Big Bend National Park, Texas - Part 1

We arrived at Big Bend in the morning on March 3rd.  It looked big on the map and even bigger when you have to drive through it.  It is 814 square miles (the Smokies are 1,250).  Where as the Smokies get 10 to 12 million visitors a year, Big Bend only gets about 350,000, so there no lines for anything.  Sometimes you can drive for 15 - 20 miles and only pass 2 or 3 cars.  There are only 4 major roads, so it is hard to get lost driving.  However, getting lost hiking is another matter. Much of the park looks the same, so getting lost would be very easy.  Some trails are over 30 miles long and I think there are a couple hundred miles of trails.  Since this is a desert environment, there is lots and lots of tan, brown and olive green out there.  But, it has a beauty all its own and we enjoyed every minute of the 4 days we were out exploring.  Big Bend Part 2 to follow in a few days.

Here we are !!

The Chisos Mountain Lodge.  There are only 72 rooms and all have a great view

The view from the from of our room.

The view from the back of our room.

Happy hour in a paper cup.  Caroline is on the 1st floor.

A view from the Lost Mine Trail.

Another view on the way up.

Stopping to enjoy the scenery.

Proof she is actually climbing up.

Having a snack at the top - 6,850'

A view from the top.

Another hike later in the day; this time on flat terrain on the Grapevine Trail.

The view at the end of the trail.

A hike the next day took us on the Hot Springs Trail.  It doesn't show up as good in the photo,but this bank looked like it was landscaped.

On the Hot Springs Trail.

Posing with the Rio Grande in the background.

The hot springs.  Not the best pose, but it was very shallow, so the only way get all the way in was to lay down.  We only stayed in about 10 minutes - it was 105 degrees !! The spring empties into the Rio Grande, which is just to the right of the grass.