As usual, trips to Big Bend are a surprise. You never know for sure about weather and conditions (or the food at the Chisos Mountain Lodge…). The number of blooming wildflowers was the most I have seen in the times I have been there. On the down side, it was very windy most of the time.
Rick, Bruce and Rigo and I made the trip on April 22. Rigo’s brothers Mark and Jaime joined us as well.
Texas Claret-cup cactus along road in Green Gulch.
Saturday, Rick and I rented a Jeep and explored the River Road along the south edge of the park. The road was not too bad (but don’t take the family van!) and the sights were different. It took us about 7 hours, including stops here and there.
We saw some possible places for sunrise shots for next year, including the one on the right. It is a view of the Punta de la Sierra range about 2 hours from the west end of the River Road. Pride of Texas cactus is in the foreground.
There are a number of ruins along the road, include a large one at the Mariscal Mine, about 3 hours from the east end of the road. It was a quicksilver (mercury) mine that operated off and on from early in the 20th century until 1942.
We planned on staying at a campsite, called Talley 2, about 30 miles from the east end of the road and hike to the top of Mariscal Ridge for some shots. We arrived about 2:00 pm and found the site to be very inhospitable. The high winds and 100+ degree temperature convinced us to drive back to Terlingua.
Go to the Big Bend website to see more photographs from the the trip.