On the seventh day of our Big Bend Region Trip, the Rio Grande had receded enough and with a clear forecast, we were finally able to circle back to the state park. After entering from the east side through the Barton Warnack Visitor Center, we set off down the gorgeous River Road (FM 170) to the only 2 hiking trails that allow dogs.

We started with the Hoodoos Trail located right along the road with a large parking area. Other than an obvious gravel path from the parking lot down to the area where the hoodoos stood, it was basically a free for all to get up close to the structures and everyone scattered to check out their favorites. However, climbing them was clearly posted prohibited due to the sensitively erosive material that is still changing like it has for millions of years.

From there, we drove to the Closed Canyon trail head and I finally got my canyon walk through experience!

We only got about 50 yards in before we ran into a heck of an obstacle formed by the recent flooding. A major wash out, also known as a tinaja, had occurred creating an unknown depth (definitely more than 3ft) pit with steep smooth/slippery rock on either side. Using his hiking stick, Dad leveraged himself up and onto the rougher, flatter area to make it through. Long-legged Hubby provided a foot wedge for the rest of us. Weston struggled with the crossing, so Nathan took another for the team and stayed behind with him and Sally.

Dad, Ashlyn, Archer and myself made it another half mile or so with the canyon indeed closing in more and more until we came to a sign suspended across the trail stating end of the line. Beyond that, rock climbing equipment is necessary in order to scale the rock wall past deep crevices and pits.

Traversing the rock wall past the tinaja on the way back appeared to be easier since it was just a matter of sliding down the smooth rock to the other side and Dad and the kids made it look that way! Except when it was my turn! I lost my footing too soon and was sliding straight down to the pit. I managed to yell, “I’m going in!” just before Nathan grabbed me and pulled off some kind of fall back, tuck and roll maneuver and I was spared the drink! It was definitely some Indian Jones type shit haha!

After that adventure, we headed back to camp and enjoyed our last sunset over Terlingua.

Big Bend Ranch State park is MASSIVE. Over 300,000 acres and we only cruised along the southern most border of it. The interior is full of hiking and 4×4 trails all accessible by only one 27mile unpaved road in and back out. Most report taking 2 hours just to reach the middle of the park on the main road. It’s likely the most rugged and remote state park in Texas! We were nowhere equipped or had the time for such a side quest, but I would love a trip in one day!

-Lindsay

On the 7th day of the Big Bend Region trip, while still set up at Paisano RV in Terlingua, the Rio Grande had receded enough for us to day trip into Big Bend Ranch State Park. But on the way, we stopped off in the Barton Warnack Visitor Center located at the east end of the park and deemed its own state park by TPWD. Unlike Fort Leaton on the west end of the park, this entrance and visitor center appears to be frequented often and had much larger and elaborate grounds and museum displays. We spent about 30 minutes taking it all in and got some goodies from the park store before moving on.

The luxurious and unique community of Lajitas was another 15 minutes down the road, so we popped into the resort for a look around and pre-hiking drink. I just kept adding to the list of stays for Nathan and I’s future “boujee hotel tour” trip!

-Lindsay

After our 3 hour detour around Big Bend Ranch State Park due to flooding, we arrived at Paisano Village RV Park and Inn in Terlingua around 5pm. Dad had a hotel room on site while we set up Wanda at a full hook up site. The park manager was so helpful at making sure we were sorted and even confirmed permission for Ashlyn’s tent to be on site since they weren’t booked up. In fact, there was only one other rv there our entire stay! The national park offers limited rv sites, a motel and cabins up in the mountain range, but after our experience in Guadalupe National Park, I’m no longer keen on camping in national parks. Paisano’s was only 10 minutes to the national park entrance and was clean, quiet and had reliable amenities. I was so happy with the experience at Paisano, that it more than made up for the “inconvenience” of commuting daily into the park. We also enjoyed exploring the town of Terlingua each evening.

And we didn’t waste any time that very first evening! After dinner, we caught the cemetery at sunset then had drinks and snacks at High Sierra Bar & Grill and the Starlight Theatre. Terlingua/Study Butte were built on mercury mining in the 1880s, saw it’s heyday in the 1920s before the Great Depression reduced demand and all mining companies had vacated by 1946 leaving the area in a ghosttown like state. Today, Terlingua caters more to the tourist/desert wanderer/adventure seeking crowd while still maintaining a ghost town charm. We loved it.

Things were also looking up with the weather! The rain had cleared out for the forecast for the rest of the week and by 11pm, we got our first new moon, starry night glimpses!

The next morning, we enjoyed a slow morning and had Ashlyn driving us through Big Bend National Park by noon. We were still having to alter our plans day to day due to the Rio Grande still being out of banks, so our first attraction for the day was Balance Rock. The 7 mile gravel road to access the trailhead took an hour to reach the parking area and was some great practice in patience for Ashlyn!

The 2 mile roundtrip hike was diverse and scenic throughout, but the rock structure itself was marvelous! The area surrounding balance rock also made for a great rest stop with a breeze moving through at the top of the hill and kids had a great time scrambling the rocks.

That wrapped up day one in the park. The next day at camp, the rising sun showed off Santa Elena Canyon, another popular spot in Big Bend that was inaccessible due to flooding. Park Rangers the previous day told us they were having to rescue hikers out of waist deep mud because they didn’t heed the warnings.

Since we would be unable to access the canyon or the hot springs, we decided to drive to the far east end of the park for a safe view of the river and take in the sights before heading up into the Chisos Mountains. We really enjoyed strolling around the Rio Grande Village campground with the free roaming horses and perusing the merchandise set up as honor system “stores” that had been placed by makers across the river.

Ready for lunch, we left the river area at an elevation of 1,850ft and 95 degree sunshine to arrive an hour later in the Chisos Basin at 5,400 ft elevation and 65 degree shrouded in fog/mist. We had a fantastic lunch at the lodge taking in the view of “The Window.”

That evening the boys made us a fire for smores and the sky showed off again.

We would spend one more night in Terlingua after we explored Big Bend Ranch State Park the next day, but our time exploring the National Park had come an end. For this trip anyways. What we did get to see and experience was unique and awesome, but I am bummed that we couldn’t do my top 2 points of interest. I tried to time this trip around crowds and weather. September trends as a good month at the end of rainy season but before the fall crowds show up with cooler weather. This time, rainy season just went into some overtime. No regrets, though! The Chisos Mountain Lodge has since closed to undergo a massive renovation for an indeterminate amount of time and we were some of the last to experience it in its historic form!

-Lindsay