As resident to the Lone Star State for decades, we’ve always talked about Big Bend, but never actually made the trip: for a 10 hours drive plus meal and rest, one way, and 110 miles away from the closest town (with a grocery store) if leave the park, it is quite a big commitment on road, patience, and wide & wild challenging.
But the travel is so well worth it. For more than a dozen national parks I have been to, this splendid isolation is one of the top that truly brings out definition of tremendous and majestic. Big Bend refers to the great southwest Texas U-turn the Rio Grande makes
here, defining the park boundary for 118 miles. It has more than 150 miles
of trails offer opportunities for day hikes or backpacking trips. It is a hiker’s paradise of roadless public lands in Texas.
Elevations range from 1,800 feet along the Rio Grande to 7,832 feet on Emory
Peak in the Chisos Mountains. Only if you wish, to hiking through mountain,
river, canyon, desert and hot spring, all within a day, is achievable.
Legend says that after God created the rest of the world, he
dumped the leftovers into this big sandbox. Big Bend region is high in
biodiversity and low in footprints. Let’s get ready into a true journey that
may eventually touch your soul.
to be continued... tomorrow
