The Big Bend

Quick update before I head into Guadalupe Mountains.  I'll post pictures of Big Bend in a few days.

The 3 days I spent in Big Bend were fairly full, and were exactly what you imagine when you think of the desert.  Big Bend sits right on the Rio Grande River, and therefore the Mexican Border.  The biggest highlight of the trip was simply the scenery.  The first few nights I camped in Chisos Basin, in the middle of some spectacular rock cliffs.  It was by far the prettiest campground I have been in on the trip.  I took a hike to Lost Mine Peak as well, which offered great views.

The next day I headed to the eastern end of the park, right on the river.  Instead of going straight there, I took a roundabout way along the primitive Old Ore Road.  It was a pretty hairy road with constant steep hills, sandy washes and rock ledges in the road.  A few times I had to get out to survey the road before I continued on.  It was a fun experience, but I don't think I would want to drive the road regularly.  The afternoons were warm (low to mid 90s) so I usually settled into camp by 2 or 3.

At night, though, I would go driving along the roads looking for snakes, just like I used to do as a kid.  The park was deserted (heh) and it was rare to even see a car on the road after dark.  And I had a lot of success, both at night and in the morning.  I saw a total of 8 snakes, including 5 different species.  The rattlesnakes were much more feisty here, and they would rear up and rattle like crazy when they saw me.

I spent my last day in the western, more remote section of the park.  During the day, I got to witness lots of different wildlife: tarantulas, giant millipedes, roadrunners, and even a few groups of javelina.  The heat kept me in the shade in the afternoon, but it was still fun.  And, I had the campground that night all to myself.  This morning, I got to experience a bit of the desert rains (right as I was taking the tent down too) before heading out.  Now, I'm on my way North to Guadalupe Mountains NP, just south of the New Mexico border.  Carlsbad Caverns are only 45 minutes away, so I will hit both parks while I'm there.  Then on the 1st, I make my way to Phoenix and my dad's for a much needed break (hopefully not too long of a break as long as the govt doesn't shut down).