures of the river in the southeast portion of the NP.

Big Bend NP is not the most beautiful this time of year but I’m told it’s much nicer when the flowers bloom.  I’m glad I went and toured the park.  It’s not a park I would necessarily want to come back to soon as there is not a lot to see.  There a number of hikes that look like they would be fun but only did one hike during this visit.

See my separate post on my hike at the Big Bend National Park.

Brent

macaliney@hotmail.com