Big Bend Revisited :: Boquillas Overlook

Thursday, February 28th - - It was late afternoon when I drove out to Boquillas Overlook on the east side of Big Bend National Park. The road to Boguillas Canyon is a mile or so from Rio Grande Village. It is a short but somewhat "challenging" drive with lots of twists and turns along the way.

Signs are posted in certain areas of the park regarding Mexicans coming across the river to sell trinkets and craft items "for the support of the Boquillas school." The signs warn you that purchasing these items is illegal. However, there is apparently enough income gained that they continue to present their wares for sale.

 At Boquillas Overlook there were several boulders used for displaying the goods for sale. The sign reads "Art, Craft, for Sale please purchase to Help Boquillas Mexico school kids Donations are aseptable. Walking Sticks - 6, Scokoypions - 6, Road runner - , Ocotillos - 5..."

All of the displays were selling similar items... walking sticks, and scorpions and road runners made from wire and beads.

When I arrived at the overlook, there was a Mexican walking away from the area. He waved, said hello and something else that I didn't understand, then walked down the hill and away toward the river.

I nonchalantly started taking pictures... Looking to the East...

Looking to the West...

And the view to the south... Oh, my - Across the river a boat sits on the shore and to the right, under a clump of trees was a group of men...

A close-up of the men lounging in the shade of the trees. I didn't mention earlier, that another sign at the turn-off to Boquillas Canyon warned of numerous recent vehicle break-ins. We were told to make sure our vehicles were locked and that valuable items were hidden away. I wondered if these were simply men lounging about or were they bandidos? Ah, the mind can take you off into some strange places...

Published under a Creative Commons License.
Becky Wiseman, "Big Bend Revisited :: Boquillas Overlook," Kinexxions, posted March 9, 2013 (http://kinexxions.blogspot.com/2013/03/big-bend-revisited-boquillas-overlook.html : accessed [access date])

Big Bend Revisited :: Chisos Basin

Thursday, February 28th - - It was about 180 miles from Seminole Canyon State Park to the northern entrance of Big Bend National Park. At 10:30 when I finally left Seminole Canyon, the temperature was 57 degrees with a few clouds, lots of blue skies and sunshine.

Once you get to the entrance of Big Bend, it is another 30 miles to the visitor center at Panther Junction, then another 24 miles to the Rio Grande Village area in the eastern side of the park. The road to Rio Grande Village is mostly downhill - it takes you into the "lower" portion of the park - and the temperature went from a cool 60 degrees to a much warmer 69. Yeah, that was nice!

I picked out my campsite, which was to be "home" for the next four nights. The campground was not full by any means and there were plenty of sites to choose from whether you wanted one "out in the open" or more secluded along the southern section (as I did). As usual in most National Parks there are no hookups for electricity or water in the "main" campground. However, Big Bend does have an "RV" area with hookups but it is pretty much a parking lot.

Friday, March 1st - - It got quite cold during the night, as expected, and it sure would have been nice to have a little heater to take the chill out of the air. Instead, I just stayed in the sleeping bag a little longer than usual...

It was still chilly when I finally got up, but it was quite comfortable sitting in the sunshine and eating my breakfast. I decided to drive up to the Chisos Basin area, stopping along the way for some photos...

 Looking to the West, from about 5 miles east of the Panther Junction visitors center.

 Somewhere along the lower portion of the road to Chisos Basin. It's about 8 miles once you turn off the main road to Chisos Basin. The road goes uphill, winding its way through the mountains, gaining several thousand feet in elevation, and making several hairpin turns. The road is not recommended for vehicles pulling trailers longer than 20 feet or for RVs more than 24 feet long.

I don't think there have been any recent bear sightings, but mountain lions were seen in several areas earlier in February. One was even sighted along the Window View Trail not far from the visitors center and the Chisos Lodge.

 Once you get to the highest point along the highway, you then start going down into the basin area. Hidden out of view are the campground and Chisos Mountain Lodge.

 Traveling a little further along the road, the campground area comes into view. I stayed there for five nights on my visit in February 2010. The vehicles look so tiny compared to the mountains surrounding them.

The view through the "window" from the Window View Trail near the visitor center and Chisos Mountain Lodge.

My visit this year would be very different than it was in 2010, and shorter. My legs can't handle the long hikes as well as they did three years ago and I am pitifully out of shape. Nevertheless, the visit this year was very enjoyable and more relaxing, and of course, there will be more posts/photos to come.  Below is a list of the posts from the 2010 visit I thought you might enjoy reading again (or perhaps, for the first time) - I was far more adventurous then!

• February 20, 2010 - Chisos Basin (posted March 10th)
• February 21, 2010 - Lost Mine Trail (posted March 11th)
• February 22, 2010 - Laguna Meadows Trail (posted March 12th)
• February 23, 2010 - Snow in the Chisos (posted March 13th)
• February 24, 2010 - The Window Trail (posted March 14th)
• February 25, 2010 - Rio Grande Village (posted March 15th)
• February 26, 2010 - Down by the River (posted March 16th)
• February 27, 2010 - Hot Springs Trail (posted March 17th)
• March 1 & 2, 2010 - Cerro Castellan (posted March 19th)
• March 1 & 2, 2010 - Castolon Homesteads (posted March 20th)
• March 1 & 2, 2010 - Santa Elena Canyon (posted March 21st)

Published under a Creative Commons License.
Becky Wiseman, "Big Bend Revisited :: Chisos Basin," Kinexxions, posted March 8, 2013 (http://kinexxions.blogspot.com/2013/03/big-bend-revisited-chisos-basin.html : accessed [access date])