5/2/17 West Texas Deserts and Mountains

Big Bend National Park, Texas

After an enjoyable visit to San Antonio, we headed west and south to Big Bend National Park.  Big Bend National Park is in southwest Texas and includes the entire Chisos mountain range and a large swath of the Chihuahuan Desert.  The Park is named Big Bend NP because of the large, almost 90 degree, bend in the Rio Grande (turns from southeast to northeast), which of course forms the border with Mexico. Two distinctive features of the Rio Grande are the Santa Elena Canyon and Boquillas Canyons, both carved by the Rio Grande, and feature steep limestone cliffs on the Mexican side. The Park is huge and isolated so the night skies are so dark the stars seem to jump out at you. 

Boquillas Canyon, Big Bend

We had previously been to Big Bend, once in 1985 with our son Rob on a cross country driving and camping trip when we first moved to northern California. If you can believe it, we visited Big Bend in late June or early July; the Park was deserted-no wonder with the day temperatures over 110 degrees! We only had a short one day camping stay in the Chisos Basin, but long enough to swim to Mexico across the Rio Grande, so we wanted to return and really explore the park under cooler conditions.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunset after Storm, Campground, Big Bend

This visit was very different.  It was spring, and mostly warm, and the desert was in bloom!  With the exception of one very big storm one afternoon/evening, we had sunny, clear weather.  We did a lot of hiking, including to and into the Boquillas Canyon on the east side of the park.  The canyon walls tower over 1550 feet straight up on either side of the Rio Grande.  We wanted to hike the Santa Elena Canyon on the west side of the park, but a flash flood on Terlingua Creek, which you had to cross, closed the trail while we were there.   

 

Santa Elena Canyon, Big Bend

 We particularly enjoyed a visit to the Chisos Basin, a basin inside the top of the Chisos mountain range, which are wholly contained within Big Bend National Park.  The weather in the basin was at least 10-15 degrees cooler than the desert floor.  The most interesting aspect of the Chisos mountains are that they are a “mountain island” surrounded by desert.  Many species of plants and some animals are now “trapped” in the mountains, and would not survive if they left that environment. There are a few bobcat, mountain lion and bears in the high country.  

 

 

Desert Valley through The Window, Chisos Basin

 

Javelina, Rig Grand Village Campground, Big Bend

The most interesting animal we encountered was the Javelina.  These are members of the pig family and travel in small herds or “family groups”.  They are active in early morning and late afternoon, and were found throughout our campground at those times.  They usually feed on cacti, fruits and insects, but have found human food to be easy to get.  They will search in a campsite for food in coolers, or even in tents or cars if left open.  The herd we encountered was used to human interaction.   

Fossil Head, 40 Ft Crock, found only in Big Bend

Big Bend is a geologist’s paradise, partly due to easy observation of the various strata, but also the complex geologic history of the area.  The geology spans from 500 million year old rock at the north Persimmon Gap entrance, to the current sand dunes in Boquillas Canyon.  From about 200 to 300 million years ago (mya), Big Bend was under an inland sea; the sediment accumulated during that time became sandstone and shale bed.   Those strata eventually became mountains that eroded down, and are now found as the oldest rock layer near Persimmon Gap.  Subsequently, a warm, shallow sea invaded some 135 to 100 mya, allowing deposition of lime and sea organisms, which eventually became the dramatic limestone walls of the Santa Elena and Boquillas canyons, and the magnificent cliffs to the south of the Rio Grande in Mexico.  From 100 to 65 mya, the sea retreated forming lowlands which was home to dinosaurs, fish and reptiles.  The fossils found in Big Bend are incredible, including a giant flying reptile, with a wingspan of over 35 feet.  Finally, volcanic eruptions from about 38 to 32 million years ago formed the Chisos Mountains and the surrounding mountains.   Differential erosion is the key to the current topography and landscape.  There is an excellent new Fossil Discovery Center in Big Bend with incredible local early-to-late Cretaceous fossils and a fabulous explanation of the complex geology and environment found at each stage.   

 

 

Bob Hiking, Big Bend

Linda under Balanced Rock, Big Bend
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Illegal Goods", Mexican Art Stand, Big Bend Hiking Trail

There is one border crossing from Big Bend into Mexico that is open part of the week.  Boquillos Mexico is on the other side.  The Mexicans from that town routinely just cross the river anywhere, and use the US side as if their own country.  Several Mexican artists have little “gift stands” set up on the main hiking trails.  They leave their artwork, with a price, and a can for you to put $$ in.  Interestingly, the National Park Service newspaper cautions from buying from these stands since the goods are contraband and illegal.   

Orig Jersey Lilly Bar, Only Law West of the Pecos

We left Big Bend and headed west on Highway 90.  If you go that way, do make a brief interesting stop at Langfry TX (don’t blink or you will miss it), home to Judge Roy Bean-he was the ONLY law west of the Pecos River, and a very interesting story.  

