Big Bend Part 1

*Warning* Picture Heavy Post 
We continued our "Texas Road Trip 2015 Tour" by spending a week in Big Bend State Park. If you want to read about were we stayed and some of the other adventures click here and here. The trip was over 6 weeks long and I'm still sorting pictures!

"There is a place in Far West Texas where night skies are dark as coal and rivers carve temple-like canyons in ancient limestone. Here, at the end of the road, hundreds of bird species take refuge in a solitary mountain range surrounded by weather-beaten desert. Tenacious cactus bloom in sublime southwestern sun, and diversity of species is the best in the country. This magical place is Big Bend."-
http://www.nps.gov/bibe/index.htm  

Yep, you can't argue with the Gov. Web site. It is a magical place.

The park stretches along the Rio Grande in far west Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border.

We jumped out at the entrance and started exploring. The land is so rugged and different from my part of Texas. If you want proper info on the park - check out the state web site here. 

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Visitors can hike, mountain-bike, backpack, paddle, ride horses or explore by vehicle (the park has two- and four-wheel-drive roads). This is Texas’ biggest state park, so there’s a lot to explore!

Lots of the plants were still blooming.

Yuccas-

The park has 238 miles of multiuse trails (for hiking, biking and horseback riding). Visitors can explore 70 miles of unmaintained dirt roads in high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles. 

Our rental car.

Big Bend Ranch State Park is Texas’ largest state park, at over 300,000 acres.

More than 500 prehistoric campsites and shelters, cooking areas and rock art sites dot the park. Many of these are near drainages, springs or tinajas, but some sites are on upland areas away from obvious water sources.

We stopped for Lunch one day in Terlingua.

These are pictures taken over several days spent in the park. The sky was always changing and the vistas were so awesome. We will definitely return.

You need to prepare before you go to the park as water is very limited. There are quite a few camp sits and lodges, but they book up fast. Also there were signs to watch out for bears (we didn't see any) and bobcats. 

There are so many different shapes and sized mountains in the park. Its a very rugged, but pretty place.

It was warming up and we were glad for the clouds and a slight breeze.

This area had once been thick forests, but was logged in the 1930-40's. The trees are slowly coming back.

We drove for hours without seeing anyone. If you want to explore an area without a lot of tourists, then Big Bend is the place.

At one of the visitors centers,

A few cars and people were about.

Back on the road.

Auto to show scale & because I am too lazy to edit. None of these picts were edited. The park really is that awesome!

We stopped (Still in the park) to see some fossils. 

Part of this hiking trail is wheel chair accessible.

The view of from on top of the small hill.

I'm actually not sure where I took this...

Another days adventure..

Can you spot the baby Jack Rabbit?

:O

More Jack Rabbits!

We parked and began to explore. But we were always on the look out for snakes.
 :x

People from Mexico leaving things for sale on the Texas side.

We parked and followed the hiking trail.

We walked further down.

Rio Grande River, looking towards Mexico.

It was odd to be at the river after spending all day in the high desert.

You are not supposed to take any rocks or anything else out of the park.

The river was calm and serene. 

The rock outcropping looks somewhat like a ship.

The area was well worth exploring.

The sun was beginning to set so we walked back up to the car. Everything looked different in the changing light.

Inside the building- It had been a store and trading post.

Back on the road to catch the sunset-

A over look area to catch the sunset. :D

Computer/site is on over load from all the pictures- Sunset pictures to begin next blog post. 
See you at the airport-