Why you should visit Big Bend National Park

Driving through Big Bend

As you approach Big Bend National Park in far west Texas, your first view might be of the desert. It is brown and dry with prickly plants everywhere. Heat and seasonal winds can bring scorching temperatures at midday. Or visit in winter when northern storms cause temperatures to plummet below freezing.

Plentiful cacti blooms

If that’s your introduction to Big Bend National Park, you might stop short of actually going in the park. After all, the entrance is 80 miles from the nearest town, so you might think getting there from Marathon means you’ll likely be stuck all day in this unfriendly environment. If first impressions like this are lasting, people either lover Big Bend or hate it.

But, if you don’t venture further into the park you won’t discover the wonders of the three ecologies that define Big Bend.

Beautiful views on Lost Mine hiking trail.

Beyond the Chihuahuan Desert (one of North America’s four major deserts) are the Chisos Mountains. A green island in this desert sea, the mountains are responsible in part for the desert since they block rain from reaching the prairie. But within this green oasis are a variety of plants and animals that you might not expect to see there. 

Mountains in the Chisos Basin

White-tailed deer, bears, and coyotes range here, and leathery succulent plants of the arid landscape give way to green leafy shrubs and trees and spring wildflowers. Rainfall in the Chisos Basin nourishes oak and juniper trees, even becoming home to bird species that only nest in these mountains.

Seeing a mother bear and two cubs was a highlight.

Santa Elena Canyon is a focal point 
of Big Bend.

And then there’s the Rio Grande River, whose distinctive curve gives the park its name. The life-giving waters of this green ribbon cut across the desert and carve deep canyons.  

For 118 miles the Rio Grande forms the boundary between the United States and Mexico. In fact, one of the park’s best-known features, Santa Elena Canyon, is shared by the two countries—its rugged south wall towers above Mexico while the smoother north wall lies on United States soil.

Elevation contrasts and multiple ecologies formed by a trio of river, desert, and mountains create microclimates that enhance the diversity of plant and animal life within the park’s boundaries. 

Hiking to Balanced Rock

Birding is a popular endeavor because many species of birds include Big Ben on their migratory routes between South, Central, and North America.

Big Bend must be explored to be appreciated. You can find interpretive displays and easy walks to scenic or historic points on paved roads. If you want to be more than a spectator, strap on a back pack and go hiking--trails range from easy to challenging. Then raft amazing canyons, go off road on a jeep tour, ride bikes on back country roads, or inhale spectacular vistas from horseback.

Sunset looking through the Window between mountains

Not to be overlooked is the peace and serenity that this remote area offers. Many visitors return year after year to revel in the solitude of their favorite happy places.

You can't find a more glorious drive than early morning to Chisos Basin.

I’ve visited Big Bend National Park several times and have fallen in love with its distinctive character. Every time I go there, I discover more dimensions of its natural beauty. If you visit the park, give yourself enough time to indulge and savor all it has to offer. You, too, will come to love this iconic place.

 

Stay in a true Western hotel

Sunset transformed the tan adobe walls of the Gage Hotel in Marathon, Texas into a glowing orange, an earthy hue reminiscent of the desert just a stretch down the road.  As we stepped up to the porch and through the front door, we entered the Old West. 

 After spending five days rafting, horseback riding, and touring Big Bend National Park, about 70 miles away via US 385, we were pleasantly surprised by the beauty and serenity of the Gage.

Rafting in Big Bend National Park

Restored to its original glory in stages during the past 30 years, the Gage is a Texas Historic Landmark.  Built in 1927 for Alfred Gage, a prosperous businessman and rancher living in San Antonio who needed accommodations in West Texas, the original hotel welcomed travelers in this widespread, sparsely populated ranching and mining community.  The building fell into disrepair after Gage died until J. P. and Mary Jon Bryan of Houston purchased it in 1978.  Using authentic antiques and regional craftsmen, the Bryans transformed it into an example of early 20^th century Wild West days.

