24 & 25 January 2024. Big Bend National Park

On Wednesday I left Midland, Texas and headed another 3 hours southwest to Big Bend National Park. I entered via the north central part of the park and went immediately to the visitor center to get a map, get my bearings and talk to a park ranger about things to do and see. Big Bend got its name because it is the where the Rio Grande river makes a 90° turn ... hence the "big bend" reference. Big Bend is absolutely enormous - it has over 800,000 acres and more than 100 miles of roads - there is a lot to explore and discover here!

When I arrived on Wednesday I did 2 short hikes in the Chisos Basin and then headed to my room in Terlingua, which is on the western edge of the park about 15 miles from the visitor center.

On Thursday I did 4 hikes. The main hike was my first one, Lost Mine Trail. It has a beautiful open summit with 360° views. Everywhere you look is gorgeous! After that I took the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive down to Santa Elena Canyon. a stunning slot canyon through which the Rio Grande river flows and separates the US from Mexico. If anyone has been to Zion National Park it looks very similar!

I finished off the day with 2 shorter hikes along the scenic route – one was just through the desert to Mule Ears Spring and the second was the Burro Mesa Pouroff (a soft spot in the rock which water has made a hole into and rainwater comes pouring out of during the rainy season). I logged over 9 miles of hiking and 1500 feet of elevation today - spectacular weather and views made for an absolutely perfect hiking day.

Truly everywhere you look is another postcard or calendar page scene - It's hard to stay in the moment and not spend the whole day taking pictures!