Alpine to Big Bend National Park
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One of the least-crowded of the country's national parks, this 801,000-acre expanse of rock, sand, sky, river, cactus, forest, and wildlife is guaranteed to stun. Nowhere else in Texas can you be in parched, forlorn desert one minute and in cool, green woodlands 10 minutes later. Get maps and ranger guidance regarding the 150-plus miles of hiking trails, 100 miles of paved roads, and 170 miles of dirt roads by visiting the Panther Junction headquarters, where books, videos, and slides are sold. Among the easier trails are the Lost Mine Trail and the Window Trail, both providing views you could never possibly forget. If your exertions on the trails leave you sore, seek out the park's Hot Springs, down a simple sandy trail along the river on the park's east end. And if your adventures leave you hungry for more, head across the river to the village of Boquillas for cheap, cold Mexican beer and homemade tacos. Among lodging options are the Chisos Mountain Lodge in the park's Basin (you'll need reservations months in advance) or motels and ranches in the Lajitas-Terlingua area.
It's no wonder Big Bend, the most southwestern corner of Texas, is considered such a great geological and archaeological repository of the region: The massive chunk of Texas that sprawls between New Mexico and Mexico, from the Texas Panhandle Plains to the Texas Hill Country, is a wondrous amalgamation of ancient rock, desert, mountain, canyon, hot and cold springs, and some of the most stunning sunsets on the planet. While you might wonder how the frontier folk believed they could carve out a life in this place, once you've experienced it you understand why they felt compelled. As soon as you become physically involved with any part of this formidable expanse, you realize that all you'd thought hyperbole about Big Bend is actually pure, simple fact. Indeed, these are the highest peaks, the blackest nights, the most tolerable summers, the longest roads, the least-populated counties, and the biggest oil fields in Texas. Immediately you see why the conquistadors wrote such amazing missives about the region and how the pioneers should be forever admired for their fortitude in tackling such rugged reaches.
While Hollywood has romanticized the Big Bend, no moviemakers ever really needed to enhance the story. Naturally colored with lively events and characters, the land is thick with stories of the native Tigua, Apache, and Comanche peoples who roamed here for centuries before the Spanish and, later, the cattle ranchers and their families. Look to the myriad history museums in Big Bend's towns for the brilliant true stories of such personalities as Judge Roy Bean, Pancho Villa, Hallie Stillwell, Clay Allison, and Ben Leaton.
Big Bend National Park encompasses the entire southwestern tip of Texas, 800,000 acres along the bend formed by the Rio Grande as it turns north. The river flows through the park for 118 miles. Go beyond your initial impression of endless untamed wilderness to examine your surroundings more closely, and the desert will disclose treasures of unequaled beauty and unparalleled diversity. The terrain features desert scrub, sheer rock canyons, and rugged mountains, some more than 7,000 feet in elevation, and the climate changes accordingly. Within the park thrive 1,200 plant species, 75 species of mammals, 450 species of birds, and 67 species of amphibians and reptiles. Rangers conduct walking tours throughout the year. Facilities include visitor centers, a post office, National Park Service campgrounds, a trailer park, stores, gas stations, and a lodge with a restaurant and gift shop. Lodging is limited; advance reservations are recommended.
Museum of the Big Bend
Located on the Sul Ross State University campus, this museum has been collecting and displaying artifacts of the vast Big Bend region for more than 70 years. In addition to the permanent installations, numerous temporary exhibits, as well as a Discovery Center for children, present new experiences at every visit.