Rivers/Lakes/Waterfalls Archives - Journeys to the Horizon

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.

When you first get to Big Bend – it sort of
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 is well named – it is a big place. Expect to drive some pretty long distances to get places.

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.

Santa Elena Canyon is a great stop for some moderately strenuous hiking and some amazing views. We suggest going early or late to miss the crowds on pretty days.

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.

This is one of our favorite spots, looking up Santa Elena Canyon. There are float trips available through the canyon which is on my bucket list. The cliffs on Mexico’s side (left) of the Rio Grande are higher than they look here.

Hiking poles are always a good idea, especially for those of us with tricky knees. I use two poles and glad for it.

Sometimes, out of nowhere, we discovered abandoned homesteads – someone’s dream at one time. It had to be tough going because there is not much around there to sustain a farm or ranch.

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.

Debra dangling her feet in the Rio Grand River just 30 feet from Mexico. Truly a beautiful spot that reveals the geologic magnificence of the place.

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.

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Mountain water whether lakes, streams, or waterfalls never fails to enchant me. It is all mesmerizing. I could sit by a stream for hours listening to the quiet splashing of water tumbling over rocks. And I enjoy peaceful lakes where the surface often reflects the beauty of the landscape. Waterfalls, however, are my favorite form of mountain water. Of course, a waterfall, in and of itself, is spectacularly beautiful. I could spend an entire day sitting next to one simply enjoying the sounds it produces as it crashes and cascades over rocks and fallen logs on its way to who knows where. I like to wonder where the water might have originated and where it might be going, and what it is accomplishing along its way. As with streams and lakes, all manner of vegetation and a myriad of creatures are sustained and nourished by the waterfall’s very existence.

So quiet. All we could hear was the occasional fish jumping.

Invariably, my mind takes its own vacation leading me to create metaphors relating the mountain’s varied water forms to my own life’s journey. I reflect on times when my life has been as calm and peaceful as a waveless lake serenely reflecting the beauty of the scenery surrounding it. The occasional trout arching up out of the water to catch an unsuspecting insect or a duck quietly paddling across the surface may each create small ripples, but generally all is peaceful and calm.

At other times, however, my life has been like the turbulent waterfall racing and then crashing over ledges, rocks, and fallen logs as it tumbles downward. How did I end up here? Where did this come from? Where will it end? I realize I’ve had no more control over some of the events in my life than a droplet caught up in the waterfall’s descent. The waterfall itself moves too quickly and is far too noisy for my taste! I know that like an individual drop in this waterfall, I am being carried away by a power not of my own to a place not of my choosing. And what am I to do? Complain that I’d prefer to be back on top of the mountain top having only recently been thawed by the sun? Or explain to whatever powers may be that I’d much prefer being where the trout jump and the ducks paddle? No. I am where I am. And not haplessly. I, like each water drop making up the waterfall, am here to fulfill a purpose. Together with each other seemingly insignificant drop, I am part of something wild and beautiful with power beyond my individual ability to create. I am caught up in the act of nourishing the earth, smoothing formerly rough stones, feeding moss and ferns, providing a refuge for the thirsty, and a place of sanctuary for weary souls. I am precisely where I am meant to be. And I am as grateful to be part of a waterfall as I once was on the mountain top or in the placid lake. I am part of creation and am filled with purpose and joy.

QUOTES:

“Grace is finding a waterfall when you were only looking for a stream.” – Vanessa Hunt

“To trace the history of a river or a raindrop is also to trace the history of the soul, the history of the mind descending and arising in the body. In both, we constantly seek and stumble upon divinity, which like feeding the lake, and the spring becoming a waterfall, feeds, spills, falls, and feeds itself all over again.” – Gretel Ehrlich

“As long as I live, I’ll hear waterfalls and birds and winds sing. I’ll interpret the rocks, learn the language of flood, storm, and the avalanche. I’ll acquaint myself with the glaciers and wild gardens, and I will get as near the heart of the world as I can.” – John Muir

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TAP or Click Below for 11 sec Waterfall Video

Grand Teton National Park. This waterfall was so loud we could feel its power.

Journeys to the Horizon

Category Archives: Rivers/Lakes/Waterfalls

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Enchanting Waters