We had originally planned to stay in Big Bend 6 nights, but we ended up staying 5. We were there during unusually hot weather so hiking (which is the thing to do!) was not as pleasant as we had hoped. We didn’t see some of the iconic spots because they were on the west side of the park and we stayed on the east side. It would have been 1.5 hours to drive to some of those spots, which would have put our hiking times at peak heat by the time we were done. That just means it is another reason for us to go back one day and stay on the West side of the park so we can see all that we missed! Where we Stayed: Fort Clark Springs: On our way to Big Bend, we stopped for 2 nights at this gated community in Bracketville, TX. They have a RV park with full hookups for only $11.25 a night because we are members of Passport America. It ended up being a great little place with a lot of history. If you ask the volunteer at the museum, he will tell you the Civil War started at the fort here. The Union gave up the fort to the Confederates before the war was in full swing. This fort was built for the Spanish-American War, but then used in the Civil War, World I, World War II and the Korean War as a training facility. Marathon RV Park: This was about a half way point so we decided to stay the night. The park had a great courtyard where we met another couple from Bend! It was really hot that day so the full hookups and Passport America price was great! At night, astronomers from Fort Davis Observatory were there and had their telescopes out so we could learn about the stars. If you wanted to have hookups and don't mind driving about 45min to get to the park, you could stay here. The big hotel in town had a little area with volleyball, chess, horseshoes and more so we spent quite a few hours there after we arrived just enjoying the evening. Rio Grande Village NP Campground: We stayed in the park at the only campground our trailer would fit. It was on the southeast corner near the Boquillas border crossing. Because this is the desert side of Big Bend, it was HOT! Friends we met in the campground kept a thermostat in their camper and one day when we got back from a hike it was 106 degrees in their camper. Other than that, it was a great campground. Our site was very large and had a great view of the mountains at sunset. Things we did: Window Trail: We went to a ranger talk in the morning then planned to hike the Lost Mine trail. Unfortunately the parking area was full! The Window trail was nearby and also recommended, so we did that hike instead. It was an easy 4 miles round trip with a beautiful view at the end. Pine Canyon Trail: To get here, you do a 6 mile off road drive then hike 4 miles round trip. The beginning starts off through the desert then you end up in the mountain part of the canyon and end up at a waterfall (in the rainy season). The exciting, yet scary, part of the trip was when we were hanging around at the end. The kids went into a cave type area and were talking with their friends. The second time they went up, Lance saw a snake. They all did great and stayed calm and walked back out. Dan and our new friend Craig, went to check it out and it was a Blacktail Rattlesnake. We were all very thankful that none of the kids had accidentally stepped on it. It was way too close for comfort! Boquillas Canyon and Border: We used our passports to go across the border to Boquillas, Mexico. You walk down to the river then take a little row boat across. Once across, you can walk or pay to ride a donkey, horse or in a truck to the town. It was a little village over 160 miles from the nearest Mexican village. They rely heavily on tourists and each family sells handmade souvenirs. We bought a couple and had lunch at one of the two restaurants. When we arrived, we were the only ones there so the owner sat and talked with us for a long time about the town and the history of it. He was also very proud that their town had won a grant from the government to put in a solar farm so they could generate more electricity. If you ever go to Big Bend, definitely bring your passports and visit Boquillas. Historic Hot Springs: We did the .50 mile hike instead of the 3 mile from the village store since the days were so hot. We were told the hot springs were next to the river that had easy spots to get into and was deep so you could sit and relax. There were little rapids so they kids rode down them in our little blow up and had a blast. There used to be a hotel and store down here. There were also some pictographs on the rock walls.
Rio Grande Village Nature Trail and swimming in the Rio Grande: We took this trail a couple times because you could get to the river and sit and cool off. It was a great nightly spot after hiking in the heat. We also took the trail to the top of a little hill to watch the sunset. That is where we met the Plocica family who is also traveling for the year. We ended up doing most of our hikes with them then following each other to our next destination….Guadalupe Mountains!
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AuthorKim: I've seen very little of the US and can't wait to see it all with my family. This is a crazy adventure that I never thought I would have the guts to do! Archives
April 2017
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