November 2013 Chisos Mountains, Lost Mine Trail

November 17

This morning we head into the Chisos Mountains to climb the Lost Mine Trail.  Two-and-a-half miles uphill, and then the return.  Beautiful vistas along with assorted wildflowers, rock formations, interesting trees like the weeping juniper and red-barked mandrola tree.

We pass about a half dozen other hikers, most of whom we have seen elsewhere.

Fairly exhausted after this trail, we go to our next campground in the Chisos Basin.  Basically nestled in a basin surrounded by the Chisos Mountains, it is a much smaller campground with no hook-ups, though there is a lodge, a small store and a visitor's center (with hot water!) not far away. We find a great site, so switch from our reserved site and settle in. This campground is full, so we are glad we have reservations! We go to the short Windows View Trail for sunset.  The "window" is basically a v-shaped gap in the surrounding mountains. We will hike to the window another day.

Greg cooks beef fajitas for dinner, with charro beans.  Yum!

November 16 Big Bend

November 16

53 degrees this morning.  Revisited the Rio Grande Nature Trail - no fog at all this morning.
Again saw the Mexican on horseback and watched turtles sunning themselves.

After breakfast of oatmeal, we headed to Cat Tail Falls, a trail not shown on the Park's maps but recommended by a ranger at the Panther Junction Visitor's Center. On the way we took these pictures of a tarantula crossing the road, one of about a dozen that we saw this trip. (Hairy and about 4-6". ) Non-aggressive and moving right along, we are told later that it is mating season and they are "on the move".

 We also saw this javelina along the road. Also called a collared peccary, they are not really related to pigs though the nose surely appears to be! About 20-24" inches tall, 40-60 pounds.

 The several mile long road into Cat Tail Falls trail was very rocky and rough, and we got out at one point and filled in some holes with loose rocks, but made it to the parking area.  The first mile of the trail was on a closed road through desert, then it switched to a smaller trail that led another mile into the mountains and a beautiful water falls. Beautiful agave.

  The end of the trail is a mass of huge boulders which we scrambled over.  Quite an oasis here, with pools and a small stream.  Lots of blue dragon flies  and Greg spotted a tarantula on a nearby rock.  We enjoyed a snack and some water before heading back to the Trek and back out the crazy road with only one small scrape!

Took showers at the store and talked with some fellow Roadtrekkers who bought their 1993 Trek on Craig's List!  They spend summers in Homer, Alaska and the rest of the year in West Texas doing seasonal" work.  We have run into people from Chicago, Minnesota, Sante Fe, Washington, Louisiana, Germany, Australia as well as other Texans.

This cottontail was visiting the empty campsite next to us.  We climbed the nature trail yet again for sunset, and more impressively, moonrise, pictures.

Later we drive to the Rio Grande Overlook and try a few night pictures.  We are the only people around and the stillness and silence is awesome.

Greg reading at the campsite.

November 2013 BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK

Big Bend National Park and West Texas

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.

We go through the tunnel and take the short, rough road to Dugout Wells.  Apparently it was once a homestead, though the windmill and some of the trees are the only remnants of that time.  The only wildlife we see on the short trail are a few birds flitting about.  We stop at Milepost 16 which we were told had great sunset views.  The Santa Elena Mountains were beautifully lit.

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.