Disneyland of West Texas

Spring Break season is full upon us here in Big Bend. The lines are long, the trails are elbow to elbow, and the park roads are, in spite of the 45 mph speed limit, clogged with cars driving 65 mph to get to the next point of interest. It seems that so many people are in such a hurry to check a sight off their list that they don't take time to enjoy it.

Nonetheless, we saved the third, and from the size of the crowds, most popular area of Big Bend National Park to visit today. The Chisos Basin is an excellent way to experience the transition from arid desert to cooler mountain habitats. From Hwy 118 east out of Terlingua, we drove 23 miles to Chisos Basin Road. This is a road that dead ends at the Chisos Mountain Lodge and Visitor Center. A nice campground is also in the area, which is a bowl shaped valley surrounded by the Chisos Mountains. Rising some 2000 feet above the desert floor, the temperature was 15 degrees cooler in the basin, and very comfortable for hiking. Unfortunately, the popular trails were choked with hikers, and the limited parking areas were being abused with people double parking as well as parking mostly on the narrow park road. We decided to buy a postcard sometime!

Casa Grande Mountain at 7,325 ft and Emory Peak at 7,832 ft dominate the valley.

Chisos Basin looking to the North:

We expected to eat a picnic lunch somewhere near Chisos Mountain Lodge, but were unable to navigate the parking lot loop. A three-point turn and plenty of horn honking got us out of the mess, but didn't provide a place for lunch, so we drove back to the main east-west road and went back to our old friend Dugout Wells. Dugout Wells was known as the "cultural center" of Big Bend for years because a small school was built here for the local children. The draw, of course, was the water. Identified by ancient cottonwood trees, the spring seeps from a shallow gravel bed on the flanks of the Chisos. Excavation of the well provided a reliable and plentiful source of water for people and animals living here.

A strategically placed picnic table was perfect!

It wasn't until we walked to the actual spring that we noticed another, even cooler, table in a beautiful spot! The temperature differentials were amazing: high 80's in the parking area, and low 70's under the trees.

Returning to Terlingua after an 84 mile trip, we finally remembered to stop and take a photo of this extraordinary formation. It is very near the west entrance to the park, and is one of the first things a visitor sees.

Well after dark this evening, we took a drive back out to Big Bend National Park to experience the "darkest place in America". We enjoyed a beautiful West Texas sunset.

And, straight overhead, the Moon.

High, wispy clouds obscured some of the night sky, and the Moon was so very bright overhead, that we weren't able to get the full effect. However, we did see Regulus, Jupiter, the Dippers, Orion, and some of the other major constellations and stars. What a wonderful sight! The Milky Way, although somewhat obscured by clouds, was absolutely amazing. It's said that 80% of the US population has never seen the Milky Way due to light pollution. Light pollution is not a problem in Big Bend!

This is our last night in the Big Bend area. We recommend the two parks in the area for their stunning vistas, but suggest that you come prepared for dirt, sand, wind, and temperature extremes. Now we're talkin'!