Far from any major city, the Big Bend is truly one of the world's last frontiers, a relatively untouched corner of the American West. With a population density of over one square kilometer per person, the Big Bend is an ideal place to rediscover the simple pleasures of silence, solitude and open space.
The crowning jewel of the Big Bend region is Big Bend National Park, which preserves more than 1,100 square miles (2850 square kilometers) of rugged desert, the three massive canyons of the Rio Grande and the entire Chisos Mountain range. In addition to its stunning landscape, Big Bend National Park is also rich in history, with sites that reflect millennia of human habitation in a harsh land - from ancient Native Americans to the ranchers and miners who came here in the late 19th Century.
The park invites exploration from many angles: raft or canoe down the Rio Grande, take a hike with over 200 miles (320 km.) of wilderness trails to choose from, ride a horse into the sunset, take a jeep tour on the Park's extensive back-road system or simply drive the paved and improved roads to many easily accessible scenic viewpoints and interpretive turn-outs. While Big Bend National Park is among the largest national parks in the continental United States, it is also among the least visited, and finding a private corner in this wild, remote country is easy, even during popular seasons.
From whatever direction one approaches Big Bend National Park, the commanding sight is the Chisos Mountains, which rise more than a mile above the surrounding desert. Formed of red volcanic rock, the mountains appear fortress-like, formidable and barren. But driving into the mountains, it becomes clear that the Chisos' appearance from a distance is deceiving. The desert scrub and cactus gives way to grassy slopes and then to forests of pine trees as one winds upwards into the mountains. While they may appear inhospitable from below, the Chisos are an oasis of life, a green island in a desert sea.
Climbing into the heart of the mountains, the road up Green Gulch dead-ends at the Chisos Basin at about 5,000 feet (1524 meters) above sea level. Surrounded by peaks towering over 7,500 feet (2286 meters) in elevation, the Basin has a developed campground with 62 sites, as well as a ranger station, interpretive exhibits and a convenience store. The Chisos Mountains Lodge offers comfortable overnight accommodations, and their dining room wins the prize hands-down for best view from any restaurant in Texas as the sun sets over the desert through a jagged opening in the mountains known as "The Window." The Basin's high elevation and its shaded paths create a spring-like oasis even in the dead of summer.
Panoramic views, interrupted only by ranges of desert mountains, are the hallmark of the Big Bend, and there is no better way to experience these views than to hike the extensive trail system found in the Chisos. A 14-mile (22.5 km) loop that begins and ends at the Basin, the South Rim Trail passes through the heart of the range. The hike can be done as a strenuous day hike or as a one- or two-night backpacking trip. Many other hikes and routes are available within the Chisos Mountains Loop trail complex.
The Pinnacles Trail rises steeply out of the Basin, passing through mixed stands of pine, oak and Texas Madrone - a distinctive tree identifiable by its smooth, red bark. A hiker on this trail might catch a glimpse of the Del Carmen whitetail deer, a species found only in the Chisos and in the adjacent Sierra del Carmen mountains in Mexico, or the Colima warbler, a bird found nowhere in the United States outside the Big Bend.
After passing a formation of high rock towers that inspire the name, the Pinnacles Trail crests into a thickly forested mountain valley and soon enters Boot Canyon, named for a large rock formation that closely resembles an inverted cowboy boot. From Boot Canyon, the mountains open to reveal the desert country beyond, a prelude to the breathtaking views to come.
Soon hikers arrive at the Rim of the Chisos, and the payoff for the arduous climb could not be better. The mountains drop off abruptly in sheer cliffs to the rugged foothills 2,500 (750 meters) below. On a clear day, a hiker can see over 150 miles (240 km) across West Texas and past a breathtaking series of remote mountain ranges deep inside Mexico.
A popular hike accessible from the Basin is the Lost Mine Trail, which climbs 1,100 feet (335 meter) to a rocky peak over 7,000 feet in elevation and a spectacular view to the west through "the Window." This 4.8-mile (7.5 km) round trip takes about three hours, but you'll want to allow plenty of time to savor the sensational scenery. While the mountains boast the most mind-boggling vistas, the many miles of trails through the park's low desert country offer subtler pleasures, along with moderate temperatures for hiking in the late fall, winter and early spring.
The Big Bend's Chihuahuan Desert boasts the greatest number of cacti of any North American desert, as well as plentiful vegetation of all varieties: Big Bend National Park records over 1,200 plant species. Every March and April, the desert explodes into bloom, and many species only need a good rain to put on a show. The low desert also reveals the tremendous geological diversity of Big Bend, be it the gnarled pinnacles of the Chimneys Trail marked with Native American rock art, or the surreal landscape and balanced rocks of the Grapevine Hills. Big Bend has great hiking opportunities for every season and for every skill level.
Flowing through Big Bend National Park, and the adjacent U.S. Wild and Scenic River, the Rio Grande traverses five major canyons in 275 miles (440 km) of navigable wilderness waterway. Although each canyon is unique in its own spectacular fashion, every canyon is typified by soaring vertical cliffs, which dwarf visitors fortunate enough to experience these sublime regions. Once within the towering walls, a river party finds the natural sounds and sights mysteriously enhanced, almost like inside a vast cathedral. As one author noted about Santa Elena Canyon, if light was sound, Santa Elena would be a symphony.
The canyons of the Rio Grande extend beyond the eastern boundary of Big Bend National Park, through a series of gorges known as the Lower Canyons. A trip through the Lower Canyons, which can take up to a week or more, is for the truly adventurous traveler. The Lower Canyons include some of the most remote and primitive country in the United States, and experienced river runners speak of this trip with reverence.
