Hi everyone,
It’s been a very long time since my last blog. I just have not felt like writing. It wasn’t writer’s block or lack of stuff to write about, I just didn’t feel like writing. Everything is good, a few bumps in the road but its all coming together, enough said.
I arrived in Big Bend National Park on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024. Perfect weather, full sun, 65 degrees, awesome. I entered the park thru the north entrance (Persimmon Gap, elev. 2970 feet) and decided to hike Dog Canyon, which is only a few miles south of the entrance. Dog Canyon is a level hike, roughly four miles round trip into a short narrow canyon. I’ve done this hike many times, but it’s always worth repeating, especially when you happen to be driving past it.
After saying good bye to Dog Canyon, I drove past Panther Jct and up the narrow winding road to the Chisos Basin Campground, elev. 5400 feet. I had reservations for two nights, site 16. I arrived about 2:30pm, set up camp and settled in. In keeping with tradition, dinner was a steak on the grill, fried rice and some wine. The views from the campsite are spectacular.
Site 16 Chisos Basin Campground
Tuesday morning I got an early start, drove a very short distance to the Lost Mine Trailhead, popped the camper open and had breakfast. The parking lot is very small and there were only a half dozen spots available when I arrived at 7:45am, by 8:30, the lot was full.
Lost Mine Trail is 4.8 miles round trip with 1100 ft elevation gain. The trail is very popular and well maintained. It terminates at a small summit, with 200 - 300 foot drop offs on two sides. There were a few people there when I arrived, but after ten minutes or so they left. I had the summit to myself for 15 - 20 minutes, which was nice because in 2020 I had scattered some of Nancy’s ashes there and I was alone with my thoughts.
I was back at my truck by 11:30 and drove back past the Chisos campground to the Chisos Basin Visitor center, which is quite the tourist meca. There is a store, motel, cabins, and a lodge with a restaurant & bar. I popped the camper top, got cleaned up and had lunch in the bar, then headed back to the peace and serenity of the campground.
Wednesday morning I drove to the Hot Springs Historic site for a short walk and a long soak. It was close to lunch by the time I changed into dry clothes, so I headed to the Historic River Crossing to Boquillas, Mexico. Pre-911, we used to just pay a Mexican National to ferry us across the Rio Grande, which is also the International Border, for $1 round trip. Now there is a border crossing station manned by a Park Ranger open Wednesday thru Sunday, 9am to 4pm, with a video chat device to a remove customs agent. The Park Ranger is there to make sure you have a passport before you head into Mexico and then to scan your passport into the device upon your return. The remote customs agent asks you the basic questions before clearing you to re-enter the USA. Lunch in Boquillas was great, four goat tacos, bean tostatas, beer and a bottle of water for $13. It’s approximately 3/4 mile each way to Boquillas, after crossing the Rio Grande River. It’s now $5 for a round trip boat ride or you can wade. The only place one can legally enter the USA by wading across the Rio Grande. But I figure the Mexican Nationals can use the $5 more than me so I took the boat then I walked into town. However, there are other options to get to town, such as pickup trucks, horses and mules, if you don’t want to walk.
Post 9/11 US Border Station
Lunch in Mexico
After re-entering the USA, I headed to the first of my two reserved primitive road campsites, Pine Canyon 2 for one night, which set me up nicely to hike into Pine Canyon on Thursday. Pine Canyon Trail is a 4.4 mile round trip with 1100 ft elevation gain, which ends at a 200 ft pour off below the Lost Mine Trail.
Big Bend National Park is still a remote location, but it has grown up. There is now cell phone coverage in many locations in the park, wifi is available at all the visitor centers, all campsites including the primitive road sites are only available by reservation. There are numerous tour companies leading groups down the Rio Grande in canoes, as well as driving people around in vans to see the park. The Park is not without its growing pains. According to the Park’s literature, the park’s landfill will be full sometime in 2025 and the park is not quite sure what they will do. On a positive note, someone must be controlling prices in the park, I paid $3.69 a gallon for unleaded at Panther Jct and $3.50 for a pint of Blue Bell Ice Cream.
The primitive roadside campsites have steel bear / Havalina proof boxes, camp fires and generators are prohibited, trash is carry out, but they do not require any toilet system such as they do on the river. I find this a poor choice by the Park Service. I also have a per peeve, why do people think is okay to spit tooth paste on the ground in the campsite. Really, can’t you bring a large mouth water bottle, or better yet a bottle large enough to capture all your grey water, then walk a 100 yards or so and dump it away from the campsite?
Sunset Pine Canyon Primitive campsite
I had planned more photos, but the wifi at Rio Grande Village is really slow, I'll have to find a better connection and send them as a part 1 addendum.
More as it happens
