Mountains, Canyons, River and Desert: Explore the varied habitats of Big Bend National Park, TX

The Trip

This Sierra Club outing features day hikes in Big Bend National Park plus an optional side trip to the small village of Boquillos just across the Rio Grande in Mexico. Our trip will explore all three of the park’s ecological zones: the lush floodplain of the Rio Grande River; the Chihuahuan desert with its cliffs, arroyos, and hoodoos; and the rugged Chisos Mountains rising 5,000 feet above the surrounding desert. Located in the most remote part of Texas, the park promises interesting flora and fauna, spectacular vistas, towering river canyons, and remote and rugged terrain.

We will look for wildlife and plants in the park’s deserts, riparian areas, forested canyons, and pinyon/oak/juniper woodlands. Located at the boundary between the northern and southern ranges of many plants and animals, the park has exceptional biodiversity including 450 bird species, 70 cactus species, and numerous mammalian species including mountain lion and black bear.

This Sierra Club trip also includes a visit to historically significant hot springs and an historic ghost town. For those who wish, we can visit Boquillas, a small community on the Mexican side of the river, accessible via a new border crossing in the park. (You must have your passport for this optional activity).

In late February and early March, while much of the U.S. is still in the grip of winter, Big Bend National Park is warm and comfortable. It is the perfect place and time to experience stunning desert and mountain scenery, see unfamiliar creatures and plants, and to absorb the solitude of this remote, never-to-be forgotten corner of the world. Join us in this great place to wander and wonder.

This itinerary is subject to change based on weather or other factors.

Day 1: Check into the Chisos Mountains Lodge at 4:00 p.m. then enjoy dinner in the lodge restaurant at 5:00 p.m. At 7:00 p.m. we will have an orientation meeting that will cover important information about the trip.

Day 2: We will start our first full day with a stop at the Panther Junction Visitor's Center where we will view the excellent 20-minute movie about the park. We will then carpool to the Rio Grande area of the park where we will hike the short Hot Springs Loop Trail (1 mile round trip; rated Easy) and then take a dip in the hot springs if so desired (bathing suits required). After eating lunch by the riverside, we will drive to the Boquillos Canyon Trailhead and hike the trail there (1.4 miles round trip; rated Easy). On our way back to the Chisos Mountains Lodge for dinner, we will stop at some of the scenic overlooks along the way.

Day 3: Today we will hike the scenic Window Trail (5.6 miles round trip; rated Moderate) and eat our lunch at "The Window." In the afternoon, there will be an optional offering to hike the Basin Loop Trail (1.6 miles round trip; rated Moderate). Dinner will be at the lodge restaurant at your own convenient time.

Day 4: We will return to the Rio Grande River today to hike in spectacular Santa Elena canyon and visit some of the sites in that part of the park. In the late afternoon, we will drive to the Terlingua Ghost Town, where we will visit the ghost town structures and have dinner at the famous Starlight Theater Restaurant.

Day 5: In the morning, we will hike the Grapevine Hills Trail to the famous “balanced rock” The afternoon will be open for an optional side trip across the Rio Grande to the small village of Boquillos, Mexico (a passport is required), where you can buy authentic Mexican food and hand-crafted souvenirs. Other possibilities for this afternoon could include visiting the Sam Nail Ranch. 

Day 6: Today we will hike the Lost Mine Trail (4.8 miles; rated Moderate) in the morning. In the afternoon, there will be free time for visiting the fossil exhibit. A “ farewell dinner” will be at the lodge restaurant.

Day 7: The trip ends after breakfast.

Getting There

Big Bend National Park is in one of the most isolated corners of the country. The closest airports are Midland-Odessa, which is 225 miles from the park, or El Paso, 325 miles away. Amtrak stops in Alpine, about 100 miles away. It's suggested that trip participants arrive in the area at least a day before the trip starts and spend the night in Alpine or Marathon, about 70 miles from the Chisos Mountains Lodge, where we will meet at 4 p.m. on day 1. It may be possible to book a room on your own at our lodge for the night before our trip. Carpooling is encouraged for environmental reasons and because there is limited parking in campgrounds and at trail heads. Driving directions, a list of accommodations, and a roster of trip members will be sent to facilitate ride-sharing. Each vehicle will need a national park entrance pass, which is $20 for the week. If you are 62 or older, you can obtain a lifetime National Park pass at Big Bend Park for $80; it is good at any national park or national monument. If you already have this pass, be sure to bring it along!

Accommodations and Food

We will stay in double-bedded rooms at the Chisos Mountains Lodge in the Park. Single individuals will share a room with another trip member of the same gender. Single supplements may be available at additional cost.

The trip price includes meals beginning with dinner on the first day through breakfast on the last day. Vegetarians can be easily accommodated and any other food allergies or limitations should be shared with the leader as soon as possible. We will be eating breakfasts and dinners at our lodge, except for one dinner at the restaurant in Terlingua; the lodge restaurant will be supplying us with sack lunches to take on the trails.

Trip Difficulty

To fully appreciate this outing, you should be in good physical condition and undertake moderate day hikes for training. All of the hikes on this trip are rated as either easy or moderate by the Big Bend Hiking Guide. You will only need to carry a relatively light day pack, but because water is rare in Big Bend, as much as two quarts may be needed on longer hikes.

Equipment and Clothing

A detailed equipment list will be shared with the group at a later date. Everyone will want good binoculars for birding and cameras to photograph the terrific scenery. 

References

Maps: 

• National Geographic/Trails Illustrated Map of Big Bend National Park

Books:

• Official National Park Handbook, Big Bend
• Parent, Laurence, Hiking Big Bend National Park
• Big Bend Natural History Association, Hiker's Guide to Trails of Big Bend National Park and Road Guide to Paved and Improved Dirt Roads of Big Bend National Park
• Gomez, Arthur, A Most Singular Country – A History of Occupation in the Big Bend
• Ragsdale, Kenneth, Big Bend Country, Land of the Unexpected
• Langford, J.O., Big Bend Vista, A Homesteader’s Story
• MacLeod, William, Big Bend Vista, A Geological Exploration of the Big Bend

Websites:

• Big Bend National Park: http://www.nps.gov/bibe

Conservation

An important feature of Sierra Club outings is the focus on conservation. Big Bend has been preserved as a national park since 1944, but influences past and present, inside and outside the park affect the integrity of its various ecosystems. We will see and discuss destructive activities such as overgrazing in the early part of the last century; introduction of exotic, invasive species; degradation of air quality from industries outside the park; and the disappearance of the area's historical and pre-historical archaeological record by the thoughtless removal of artifacts. We will also observe the ways the landscape is repairing itself with the return of native grasses, black bears, and Sierra Del Carmen Mountains White-tailed Deer from Mexico. We will learn and practice Leave No Trace principles.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.