Big Bend National Park - so remote, so quiet, so amazing! We absolutely loved Big Bend! Me being from the Pacific Northwest, and Jacob, from Utah - we have definitely missed the mountains while living in Central Texas - so it was such a treat to spend some time in Big Bend, with real mountains and fresh air.
We tent camped in Chisos Basin Campground, and enjoyed the cool evenings. Perfect for sleeping outside - not too cold, or too warm, just right! Our first afternoon and evening there, we set up camp and explored a bit. The following day, we checked in at the Ranger Station and Visitor's Center (the kids always like to get another Junior Ranger Badge when we visit a new Park), and decided to head towards Santa Elena Canyon - stopping along the way at historic Castolon to get some ice cream. It may have been cool in the evenings, but it was nice and hot during the day.
The hike in Santa Elena Canyon ended up being the highlight of our trip. It was so much more of a "real" hike than most of the places we'd been in Texas - switchbacks, some elevation gain - and right in between the walls of the Canyon, with the Rio Grande the only thing separating us from Mexico. Really, it was quite amazing! The kids discovered at one point how their voices would bounce off the canyon walls - and I must say that was the best part of the trip for me - hearing the laughter of my dear children echo off the canyon walls, such joy and happiness in being together outdoors. It just doesn't get better than that!
Of course, when we got to the end of the trail, near the water, I just HAD to wade out to the middle of the river so I could stand there with one foot in the United States and one foot in Mexico, I mean - how cool is that!?! The water was honestly quite gross - warm and greenish, really mucky and sticky on the floor of the river - and right when I got out to the middle, baby Hudson on my hip - we suddenly heard a strange sound. It turns out, it was rocks falling - a small avelanche just ahead of us. It looked like huge raindrops hitting the water - but they were rocks, instead. Later, as we told the Rangers about it, they said it is rare that happens and we are just really lucky we weren't standing right beneath! It was so interesting to be there. The only other people there with us were these two traveling guys - one from Brazil. He and Jacob enjoyed conversing in Portuguese (as Jacob served a 2 year mission and lived in Brazil way back when). I photographed one of them standing in the middle of the River, just like I did - one of my favorite pictures of the hike.
We didn't make it to Boquillas Hot Springs that evening, as tentatively planned, because we were all pretty worn out from our hike in the heat. It was a long and glorious day in Big Bend. If we have the chance - we'd love to go back.
A few tips about Big Bend (since everyone told us we were pretty crazy to take our small children camping there):
-Definitely fill up on gas. Gas stations are VERY few and far between. We recommend fueling up in Terlingua before you head into the Park. Try not to get below half a tank, or you might find yourself truly stranded.
-Check in with the Rangers - get information about the trails you plan to explore. Heed warnings and be safe. There is a lot of wild life in the park, especially Mountain Lions (which scarily have been known to attack, especially children).
-Wear appropriate shoes/clothing/gear and plan for the weather - it can be extremely hot and get rather cold. Layers are key. A hiking boot is preferred as it is rocky but also because there are some big, sharp cacti that can go right through your foot if you're not watching your step.
-Wear something to protect your head - hat, bandana, whatever - it really does get hot and providing yourself a tiny bit of natural shade so the sun isn't right on top of your head is a smart thing to do.
-Water and food. Bring PLENTY. Bring MORE THAN ENOUGH. If it's extremely hot when you're there - and the kids love this - bring a small spray bottle to mist yourself from time to time. Don't underestimate how much water you may need. Again, this park is HUGE and it's not always easy to access food or water.
-If you have small children with you - keep them very close. Don't let them run ahead of you. The Rangers have tags on some of the mountain lions, and - just know - they are ALWAYS a few feet away from you on the trail. The difference is, when they are old or sick, they will go for prey beyond what they are used to - and little children running along a trail are (unfortunately) what they tend to go for. So, don't freak out, but definitely keep an eye out and keep kids within a few feet of you on the trail. A visit with the Rangers is worth it - they will give you suggestions of what to do should you encounter some of the wildlife in the park.
-If you're staying long term - just know that there are no showers at Chisos Basin, so be prepared to get clean with perhaps a washcloth (something my grandma Iris called a "spit bath").
-Also - there is no kind of connections as you really are in the middle of nowhere down there by the border...so cell phones do NOT work. You MIGHT get a bar here or there, but don't count on it. Know what to do or where to go should an emergency arise. Carry the appropriate emergency supplies in your vehicle. If an emergency situation arises, it may take quite a while for you to get help.
That's most of what I can think of. If you have kids - don't let people scare you into not taking them. Just be careful and be prepared. It is an AMAZING park and we are so glad we got to take our kids to explore for a few days. We all took with us some amazing memories as we capped off our West Texas Adventure!
