Donna and Gary's RV Adventures: Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive

I don't often post more than once a day, but it's later in the evening here in Terlingua, and the internet connection has improved some, so I'll go for it. The wifi at Big Bend RV Resort and Adventures leave much to be desired, and the cell signal is spotty at best, even though we can literally see the cell tower from our campsite!

Today we went east into Big Bend National Park and drove the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. From the park entrance station at Maverick Junction, the drive goes 35 miles generally south to Castolon on the Rio Grande. From there, another 8 miles gets you to Santa Elena Canyon. At this point, you have to make a choice on the return leg: either retrace your steps or take Old Maverick Road back to the entrance station. This road is a dirt/gravel four-wheel-drive road, but is only 13 miles long. I'll let your imagination tell you which route we took…..

Our first stop was at the site of the old Sam Nail Ranch. Sam Nail ranched here, raised a family, and planted scores of pecan trees. A short trail goes to the adobe homesite and the windmill water pump which continues to pump a trickle of water after all these years.

Just a few miles south of the Sam Nail Ranch lies the Homer Wilson Ranch. Abandoned in 1945 but still in good enough condition to visit and conjure up life in the 1800's, its mountainous backdrop is stunning.

An easy view point an Mule Ears Peaks gave us a peek (no pun intended…) at an unusual formation. Formed when lave was forced to the surface and cooled, and then erosion removed the surrounding material, the formation reminded us of Sasha's ears when she sees a friend!

Signs of volcanic activity are everywhere here, as evidenced by this area of white ash.

When we reached Castolon, with its store and Visitor's Center, we truly felt as if we were at the end of the earth. In fact, our conversation with the VC staff started out with "I know we're a long ways from Nowhere….", for which the response was "No, this is Nowhere!". In 1916, in response to concerns about the border activity during the Mexican Revolution, a military station was constructed here. In 1921, after the crisis, Wayne Cartridge moved into the buildings and used them as a store and as ranch headquarters. The store was given the name "La Harmonia" because it served people from both sides of the border as well as the ranch workers. Interestingly, one of the major crops grown in this area at that time was cotton, and a local cotton gin processed the fiber.

Leaving Castolon, we drove west along the Rio Grande towards Saint Elena Canyon. We had been seeing it approach for miles, and soon we were there.

The Rio Grande has cut a steep canyon through a great uplift that runs east and west. Formed by tectonic activity over millions of years, the uplift id quite dramatic, but what is most amazing is that the river has been able to cut through it, even as it was rising!

A short trail leads to the river and the mouth of the canyon.

The trail, roughly .8 mile long, leads into the narrowest part of the canyon and overlooks a series of rapids that were thought to be impassable for years. In fact, in the 1800's an empty skiff was set into the water above the rapids. Only splinters exited the canyon. Now, new technology has been able to tame the rapids, and this area is a major river runner destination. We chose not to walk the entire length of the trail due to the dense crowds enjoying the good weather, but we did enter about half way.

Leaving Santa Elena, we embarked on the Old Maverick Road. We gave some thought to the warning at the beginning, but not much. After all, it can't be any worse than Last Chance Canyon, can it?