big bend, part 2, week 2

Big Bend, week 2

For our second week, we left the business of the Rio Grande Village area, drove across to a less populous part of the park and set up camp in the small remote campground of Cottonwood.

Along the way, we stopped at the Fossil Discovery Exhibit. Most of Big Bend was under water in ancient times and many unexpected sea creatures, I might even go so far as to call them sea monsters, fossils have been found here. (see pic from previous blog.) As well as, horned dinosaurs, tyrannosaurus and flying dinosaur fossils. 

As we have traveled around the country we have learned many new regional terms for geological phenomena. I thought maybe we'd covered most of them, but no, Big Bend and indeed southwest Texas, has a geological phenomena called a “pour-off”. It is the equivalent of a dry waterfall but it rarely sees any water, except, perhaps, during a summer monsoon. Big Bend has several and I can just imagine how stunning they would be if they were full of water. Of course, we hiked up many, so I guess I'm glad they were dry! 

One of the things that I thought was particularly interesting was that despite this long border with Mexico, with a river that for the most part one could wade across and in many areas it was so shallow one would barely get ones knees wet, there  was very little border patrol presence. We saw one vehicle observing one area. We had seen a much larger and more obvious presence in several other border areas that we had been near. Now this is not a subject that I claim any kind of expertise in ... but what makes a good place to cross the border illegally? As far as actual border crossing itself, this would be perfect. It would be a piece of cake. There were tons of places to just walk across. No wall, no barricades, no deadly deterrents in the water.  But, perhaps it has to do with what's on either side of the border as well.  We were deep in the Chihuahuan desert, far, far from any development to speak of on either side of the border. No roads, no water, no trees, no giant cactus, just dirt, rocks, sand, creosote bushes, bare hills and mountains. Perhaps it's an area where survival is just too hard so the border patrol doesn't really have to worry about anyone trying to cross over there…

On to pics:

The Sam Nail ranch. A few intrepid folks moved to this land and tried to make a go of it farming/ranching in this valley surrounded by the Chihuahuan desert. Most didn't last too long. This is an interesting ranch, just a mile or so hike down into a valley from the park road. I can't help but look around at the landscape and wonder how anyone could consider this an appropriate place to raise cattle…

the homestead/ranch house 

adobe walls and windmills being reclaimed by the desert

remains of the corral 

Spring in the desert is a time of renewal. New life on prickly pears 

birds nests protected by cactus spines

colorful prickly pears and creosote bush

prickly pear buds and blossoms in a variety of colors 

another farmhouse losing its battle for survival with the desert

Cerro castelon is one of the most scenic and recognized butte formations in the park.

Roadrunner 

Santa Elana Canyon 

There's a trail that starts down at the river, goes partway up the canyon wall on the right for awhile leading one into the canyon, then back down to the river and continuing on into the canyon until there is just sheer rock walls and river.

 Views up the canyon from the trail

and looking out from the canyon

another view looking in at the canyon

Flowers 

One of the hikes we did was to the Burro Mesa Pour-off (just in case you forgot or ignored what I wrote earlier, a pour-off ia a dry waterfall). There were trails to both the lower and upper pour-off and we did both, just not on the same day. Hike to Lower Pour-off. Beautiful rock layering

This is the pour-off. A person is standing at the bottom for scale. Let me just say, it's pretty tall.

On the hike back out, the full moon was rising  over the rocky ridgeline providing a photo-op I couldn't resist.

I never tire of an ocotillo in full bloom against a brilliant blue sky.

The next day we did the Upper Burro Mesa Pour-off trail. We saw some birds, interesting rock formations, lizards and flowers.

Cactus Wren on rock

Cactus Wren on sotol stalk

Not sure what this is, but I liked the fuzzy seed pods.

window in the stone

As we neared the pour-off, there was a steep, rocky, scrambly part going down followed by a polished chute of about 15-20’, all accompanied by several signs with all sorts of scary warnings. Warnings about not going down unless you were certain you could climb back up, experienced hikers only, do not enter if there is a CHANCE of rain or thundershowers, do not enter if it is raining at all  Well, naturally we had to try. I mean, you can't stop right before the payoff…

I've made it down a bit and am contemplating whether I'm really going to do this…it looks steep and slick.

Yep, I'm going down. Sometimes a butt-slide is the only way down.

Once we got down the chute there was a large domed area, like a large round room, that had been carved out of the rock by the swirling waters before they made their exit out the narrow slot.      Even the rock walls had swirling patterns. 

rock shaped by wster

At the mouth of the pour-off looking out. It was worth it!

It's hard to comprehend just how far down that is.

We managed to clamber up out and get back to the wash for the hike back. I may have needed a little boost from my faithful and loving husband … but I'll never tell.

a rock wren

a Chihuahuan Greater Earless Lizard These guys love hot weather. I had really wanted to see one of these colorful guys and was thrilled that I finally did.

Cloud formations over Cerro Castellon. 

Mules Ears

Goat Mountain 

Close up of Goat Mountain - Martin saw bighorn sheep here, I was off looking in another direction …

Sunset pics - we went to sotol vista for the stunning 270° views

 haze from blowing sand. 

looking more southeast we have the blues and the blowing sand isn't as noticable

and the setting sun

On one of our last days we hiked to balance rock. . 

The rock formations along the way were fascinating

It's wrong of me to say there are no trees here, except along the river, because look, here's one, tenaciously clinging to life in a little alcove created by two giant boulders.

We have seen all sorts of things in our travels. Typically, dogs are not allowed on national park trails, so this guy is hiking with his “doggie backpack”. His pup, a 9 month old, had been hiking like this with his dad since he was a wee one and was completely chill about the whole thing! Oh, the things we've seen …

Christmas Cholla Cactus

looking back down the trail

This marked the end of our adventures in Texas.  Looking back I have to say that Texas worked its charm on me. As I admitted in my first post in Texas, I had primarily neutral to negative connotations about the state.  What I discovered was a warm and friendly people, a vast and varied geography which was interesting, with many, many beautiful places and, more than I could count, were just plain gorgeous. I'm so grateful to have been able to see all these places, have had all these adventures, and most importantly to have my preconceived notions challenged and changed.  ❤️

Next stop: Las Cruces, NM and the Organ Mountains