After checking in, we left the main hotel and walked through the courtyard, lavishly landscaped with purple, pink, and white flowers, to our room in Los Portales, “The Porches.” This Spanish-inspired addition was built adjacent to the original property in 1992.  As for all 20 rooms in Los Portales, ours featured an antique entry door constructed of aged mesquite wood salvaged from abandoned buildings in Mexico.  The doors are all different, most over 100 years old and handmade of dozens of pieces of wood fitted together in complex designs.

No modern plaster ceilings here, either: constructed of beams made from ponderosa pine found in the nearby Davis Mountains, the ceilings resembled thatched roofs from a century ago. Sticks between the logs, made from the flower stalk of a local plant named sotol, added authenticity to the architecture.

Right outside the door of our room we stepped into a traditional adobe courtyard or “placita,” which historically provided protection from the hot desert sun and housed the community well—now interpreted as a lovely fountain made of Mexican volcanic stone. 

Following pioneer construction techniques, bricks for Los Portales were made on premises—80,000 made from a sun-dried mixture of caliche soil, straw, and water--and walls were later finished with a coat of gypsum plaster.  Brick on porches, clay floor tiles, and brightly hand painted bathroom tiles are all from Mexico, manufactured by original techniques.    

Room furnishings—blankets, tables, chairs, headboards, lamps, and artwork—reflected the combination of Western, Native American, and Mexican cultures. And, just so you wouldn’t forget that this was the Old West, Big Horn sheep skulls decorated outside walls.

Dinner on premises at Café Cenizo featured entrée selections ranging from smoked cabrito (young goat) for the adventurous to grilled lamb chops and bacon-wrapped quail for traditionalists and several varieties of local cuisine: enchiladas (a regional favorite), catfish, and chicken fried steak (my husband’s choice). 

If the weather had been warmer, we might have taken a dip in the pool or people-watched from wooden rocking chairs on the porch.  Instead, we lit a fire in our room’s fireplace—logs provided—to chase away the November chill.  Watching flames flicker from the comfort of our queen-sized bed was the epitome of relaxation. 

In addition to Big Bend National Park, Marathon is convenient for day trips to McDonald Observatory, Big Bend Ranch State Park, and Sul Ross University in Alpine. The Gage Hotel is located at the intersection of highways 90 and 385. www.gagehotel.com

Photos by Larry and Beverly Burmeier

 

 

Why I love Big Bend National Park

The dessert landscape has many surprises.

As you approach Big Bend National Park in far west Texas, your first view might be of the desert. It is brown and dry with prickly plants everywhere. Heat and seasonal winds can bring scorching temperatures at midday. Or visit in winter when northern storms cause temperatures to plummet below freezing.

Big Bend is a unique park.

Even cacti have lovely 
blooms after rain.

If that’s your introduction to Big Bend National Park, you might stop short of actually going in the park. After all, the entrance is 80 miles from the nearest town, so you might think getting there from Marathon means you’ll likely be stuck all day in this unfriendly environment. If first impressions like this are lasting, people either lover Big Bend or hate it.

But, if you don’t venture further into the park you won’t discover the wonders of the three ecologies that define Big Bend.

There's wildlife, too!

Beyond the Chihuahuan Desert (one of North America’s four major deserts) are the Chisos Mountains. A green island in this desert sea, the mountains are responsible in part for the desert since they block rain from reaching the prairie. 

But within this green oasis are a variety of plants and animals that you might not expect to see there. White-tailed deer, bears, and coyotes range here, and leathery succulent plants of the arid landscape give way to green leafy shrubs and trees and spring wildflowers. 

Rainfall in the Chisos Basin nourishes oak and juniper trees, even becoming home to bird species that only nest in these mountains.

And then there’s the Rio Grande River, whose distinctive curve gives the park its name. The life-giving waters of this green ribbon cut across the desert and carve deep canyons.  For 118 miles the Rio Grande forms the boundary between the United States and Mexico. In fact, one of the park’s best-known features, Santa Elena Canyon, is shared by the two countries—its rugged south wall towers above Mexico while the smoother north wall lies on U. S. soil.

Sunset at The Window. 

Elevation contrasts and multiple ecologies formed by a trio of river, desert, and mountains create microclimates that enhance the diversity of plant and animal life within the park’s boundaries. Birding is a popular endeavor because many species of birds include Big Ben on their migratory routes between South, Central, and North America.

