The road between Lajitas and the border town of Presidio is said to be one of the most scenic drives in all the United States. It's a roller coaster of 20-mile-per-hour turns, steep grades, and numerous ups and downs that take the visitor through millions of years of geologic time and a kaleidoscope of natural wonders.
We stopped at the Barton Warnock Visitors Center at the western entrance to the park for an overview of things to do and see. A very knowledgable and friendly ranger gave us a "to-do" list, and information on which trails were dog friendly, and off we went.
FM 170 parallels the Rio Grande for much of the distance to Presidio, and we got our first glimpse of that famous river just west of Contrabando, a movie set that continues to be used from time to time.
Just west of a rest area near Upper Madera Canyon, we began to see some of the mountains the area is famous for. You can get a glimpse of the road climbing up into the pass.
Looking west, huge mesas loom over the barren landscape.
And then the hill: 20% grade up and 15% down. Low gear indeed! We did see a Big Rig truck and trailer on the road, so it is passable!
Down below, the Rio Grande rushes through narrow chasms, but we dared not get close enough to see it!
Continuing west, we continued to be amazed at the terrain. These mesas were formed by molten lava that rose through fissures and vents to the surface where it cooled. Millions of years of erosion of the surrounding softer material has left these monuments.
Wind and water continue to slowly change the landscape.
Yet, in the midst of all this rock, sand, and wind, stubborn little wild flowers bloom,
Ocotillo cactus begin to bloom,
and in protected places along the roadside, the famous Texas Bluebonnets spread their joy to the world.
Cactus of every type dot the countryside, some of which are in full bloom:
One of the hikes we took is called the Hoodoo Trail and is dog friendly, so we got our boots on, our walking sticks in hand, and, oh, yeah, the dog….and took off.
Where Sasha REALLY wanted to play in the water!
Seventy one miles after leaving Terlingua we finally made it to Presidio, Texas. Presidio is a major border crossing town, and boasts having a Mexican Consulate. It's located next to a Subway sandwich shop (!).
Presidio is probably a great place to live, but didn't show us a lot of interesting things to see. We filled up the car with gas at $2.05 a gallon, bought a soda at the local Subway, and split. I'll let the next photo sum up our impression of Presidio:
Just east of Presidio, we happened upon a strange arrangement across the Rio Grande. On the US side, a small trolley sits in a stand, connected to a large diameter cable that spans the river and attaches to a cliff on the Mexican side.
The cable appears to be attached near a cave, with metal steps going down to the river.
I dunno…..
We got our last good view of the Rio Grande along FM 170 as we were heading home.
When we got home, we were fortunate to be able to spend some quality time with our next door neighbors, Dan an Ann, who also hail from California. We had much to talk about since we're all going in the same general direction this spring. We wish them well.
What a great day trip! 141 miles of awesome beauty the likes of which we have never seen. This area is indeed a special, if lonely, place.
Cactus in bloom is about the prettiest thing in the world! That trolley thing across the Rio Grande was certainly a strange looking thing. I'd like to see someone cross it!
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