November 13
We set off about 7:30AM and ran into some Houston traffic as we made our way to Interstate 10 and points west. We passed San Antonio and stopped for lunch at Rick & Lisa's Save Inn in Kerrville where we enjoyed the daily special, a tasty chicken-fried steak. Arrived in Fort Stockton about 6:00, where we boondocked at the local Walmart along with quite a few other travelers.
November 14
Beautiful sunrise as we started heading south towards Marathon and Big Bend. The countryside is mostly brush and sparse grass and we see several deer, a javelina and this lovely Swainson's hawk along the way.
Entered the park about 9:45AM and decided to do the Dagger Flats Auto Tour since it is along the way to Rio Grande Village Campground. Dagger refers to the tall Yucca plants scattered over the area along with Octillo, creosote bushes, mesquite and a variety of cacti.
Spotted this long-eared jackrabbit.Arrived at Rio Grande Campground where we have nice sites and restrooms but no electrical connections. While checking out the sites we see a Vermillion Flycatcher (pretty red bird) and some type of oriole which is bright orange! There are 100 campsites, which are 25-30% occupied. Here we are in the desert and it begins to rain! We move to a campsite that has a covered picnic area and Greg fires up the grill for some hamburgers and potato salad.
A group of motorcyclists takes the site across from us. They are a bit loud, but quiet down around 10:00 and we have a pleasant night.
November 15
After breakfast tacos, we hike the nature trail adjacent to the Campground. It begins with a lush, spring-fed pond area and then climbs a nearby mountain. Because of the rain, it is a foggy morning and the view from the top shows valleys filled with fog but quickly clearing.
At a few places along the trail there are groupings of little crafts for sale, which we learn Mexicans from across the river have left. We spot a horse among the hills and find that it is a man from Mexico who makes rounds daily to collect any proceeds. We see a sign later that warns that it is illegal to buy these items.
The tiny Mexican town of Boquillas is just across the Rio Grande River (in the fog on top right).
We drive to the Boquillas Canyon and walk a trail there. The Rio Grande is much reduced from what it once was, due mostly to irrigation and other usage. Still, the Canyon it carved is quite impressive.
We drive to the local store/gas station/post office/showers/laudromat (you get the idea) and check it out - will definitely be back for showers at some point. Nearby, we see several road runners and I track two to a tree where they gamely pose for me, well, sort-of….
Then we head out to the Hot Springs trail. It is down a narrow dirt/rock road and we find a convenient parking spot before the last really bad section and walk to the trailhead. There are remains of several abandoned buildings - a store, post office and another.
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The hot springs are about a mile away and we pass cliffs with canyon wren nests along the way. The hot springs fill the foundation of a small old building right next to the Rio Grande. There are several beautiful dragon flies flitting about, as well as a few small lizards. We walk with and talk with a woman ranger for several minutes before heading back to the Trek
We return to the campsite for lunch and a bit of relaxation then decide to drive to a place called Dugout Wells, which the the ranger told us usually had a lot of wildlife later afternoons. The temperature is in the high 70's by now, but it is a dry heat and out of the sun it is quite comfortable.
Back to camp, we enjoy keilbassi for dinner and then decide to do a bit of experimental night photography by the nature trail pond. Take some shots of the moon and do some light painting with flashlight before calling it a night.
Sounds like another grand trip. I love that picture where you were hiking on the nature trail from the Rio Grande Campground, it is stunning. Y'all be careful out in the wild wild west.
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