The Majesty and Grandeur of Big Bend National Park
(A Flashback Journey)
I had lived in Texas a long time before I finally explored Big Bend National Park a few years ago along with Tom and some friends. Like many of us who are originally from mountainous areas like Colorado, I had had a preconceived notion of what West Texas had to offer in terms of mountains (i.e., not much). So, I was quite surprised to discover this 800,000 acre Texas treasure. If you have not been, I would highly encourage you to make the trip. You’ll find plenty to do if you’re into outdoor activities. Hiking trails range from easy to strenuous, and there are several scenic driving routes within and around the park including both paved and unpaved roads. Horseback riding is available as are river rides and guided bird watching tours. Overland tours are another possibility, and there’s even a golf course.
You pretty much have to be going to Big Bend to get there, it’s not of the way to anywhere else really. As for traveling there from Austin, we chose to split the eight-hour drive into two days arriving the first night at the historic Gage Hotel in Marathon Literature on the Gage describes as “unique, historic and sophisticated” which is an accurate depiction. While we did not eat at the elegant Gage Hotel Restaurant, we took advantage of the kiva style firepit in the courtyard as we shared pizza with our friends.
takes your breath away!
The following day, we arrived in Terlingua and spent three nights at Big Bend Resort and Adventures. The hotel itself is pretty bare-bones, but it did have the advantage of having a decent restaurant which offered a good breakfast buffet – exactly what we needed before setting out on hikes into the park each day. You’ll need to check before going to see if this is still available.
Big Bend has quite a few places to stay as well as a few camp-grounds within the park. One of these is Cottonwood Camp-ground which has twenty-two campsites and is near Santa Elena Canyon at the Rio Grand River. This camping area has many trees with sites that are spaced quite a way apart, but it is definitely a no-frills campground. This means they do not have electric hookups, and they do not allow generators. Another is the Chisos Basin Campground which is a popular place because of its higher elevation and cooler temps in the summer months.
My advice would be to visit Big Bend in spring and fall when the weather is moderate. We made our trip in November, and the weather was perfect. Tom and his son and grandson went in early January last year and were caught in an unusual snowstorm. While pretty and fun for snowball fights, it was a bit treacherous driving for several hours on an eight-inch thick blanket of snow which made it nearly impossible to see the road. And I’ve heard that in the summer the tarantulas carry parasols to stay out of the blistering heat.
The tiny town of Terlingua is a must see if you make a trip to Big Bend. It is a completely unique place noted for being out of the way. Many of the folks who have moved to Terlingua do so in order to live as off the grid as possible. I suppose if a person really didn’t want to be found, this would be the place he or she could achieve that goal. And it seems that everyone in Terlingua has a deep respect for one another’s desire for privacy and seclusion. One evening we ate at La Kiva Restaurant and Bar, a great watering hole which is built partially underground. I did a double take upon walking into the bar thinking that the Village People had come to town. There at the bar on karaoke night were guys in hard-hats, others in cowboy gear, and yet others with dread locks all of them talking and joking with one another. Their commonality seemed to be their desire to be far away from the city.
Another don’t miss spot in Terlingua is the Starlight Theatre Restaurant . The food is excellent, and the entertainment on the night we were there was great. This restaurant appears to be a very popular places to go whether you’re a regular or a tourista. Lots of folks were milling around on the big front porch just chatting with each other. Right next door to the Starlight is the Terlingua Trading Company which has a wide array of merchandise. I’d suggest coming early to tour the Terlingua Ghost Town before shopping or going to dinner. It’s a self-guided tour through a small set of tumbledown buildings and cemetery but definitely provides a glimpse into what life must have been like there long ago.
While we only stayed in the Big Bend area on this trip, there’s much to see for those who want to make a longer trip. Balmorhea State Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, The Davis Mountains, Fort Davis, The McDonald Observatory, Marfa, Alpine, Fort Stockton, and Boquillas Crossing and Boquillas Canyon are all nearby.
We’d love to hear what you enjoyed most about the Big Bend area and see photos you took while there.