traveling from Marianna, FL to Las Cruces, NM: Part IV Big Bend NP revisited

Traveling from Marianna, FL to Las Cruces, NM. Part IV. Big Bend NP revisited, 2025

Big Bend NP is such a large park containing so much diversity we were happy to fit in a second visit on our way to Las Cruces. Diversity, you question? It's in the Chihuahuan desert, what could be diverse about that? Well, to start with, it has the most bird species of any national park, 450 (of which about 400 are migratory and 50 are year-round residents). It also has the Rio Grande River, flat vast expanses, rocky outcrops, volcanic dikes, and it has an entire mountain range, the Chisos, within its borders. The elevation varies from 1850’ at the Rio Grande to 7825’ at the top of the highest peak in the Chisos mountains. And it even has dinosaur bones and exhibits. So, yes, there is much to see and experience. 

We camped at The Rio Grande Village, which as its name suggests, is right along the Rio Grande River.  The river, at this point, is quite shallow and although it marks the international border, a few of the free range cattle and horses owned by rancheros, (Mexican ranchers) are unaware of the significance of that fact and sometimes stray over into the park. As a result, when one is in this area, it is not unusual to see vaqueros or rancheros (Mexican cowboys) on horseback looking for and herding their “strays” back home.  Typically one is never sure what one will see strolling through the campsite; mules, horses, cattle, javelinas, roadrunners, vermilion flycatchers, mockingbirds… But one thing that can be counted on with certainty every late afternoon into early evening are the vultures (yes, vultures, both turkey and black) that circle the sky and then, after a time, come to roost on nearby trees. Sounds charming, right? I mean, they're such pretty birds. Uh, no, there not. Well, it was fascinating. 

The Rio Grande cuts a narrow swath of green across the desert but it isn't the only oasis in this stark, but beautiful landscape. The Chisos Mountains are another lovely respite with lower temps, treed landscapes, mountain birds, wildlife and some great trails.

We were glad we managed a few days at Big Bend and before heading to Las Cruces  for build #2.

On to to pics:

The first set of pics are from around our campsite at Rio Grande Village.                It was pretty hot so we were sitting in the shade behind our trailer when we started to get some company. These guys came right through the campground, some were just a couple of feet away as they passed us.

There were a couple of young ones which provided much entertainment while we  watched. 

They didn't seem to mind the heat as they kicked and jumped and raced around. 

While the older adults moved at a more appropriate, sedate pace.

"Hummm. wondering what to do next …   Ah ha! I see my friend" 

"and now we can plot our next adventure". 

This guy had quite an itch. Thank goodness for that tree!

This one isn't sure if his face itches or if he wants to take a bite. Maybe both! haha!

Mom says "Do what ever you want, but I'm resting in the shade".

One of the rancheros trying to gather up the herd and head them back across the river.

But wait, here comes the littlest one yet.  Who knows where the ranchero and his trusty dog found this little guy.

He is just full of high jinx!

“Mom, where have you been?”

“waiting for you ❤️”

After the excitement with the cows settled down, some horses came by to visit 

And then some burros.

When we weren't checking out the visitors,  we'd look at the view from our campsite,  the Sierra del Carmen mountains in Mexico 

And here are a few of our many bird visitors.                                                     Our regular afternoon/evening visitor: The Turkey Vulture

Six or seven would come in and roost in a single tree.

I believe this is a western wood peewee (?)

Roadrunner

Killdeer

 a blue-grey gnatcatcher, I think

As evening falls, silhouetted rancheros on the Mexican side

Sunset     The campground had a great little trail that went up to a point where the sunsets were superb. 

And a few parting pics of the Rio Grande as it cuts through the Boquillas canyon.

river reflections.                                      (the bird is likely a black phoebe)

The rockface to the right of the river is in Mexico. 

The next pics are from the Chisos mountains. 

We repeated a trail, the lost mine trail, that we hiked last year because we liked it so much.                                                 At the top, looking down a valley. 

looking back toward the lodge and the start of the trail

I was satisfied with the one hike, but Martin wanted to do another. So I stayed at the lodge, drank a "cold beverage" and took pictures of birds … ❤️

a Say's Phoebe coming in for a landing

a Roadrunner that made a rattling-clicking sound with its throat, it made me think of the velociraptors from jurassic park. 

a Chipping Sparrow enjoying a bit of water on the patio 

a Mexican Jay

the Says Phoebe landed

… while he hiked down to the Windows Run-off (and then back up to the lodge). A run-off is where in the spring, with snowmelt, or during summer monsoons water “runs off” and it turns into a waterfall,  but most of the time it is dry. Looks cool, but …I think I got the better end of the deal ;)

As we left the park, we stopped in Terra Lingua,  a very small, very rustic hamlet, but the closest sort of habitation around the park, for pizza. We had read about this pizza and it totally lived up to its hype. The town also hosts a pretty famous chili cook-off each year



Next stop: …Wait for it… (I mean I've been talking about it for the last how many blogs???) LAS CRUCES, NM!  Yay!

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