They say that everything is bigger in Texas, and we found the mammoth and majestic Big Bend National Park to live up to that Texan standard. Big Bend National Park includes a ribbon of green water snuggled up against both parched deserts and tall volcanic mountains, and that water is the Rio Grande River which forms our border with Mexico. This land provides three terrains of life: mountain, desert, and river.
We explored the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive which ends at the Santa Elena Canyon overlook, where we dipped our toes in the mud and water, and viewed this magnificent canyon just before sunset. It was a 45 mile drive to get back to camp, so it was dark by the time we arrived.
The Texas Big Bend State Park is right next to the National Park and we really enjoyed a three-hour raft trip down the ‘Big Hill’ section of that park and the Rio Grande. We floated between the immense canyon walls of Mexico and the U.S., and it was amazing gazing back and forth between Mexico and Texas, separated only by the fairly narrow Rio G
rande. No wall is needed here, nor will it be allowed (at least if the locals have anything to say about it) .
Sunrise reveals the rugged Chinos Mountains. Fossils of clams are embedded in limestone rock, reminding us of when the great sea was here, and its dinosaur bones tell of yet another age on this land.
The mountains rose-up 17 million years ago, but later, this place became a desert with cactus on its floor and maple, pine, and oak trees high in the mountains to support thousands of birds, insects, reptiles and mammals, including mountain lions and black bears. The Rio Grande river cut through this desert and mountains in amazing ways.
There are few city lights near this area, which makes it a breathtaking opportunity for astronomical viewing. We sat by our trailer in reclining lawn chairs, for the longest time, looking at the night sky. As we gazed up at the pitch-black bounteous sky full of bright stars, the Milky Way stretched high above our heads and shooting stars danced across it all. It was an incredible time that we will long cherish.
Big Bend became a National Park in 1944 with a deed for the land presented by Texas to President Roosevelt, coincidentally, on D-Day, June 6. Six days later it was designated as a National Park. Big Bend is truly where desert, mountain, and river converge.
