Trip Report: Big Bend National Park Day 1 & 2

Travel Day and Backcountry Driving

Jack and I recently headed out to West Texas for a multi-day adventure. We left Austin on November 10^th and returned on November 15^th. Our plan was to do a few short hikes, a little backcountry driving, and finish with backpacking the Outer Mountain Loop. We also met up with our Dad (Bmo) and Jonathan (cousin) for added excitement and fun. Check out Day 3, Day 4, and Day 5&6.

The entrance to Big Bend National Park. Courtesy of NPS

Big Bend National Park Background

Location: 310, Alsate Dr, Big Bend National Park, TX 79834

Admission: $25 per vehicle, $14 campsites, $12 backcountry pass

Elevation: 1,800 to 7,832 ft.

Weather:  Varied from rainy, cloudy, and sunny, 40 to 80°F

Difficulty: Strenuous

Website:  https://www.nps.gov/bibe/index.htm

Big Bend National Park is part of the Chihuahuan Desert and covers 801,163 acres (the 14th largest National Park in the US). The park is in West Texas, “bend,” and the southern boundary is the Rio Grande. The area is home to an extraordinary array of desert flora and fauna, comprising 1,200 plant species, 3,600 insect species, and 600 animal species that thrive in the arid scrubland environment.

The Long Drive

Jack and I woke up at 5:00 am on Thursday morning because we wanted to arrive early enough to beat the Veterans' Day crowd. It didn't take us long to pack all our gear in the car, and we hit the road about 20 minutes later. This is the longest road trip we’ve ever taken to reach our adventure location. The total drive time was approximately 8 hours, including gas stops.

Once we finally arrived at the park, no one was manning the small entrance booth, which required us to make a quick detour to the Persimmon Gap Visitor Center to register our vehicle. After that, we headed straight to the Chisos Basin Visitor Center to score a campsite and work out our backcountry trip. At our first stop at the visitor center, we were quickly informed about areas of the Chisos Mountains that were shut down due to bear activity. This news was disheartening, and our Outer Mountain Loop backpacking plan was derailed within an hour of entering the park.

Inside the Chisos Mountain Visitor Center

Hearing the bad news, we decided to pick out a base camp in the Chisos Basin campgrounds to allow us to regroup. At the campgrounds, we selected a decent campsite (close but not too far from the latrines), but decided to take one last walk around before committing. While searching, we actually found a better spot, but a guy in his large truck pulled up to the campsite and drove over a large rock, which scratched and scraped up his vehicle. He then rolled down his window and asked if we were going to take the campsite. Sharing an awkward moment, Jack and I felt so embarrassed for the guy, so we just let him have the campsite and quickly walked back to our original site.

The amazing view from our campsite

Setting up Camp

We unloaded our gear, set up our tents, and paid for the campsite in no time at all. With everything in order, we then had a quick brainstorming session about new possible routes and decided to consult someone with a bit more knowledge. On the way back to the visitor’s center, we saw the sign for the Chisos Restaurant, and of course, we decided to stop for a quick bite to eat. The Chisos Mountains Lodge Restaurant and Patio has the advantage of being the only place serving food in the area, which means it also has a limited selection, but at a surprisingly reasonable price. Jack had a burger, and I had the enchiladas. After finishing our meal, we headed back down to the visitor center. Thankfully, a large wall-sized trail map was available, and we were able to review it while discussing possible routes with one of the park employees. Receiving some great help from experienced staff, we decided on a new route and copied the backcountry grids to expedite the permit application process. Our new route: starting at Mule Ears, heading west on Smokey Creek Trail to Dodson Trail for day 1, then Dodson Trail to the halfway point on Elephant Tusk Trail for day 2, and backtracking on Elephant Tusk Trail to Juniper Canyon Trailhead for pickup.

Jack is setting up his tent at our Chisos Mountain campsite.

Feeling a little better knowing our trip wasn’t completely derailed, we headed back down to our campsite and linked up with Jonathon shortly after that. Still waiting for BMO to arrive, we decided to hike the Window Trail. The Window Trail is approximately 5.5 miles long and parallels Oak Creek Canyon. To our surprise, Oak Creek was flowing, and we had to cross over it multiple times, which is a little scary because the rock is incredibly slick when wet. The trek to the "Window" is well worth it, as the pour-off offers an amazing view of the surrounding area. The hike allowed us to warm up for the upcoming days and catch up with family.

The view at the end of the Window Trail

We made it back to the campsite, and BMO finally arrived, unloading his gear. We helped him set up his humongous 4-person tent, which took a bit of effort/critical thinking, and his giant cot. To repay everyone for their kindness, he cooked some pretty amazing burgers for dinner.  By this time, it was fairly late, and everyone headed off to bed a little later.

The moon is high in the sky on the Window Trail.