 

 

 

 

Judd Concrete Art, Chianti Foundation, Marfa, TX

We camped and spent a day in Marfa, TX.  Our friends Jeffery and Louise Leibovitz highly recommended stopping at Marfa, but the published reviews were very mixed; some good, some bad.  Marfa has become a cultural center for contemporary artists.  Minimalist, Donald Judd, moved to Marfa from New York City.  Judd acquired a decommissioned military base (Fort Russel), and began transforming the fort’s buildings into art spaces in 1979.  He began to install his art for permanent display.   Since Judd’s death in 1994, two foundations work to maintain his legacy.  We had a tour of the Chinati Foundation (you need a reservation-AM only), and saw art work by Judd and other selected artists.   After seeing it, we would say it was interesting, but not really our preferred type of art.  The most interesting aspect of Marfa town was the eclectic people: old time Texan ranchers, hardworking Hispanics, and young artist/student residents and tourists; many were young millennials and quite a few from New York City….a kind of mini New York art district. Marfa bills itself like this: “New York, Paris, London, Marfa”.  We camped in Marfa with new friends we had just made at Big Bend and dinned together at one the great Marfa restaurants.  It was a fun stop.  Go there and you can judge the art for yourself.  

"Star Party" Telescopes, McDonald Observatory

We next headed to Ft. Davis, TX, home of well restored and preserved historic 1860s to 1900 Army Fort Davis, built to protect the San Antonio - El Paso Road used by early settlers and travelers to California.  We made a reservation to attend a “star party” at the nearby McDonald Observatory in the Davis Mountains.  Research today at the McDonald Observatory encompasses a wide variety of topics and projects, including planetary systems, stars and stellar spectroscopy, the interstellar medium, extragalactic astronomy, and theoretical astronomy, including the newest project to discover the nature of “dark energy”, a mysterious force causing the expansion of the universe to speed up. There are three large telescope facilities for professional use.   

"Whirlpool",  intersecting galaxies, through telescope, McDonald Observatory

The star party program started about 9pm and WAS EXCELLENT.  We started at a large outdoor amphitheater, where there was a very interesting talk about the constellations and the planets.  Without a telescope, in addition to the stars and constellations, we saw the Iridium Satellite Flair, and even some meteors (shooting starts).  There was no moon showing that night (the moon was up during the day), so the stars were brilliant.  After learning about the constellations and why the Milky Way is not so bright and obvious in the winter, we then visited 7 different telescopes to see:  a brilliant Jupiter and 4 moons, the whirlpool galaxy (two intersecting galaxies), a star cluster, a nebula in Orion (some of the youngest stars in the galaxy), a very old galaxy, etc.  They have four large permanently mounted telescopes around the amphitheater for visitor use during this and other events, and some slightly smaller telescopes that are set up for the party.  We finished up at midnight and drove home down a dark road with incredible skies…this is a definitely a dark sky area, similar to Big Bend.  

El Capitan and Guadeloupe Peak, Guadeloupe Mtn Ntl Park

Our last stop in Texas was the Guadeloupe Mountains National Park, the “Texas Alps”. Guadalupe Mountains National Park is in the vast Chihuahuan Desert of western Texas. It’s known for its bright-white Salt Basin Dunes, wildlife-rich grassland and fossilized reef mountains (the famous Permian Limestone Reef which formed about 250 million years ago - too early for any life except the earliest life forms).  Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas at 8,749 feet, has fabulous views of El Capitan peak, to the south.  We camped at the base of Guadeloupe Peak.  It was VERY windy during our entire stay, and we had to keep the slide outs pulled in much of the time…this made for much closer living arrangements than we normally have.  Our motorhome rocked and rolled in the wind gusts – made us feel like we were back on our sailboat Villomee, but at least we did not need to worry about dragging anchor  J.  We hiked a couple of the local trails, but not the very strenuous hike to the “Top of Texas”; an 8 hour,  8.4 mile hike, with over 3000 ft elevation gain and into a 20-30 (gusts to 50) mph headwind coming down the valley and 90 degree temp.  We are not quite at that hiking level …yet J, but it is very scenic. 

McKittrick Canyon and Stream, Guadeloupe Mtn Ntl Park

We did complete the McKittrick Canyon hike; a beautiful 4.8 mile hike up an increasingly lush canyon with a year-round stream at its upper end.   This canyon is considered one of the most beautiful in Texas, especially during the fall.  Thousands of visitors come to experience the brilliant reds and oranges of the canyon (maples and other colorful deciduous trees), which contrast sharply with the desert foliage, not seen elsewhere in West Texas.   There is a homestead mid-way up the canyon, which was owned and occupied by Pratt, a geologist, from the 1930s until the 60s.  Pratt donated the land to the park service in 1961. We have seen the generosity of many people in the US, whose donations to the National Park Service and various state park systems, have helped to expand and preserve the beautiful places in our country for following generations. 

We are next headed to New Mexico, starting with Carlsbad Caverns, Roswell and White Sands. 

We continue to be blessed with a great trip and safe travels.  Feel free to pass the blog link on to anyone who might be interested.  

Best,

Linda and Bob