Wed, Nov 2 Big Bend

Wednesday, November 2

This morning we are off to Big Bend National Park.  We take 54S and leave the Guadalupe Mountains in the rearview mirror.  Mostly flat land again till we reach Van Horn.  A popular spot for travelers on I-10, we take advantage and fill up with gas, propane and a few groceries. We head east on I-10 briefly, then turn south through the Davis Mountains and Fort Davis.

 Pretty countryside. We pass this odd building - smallest Target store ever??

We can see the McDonald Observatory atop the mountains.  One day we would like to attend one of their "Star Parties", but with the clouds this isn't the time....

Another cool courthouse in Fort Davis.

We continue south, then east to Marathon to top off with gas.  We reach the entrance to Big Bend about 2:00 and learn that the Lost Mine Trail, which we'd hoped to hike, is closed due to bear activity, as are some of the back country trails. But there are plenty of others.

There are three campgrounds in Big Bend.  The Chisos Basin is nestled in the Chisos Mountains, the Rio Grande Village,  largest,  is lower down by the river and has a few sites with electricity. Cottonwood is small and near Santa Elena Canyon to the west.  We plan to hit all three but head first to the Chisos which is fairly small and always seems to fill first.

The road in is spectacular as it winds into the mountains, then drops to the campground - the name Basin is very apt. Vehicles over 24' are not allowed due to the steep and windy road.

You can see the campground faintly in this photo - the bits of white surrounded by mountains.

We find a good spot, set-up and then head out for a walk.

We start on the Window Trail but know we won't have time to complete it, so branch off and stay local. Spot this recently deceased lizard near the group campground - about10" long. We've never seen one this big!

Also spot this colorful fellow (grasshopper?) on the trail.

  We wash hair and clean up a bit before meeting our new neighbor - a tall young woman from Pennsylvania who we had seen in Guadalupe.  She worked up in the Texas Panhandle for the Summer building trails at Lake Meredith and is doing some site seeing on her way home. Tenting.

There is a lodge up the hill where we have eaten a time or two in the past.  They have also built some rental places.  Reservations need to be made far ahead. No signal here, though there is a land line apparently. Cell service?  What's that?

Cloudy, cool evening with pleasant breezes.

 Reading, photos, chat.  Greg is reading a huge volume about Harry Truman.  I am reading Rough Trip through Yellowstone about a Winter exploration of the park back in 1894. It is part of the suggested reading prior to our trip there in January.

 Sunset tints the clouds briefly, then all is quiet.