This National Park has been on my bucket list for YEARS and you would think that it wouldn’t take me this long to finally make it here because… well… I live in Texas! But let me tell you something… believe it or not, I live nearly as far away from Big Bend National Park as I do from my in-laws in Georgia!! But my Tour of Texas Birthday Adventure was my year to finally mark this National Park off my bucket list!
The Wall Street Journal ranked Big Bend National Park #4 out of all the national parks… but would you believe it is one of the LEAST visited national parks! Its lack of proximity to any major town or highway probably has A LOT to do with that, but it is truly worth getting off the beaten path for!
With only a week to visit and over 150 miles worth of hiking trails, I had to focus on hikes that would allow me to see and experience this diverse landscape in a short amount of time.
The Chisos Mountains are centrally located in the National Park and were formed from a volcanic eruption. The Chisos Mountains make a circular formation around a lush and diverse landscape that is drastically different from the surrounding area! Driving over the Chisos Mountains and into the basin is a sight to behold in itself… you leave behind flat dry desert lands and are transported to what you can only refer to as an Oasis!
Our first hike took us deep into the Chisos Basin with a 360 view of the volcanic walls from below.
This hike was incredible! We followed along a dry river bed until the trail abruptly ended at The Window.
The birds on this hike were stunningly beautiful!! I went to the visitor center after our hike and found out that they are called Mexican Jays… Their rich blue colors stood out amongst the muted colors of winter and their song could be heard echoing through the basin.
The hike out after descending 3 miles was no joke, but it was worth the views from every angle!
After seeing the Chisos Mountains from below… It was time to see them from above! The Lost Mine Trail took us to the top and I mean, 2.5 mile vertical climb to what felt like the top of the world!
And this is when I knew that you can’t truly experience the Chisos Mountains and Big Bend National Park without seeing it both from below and above!
This was definitely one of the more challenging hikes we have done in reference to the elevation gained vs. miles but even the climb to the top was full of overlooks that were absolutely mesmerizing!
With every step, the views just kept coming!!
There are absolutely no words describe the view!
And photos truly don’t do it justice! But that didn’t stop me from trying to capture the scene around me!
But it’s not just the views… it is the entire experience that makes these types of places so incredible!! Like the buck that crossed our path as we climbed to the top.
I am a sucker for wildlife!! Animals absolutely make my heart warm and fuzzy inside and instantly bring me joy… and even when I least expect it, they find a way to remind me to always be prepared!
The Window Trail and the Lost Mines Trail were our 2 “BIG” hikes for this trip, but we also did multiple shorter/less strenuous hikes that took us to some more amazing places!!
You can’t come all this way and not dip a toe in the Rio Grande… so, we added The Boquillas Canyon trail to our list and made our way to this short but ever eventful hike!
As we were on our way to the canyon, a colt joined us on the trail. It looked like he had fallen behind and was making his way to his mother who was just a little ways ahead.
We also passed by a herd of cows that were high above us on the side of the cliff… I KNOW!! Sounds silly right… I have heard of “mountain goats” that live on the side of mountains… but I never knew cows could climb! How do they not just rolly-polly down that hillside? I know the photo does not do it justice, but this was a cliff side… very steep! Mind blown here with this bingo card find… Mountain Cows!
OK, back to the canyon… the trail didn’t allow us to hike that far into the canyon itself but regardless, the views were beautiful!
The water of the Rio Grande River is so clear and green in color and the wind through the canyon was blistery.
Definitely a good place for a family selfie! Oh, by the way, my parents made the trip down to join us for the last few days at Big Bend and our last leg of our Tour of Texas Adventure!
The next morning, I wanted to take my parents to Chisos Basin for a low-key hike with big views… but before we could head out for the trails, the native wild donkeys decided to visit near the campground!!
And this is one of my absolute favorite wildlife captures! The cliff views, the golden hue from the morning sun, the fluffy adorable baby donkey… HOLY SMOKES!! Instant joy!
He is the cutest thing and those ears… just want to squish them!!
And that view!!! I literally have a gazillion pictures of this little guy and this view! Once I thought I had enough pictures, we made our way back to the truck and drove back to Chisos Mountains and into the basin.
The Chisos Basin Loop Trail was the perfect trail to see the view without the pain of miles and miles of hiking and endless climbing. It was the perfect introductory hike!
Our week at Big Bend National Park went by so fast and with only 1 day left, we went to see a couple different landmarks that were not far from the RV.
First, we headed to the natural hot spring along the Rio Grande River! The hot spring was once an early 1900 vacation destination and the old Mercantile Store/Post Office, hotel, and homestead still remain.
I did not take any photos of the natural hot springs because lots of people were there and it was… well… weird taking photos with people practically naked in it. So, just imagine a pool incased in stone sitting on the side of the Rio Grande River… yep, that’s what it looked like! Moving on… Along the hot springs trail, we also came across a number of Petroglyphs and Pictographs. It is always fascinating to see how the history of this place evolved over hundreds of years and the mark those who came before us left behind.
After spending time in the “Fountain of youth” aka the Hot Springs, we headed towards the Boquillas Canyon where we had passed a historical marker that hid an interesting fact about the area.
An old Ore Tramway stretched 6 miles from Mexico into the Ernst Valley region located in what is now Big Bend NP. The evidence of this old tramway still exists in the park if you’re paying attention! Cables can be seen stretched across the ground and the bases of the old towers mark their path…
I could even see a still standing tower miles and miles away on the side of a cliff that was way off the beaten path (and probably why it is still left standing and undisturbed). Bits of Ore could also be seen scattered along the route and around the bases of the towers leaving evidence of the precious metal that impacted life so greatly in the early 1900s.
I made so many memories and fell in love once again with travel and photography!
After leaving Big Bend NP, we made our way home and cut our next few stops short in an effort to outrun the winter storms headed our way!
We did make a 1 night stop at Davis Mountain State Park, visited Fort Davis, and snuck in a night at the McDonald Observatory where we gazed upon the stars in this “Dark Sky” region! We were able to view Jupiter, Mars, and multiple nebulas through huge telescopes! Jupiter was by far my favorite as the colors of its gaseous atmosphere was bright as day and formed rings around the planet. It was absolutely beautiful and literally an out of this world experience!
The next morning we had a 7 hour drive to Inks Lake State Park for a quick layover before we finished our journey home. Inks Lake State Park would definitely be a summer vacation destination with a “non-motorized” lake that allows for all your water activities like kayaking and paddle boarding… but with the below freezing temps and impending winter storms, it was nearly deserted with only a few brave souls determined to not let a little inclement weather ruin their trip.
The next morning we made it back home safe and sound and just in time! This was the perfect birthday adventure and despite cutting the trip short, I wouldn’t have changed it for the world! Now that we are tucked into The Barn, we will be staying put for a while. Our home build is about to break ground and we will be watching it every step of the way!
Once the house is complete, we will be saying goodbye to full-time RV life with a bang! One last trip to celebrate the years and adventures this amazing lifestyle has provided us! And at the same time, we will be ushering in a new chapter of our lives and welcoming back our weekender RV status!
Keep following along as I document our home build and the next chapter of my story.