Service providers near the park rent boats and equipment to experienced river runners to explore the canyons on their own, or visitors may book a full-service guided trip, where the outfitter provides all equipment, guides, meals and local ground transportation in one simple package. These excursions are available from a few hours to several days in length, and can be more fun that you ever thought possible. In addition to the expertise that guides bring to safely navigating the occasionally treacherous Rio Grande, local guides are knowledgeable in the flora, fauna, geology and history of the region. Special services can even include gourmet meals and live acoustic music, introducing an unexpected element of luxury to an activity usually considered more of a Spartan undertaking. Please note, although area outfitters generally provide outstanding services, each has its own individual strengths. Call several operators and ask a lot of questions, and go with whoever makes you feel the most comfortable.
Some visitors explore the Big Bend the way that the early pioneers did - on horseback. Big Bend Stables, a local outfitter, offers a range of horseback adventures - from one-hour rides around the mountains to five-day outings into Mexico. Their premier trip however, is the annual longhorn round-up at Big Bend Ranch State Park, where a limited number of participants help drive the steers during the day and enjoy outfitted amenities and camp cooking. Big Bend Stables welcomes riders of all levels of experience, even those who have never been on horseback before.
Along with the traditional, there comes the new. Big Bend is a soon-to-be-discovered location for world-class bicycling, both on and off road. Some 60 miles (95 km) of mountain bike trails are currently open to the public in the Big Bend Ranch State Park and Lajitas Resort areas. Terlingua Ranch Lodge offers accommodations and access to many miles of little used backcountry roads. A system of backcountry bike trails is being considered by Big Bend National Park, which would make it the first Park in the system to develop a trail that allows mountain bicycles.
While natural beauty may be the main attraction, the small communities and villages of the Big Bend often provide as much pleasure as the region's landscape, especially after dark. With accommodations that range from the rustic to the luxurious, the Big Bend's towns exemplify a lively mix of Western traditions, friendly Texas atmosphere and burgeoning artistic activity.
The diminutive settlements of Terlingua and Study Butte, located just west of Big Bend National Park, began in the early 20th Century as mercury mining camps, and the ruins of the mines and the miners' homes still stand - impressive structures of pale limestone, stacked carefully many years ago. More recently, new arrivals have brought some of the old homes in Terlingua back to life, and restaurants, bars and galleries, as well as jeep, boat and mountain bike rental shops have popped up in what 30 years ago was a ghost town. Dine on tasty and creative regional specialties in a rescued mining-era movie house now open for dinner and drinks as "The Starlight Theatre," or throw down a sandwich and some suds at the Boathouse at Terlingua. Although growing as off-the-beaten-path funky tourist Meccas, Terlingua and Study Butte are at the end of the road. The towns maintain a strong feeling of the untamed Old West, and you don't have to turn over many rocks before you meet some fairly unique characters. The local population reflects the eccentric sensibilities of people who have chosen to leave behind the comforts of urban life to live contentedly, if somewhat precariously, in the shadow of the Chisos.
Seventeen miles west of Terlingua, the microscopic metropolis of Lajitas offers a different Big Bend experience - four-star with all the trimmings. Located amid ruddy mesas and blocky limestone ridges near the banks of the Rio Grande, Lajitas Resort features an 18-hole golf course, attractive swimming area, a luxuriant day spa and 25,000-acres (10,000 hectares) of private playground where pampered guests may choose between a variety of activities like mountain biking, horseback riding, skeet shooting, or bird watching at the resort's private preserve. Extreme fine dining is mandatory at the ruggedly elegant Ocotillo Restaurant, open evenings with an exquisite bill of fare and one of the most extensive wine lists in West Texas. The Candelilla Café serves original southwestern Tex-Mex cuisine breakfast, lunch and dinner, and you can have a drink next door at the Thirsty Goat Saloon, so named for the mayor of Lajitas, Clay Henry III. His honor is a goat, and he invites you to buy him a beer (no kidding) at the historic Lajitas Trading Post! The Trading Post was first opened in 1899 and has been in continual service since. It is great place to outfit a picnic.
Seventy miles north of the Big Bend National Park headquarters, Marathon, population 600, epitomizes the charm of the "one-horse" Texas town where time slows to a more gracious pace. Marathon is surrounded by rolling grasslands and undulating hills; achingly long vistas are punctuated by mountain features which have served as landmarks for travelers since primitive man first came into the region. With an elevation of over 4,000 feet (1200 meters), Marathon's delightful high desert climate, crystalline night skies and abundance of comfortable accommodations have made the old ranching town a popular destination for travelers looking for a good place to unwind for a while, and it is an ideal jumping off point for high adventure in Big Bend National Park.
As with other communities in the Big Bend, Marathon's visual beauty and clear desert light have attracted artists and photographers from all over, and the town is home to a number of excellent and interesting galleries as well as a variety of intimate, eclectic bed and breakfast options. No worry, you don't have to know anything about art to enjoy Marathon. You'll come for the scenery and stay for the atmosphere.
Whether it is the crystal clarity of western night sky, the silhouette of distant mountains rising over vast unbroken plains, the sound of a hawk poised to take prey or, the smell of the desert after a summer shower, a visit to Big Bend is a land for all senses and seasons.
For more information, go to www.visitbigbend.com, or e-mail questions to info@visitbigbend.com.
(This story may be copied or excerpted freely with permission of BCTC MS word file on enclosed CD, along with images, captions and sidebar material. Contact Mike Davidson mike @blueskybigbend.com to customize this story.)