Backcountry Driving

We had another early morning, so we could make it to Terlingua to grab breakfast and pick up the rented Jeep. We woke up, and it was raining pretty hard for a desert environment, which helped ensure everyone got ready hurriedly that morning. Before stopping at Far Flung Adventure to start our jeep adventure, we had a buffet breakfast at Big Bend Motor Inn Store and Restaurant. The breakfast reminded me of food from an Army chow line, but it was filling and got the job done.

Driving on Panther Junction Road in Big Bend

Once at Far Flung, they handed over the jeep quickly, thanks to the benefit of having filled out all the paperwork beforehand. We all loaded up and stuck Jonathan and Bmo in the back, and they instantly had an issue; they had no clue how to roll down the window. With that problem solved, the window controls are now in the center dash. We were off towards Homer Wilson Ranch to drop off our water.

The old stables at Homer Wilson Ranch

After just a short drive, two issues quickly became apparent: one of our water jugs had completely drained/spilled everywhere, and Jack was rusty at being a navigator. We ended up needing a few map breaks and a U-turn before reaching Homer Wilson. Finally, there, we walked about a fourth mile to the metal bear box, which was our first water cache point. After that, we decided to walk the next .25-miles to the Home Wilson Ranch, where we wandered around for about 15 minutes.

The half-mile trail down to Homer Wilson Ranch

Back on the road and needing a water refill, we had to travel to the Castolon Visitor Center as it was the closest possible water option near us. We explored the area and found old farm equipment. We then asked at the center, which used to be a post office, if water was available. The clerk directed us to the Castolon Campsites just down the road. A few minutes later, we were at the Castolon campsite for a water refill, and the area was so green, I thought we were on a golf course.

Original Post Office at the Castolon Visitor Center

And we were off on River Road West. Of course, the water jug began leaking minutes later. BMO was able to twist around and hold the jug until Jack could make it out of the jeep and remedy the situation. The final damage was about 25 percent of the water that leaked out, but we decided there was enough water remaining among the group to refill the bag.

Heavy equipment outside the Castolon Visitor Center

On the road for a while, we took our first pit stop and used the opportunity to take a few pictures. We were surprised to see an old, rusted car on the side of the road, which reminded us all of a scene from the Fallout game series. We spent the next few hours driving over amazing ridges, across gulleys, and down dry creeks. While it doesn’t make a good story, the views are spectacular, and I recommend everyone try driving some of the back-country roads in Big Bend National Park.

Old car on River Road. Does it remind anyone else of Fallout?

Another remarkable location on River Road is the Mariscal Mines, which we decided was worth the time to stop and explore. The mines are a source of cinnabar ore, which was refined into mercury and was in operation until the 1940s. There are multiple structures to explore, and the old mines are still accessible, although they are blocked off for safety (thankfully, as I would have climbed in there for sure).

Mariscal Mines, as you approach from the parking lot.

As the sun began to set, we made it to Glenn Springs Road and then onto Juniper Canyon Road, which was a much rougher ride than anything else we had experienced. We drove almost all the way down Juniper Canyon Road. We stopped at Twisted Shoe campsite because we thought this was the last cache box. A nice, older man already set up at the location said he’d be happy to share his box with us and let us know that there was another cache box at the actual trailhead.

Inside the structures of the Mariscal Mines

With our water safely stored, the group began the trip back to Terlingua to drop off the jeep. We dropped Jonathon off first and then headed off for gas and a poor jeep clean-up job using a window squeegee. After dropping off the jeep, we decided it was time for dinner, and a Mexican food restaurant was just next door. Not surprisingly, their credit machine was down (connectivity is poor in this part of the state), and the waiter said the liquor store just up the road had cash back available. Jack and I walked to the liquor store and began looking for something we might want/cheap booze. I found a bin full of broken Budweiser cans with a sign stating they were on sale. I grabbed a can and asked for max cash back. That stupid one can cost around $3 and was a horrible deal; I should have gone with a Forty. That beat-up Bud can is still sitting in my apartment, shockingly, no one will drink it. So, if you want a Big Bend Bud can souvenir, let me know (maybe for January’s giveaway?). Finished with our liquor store misadventure, everyone opted for enchiladas, which was a satisfying meal.

The Budweiser that helped us get dinner

Finally, back at Basecamp, BMO had a horrifying discovery. The inside of his tent was also drenched, as was his sleeping bag. The decent mountain rain had pooled on the top of his enormous tent and slowly leaked through a hole all day, right above his sleeping bag. Jack and I were powerless to help him, but luckily, Bmo had a backup blanket. With everyone tired from a long day, we were off to bed. BMO ended up sleeping in his truck for a little extra warmth, and Jack and I went to our tents, where I recorded the day’s events before falling asleep.

The big night sky at our campsite in the Chisos Basin

Make sure you stay tuned as we post the remainder of our Big Bend trip. While you are at it, go ahead and let us know your experience with Big Bend National Park. Also, if you like the blog follow us on Facebook to keep up to date.

Jarrett Morgan