Early morning, the moon shines while the sun glows
on the mountains. 

Big Bend must be explored to be appreciated. You can find interpretive displays and easy walks to scenic or historic points on paved roads. In addition to being a spectator, hike trails (easy or challenging), raft amazing canyons, go off road on a jeep tour, ride bikes on back country roads. or inhale spectacular vistas from horseback.

Go for a hike.

Not to be overlooked is the peace and serenity that this remote area offers. Many visitors return year after year when to revel in solitude in their own happy place.

I’ve visited Big Bend National Park several times and have fallen in love with its distinctive character. Every time I go there, I discover more dimensions of its natural beauty. If you visit the park, give yourself enough time to indulge and savor all it has to offer—river, mountains, and desert. You, too, will come to love this iconic place.

Enjoy the multitude of colors.

 Photos by Larry and Beverly Burmeier

'Journey into Big Bend' at Bullock Museum in Austin

I really love that during 2016, the centennial year of the National Park Service, there’s so much publicity about the more than 400 properties that come under the protection of NPS.

Early morning haze drapes the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park.

We try to visit different national parks in the U.S. every year, including returning to some of our favorites. So I’m thrilled to share that Big Bend National Park in Texas is the focus of an exhibit currently at The Bullock Texas State History Museum in downtown Austin. “Journey into Big Bend” is an educational program sponsored by Big Bend Chamber of Commerce, Forever Resorts, LLC, Gage Hotel, and Visit Big Bend.

Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin

Even better, you can celebrate Big Bend National Park during the Free First Sunday program on May 1. Admission is free from 12 noon to 5 p.m., and there will be lots of free family activities until 3 p.m. For example, explore Texas’s ancient past by getting hands-on with fossils, make sun print works of art with plants native to the Big Bend region, and listen to a camping story.

Rugged hills and mountains provide hiking opportunities in Big Bend.

Smudge Studios will teach participants to take great nature photographs, and those skills can be applied to a challenge in the Museum’s exhibits. Staff from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center will also be on hand to share how they have worked to help improve Big Bend landscapes.

If the exhibit inspires you to plan a trip to Big Bend National Park in the southwest corner of Texas, you’ll discover a variety of scenic, ecologic, and historic resources.  Mountains, desert, and water combine to make a unique topography that was considered worthy of national park status by Congress in 1935. Nine years later the park was established to preserve and protect the unique U-shaped space where the Rio Grande River loops along the Texas-Mexico border.

Rafting on the Rio Grande River is a special treat in Big Bend National Park.

Encompassing more than 800,000 acres, the park is the largest protected area of Chihuahuan Desert topography and ecology in the U.S and the only national park that contains an entire mountain range, the Chisos, within its boundaries. It’s a land of dramatic contrasts—extremes in temperature, elevation, and moisture are found in the three distinct regions—so it almost seems like three parks in one.


Tall cliffs border the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park.

The serene beauty of Big Bend inspires repeat visits from many travelers. Dark night skies glowing with millions of twinkling stars (no city lights to dim the view), steep river-carved limestone canyons, diverse wildlife and bird species (Big Bend boasts more types of birds, bats, and cacti than any other national park in the United States), rugged mountains, and uncommonly beautiful desert cacti and wildflowers provide enough enticement for 300,000 visitors annually.

Big Bend is one of those places you can go back to again and again, and it’s like you’re seeing it for the first time. Don't miss this opportunity to learn more about the largest national park in Texas--for free.

Photos by Larry and Beverly Burmeier



Get outdoors at Big Bend National Park

Rafting on the Rio Grande River in Big Bend National Park

Spring is the perfect time to visit Big Bend National Park. The weather is neither too hot nor cold and wildflowers color the landscape. Located in the far west corner of Texas, this park is known for its natural landscapes encompassing river, mountain, and desert ecosystems.  If you love exploring outdoors, take your pick from hiking, horseback riding, rafting, jeep touring, or biking in this lightly visited national park.



Ride horses over mountain ridges in the wide open spaces of Big Bend.

Learn more by reading my article on Big Bend in Arizona Highroads  Magazine:

Photos by Beverly Burmeier