My family and I, (wife and 7 & 5 year old children) are going to Big Bend for Spring break and would like to know any tips or suggestions for the trip.

We will be traveling via Waco to San Angelo, then to Marfa to spend the night. We are staying at a ranch 20 miles from the park.

Please post points of intrest and things to see.

Thanks,

McDonald Observatory and the old fort at Fort Davis are fun.

20 miles from the park can still be a long way from points in the park.

If it has rained much right before you go, the cactus flowers ought to be out and that makes for some great scenery.

The basin is fun to drive up to. No telling if the food is any good there as it has been years since I have been out there.

Boquillas Canyon is pretty as well.

Shooting rapids and a trip down Santa Elena Canyon is a neat deal too.

Have fun.

Thank you so far


keep them coming

DO NOT STAY IN THE EASTER EGG VILLAGE (near Terlingua). We knew it would be tacky...but we didn't know it was an absolute ****hole!

But on a positive note: I second Santa Elena Canyon, as well as the Basin. I didn't enjoy Boquillas as much, but that may be just me.

Hm..Terlingua is cool, you see everything in about 5 min.

Does anyone know anything about Cowhead Ranch?

Hikes that a 5 year old can do would include:
The Widow (4 mi roundtrip)
Grapevine Hills (2.2 mi round trip)

We usually stay our last night at the Gage Hotel before returning to the real world.

Check out the cemetery at Terlingua. Also check out the ruins and small cemetery on the road to Santa Elena.


Watch the sunset at "The Window" in the Basin.
Stay at the Gage, awesome pool, and fantastic food at Cafe Cenizo (not cheap).
Swim at the Balmorhea pool.
Drive River Road from Terlingua to Presidio.
Starlight Theatre in Terlingua for dinner.

[This message has been edited by WimberleyAg (edited 2/8/2008 5:48p).]

And, see the DOM Rock from the movie “Fandango”
The DOM rock is located between Lajitas and Presidio on Highway FM170. The rock is 13.5 miles north of Lajitas, 1.5 miles north of the rest area with teepee shaped shelters. It is located on the highest hill on FM170. Park on the shoulder and hike about 50 feet toward the river, and voila - DOM.
GPS coordinates: N29º 17.714', W103º 55.580'.

Thanks for all the help and ideas.

Fandango was one of my all time great movies.

Thank you Hardman and WimberlyAg, as well as the rest of you.

West Texas here we come.

I am looking forward to a 1/2 day float trip with the family, horseback ridig and maybe seeing the Marfa lights.

Keep the good stuff coming.

[This message has been edited by Six String (edited 2/11/2008 8:54a).]

Where is Balmora Pool?

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Balmorhea+state+park&ie=UTF8&ll=30.943973,-103.786951&spn=0.006276,0.009978&t=h&z=17&om=0

Enjoy your swim.

The Santa Elena Canyon trail is nice. The Boquillas trail is pretty short as well and there is a HUGE sand hill leading up to a cave. Your 7-year old might want to take the challenge of climbing that thing - just take it slow coming down.

The Starlight Cafe in Terlingua isn't a bad place to eat.




Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

thanks

Santa Elena Canyon





Sand Dune on the Boquillas trail

BQ

Thanks for the pictures. I, as well as the family, are getting pretty excited about this trip. Your pictures help fuel the fire.

The times I have gone I always stay in Boquillos(sp)canyon on the east side of the park. When the sunsets it makes for great color on the canyon walls. I also used to go across the river nto the town. Was fun to sit i the open air cantina and drink corona.

While camped there I would do the Glen Canyon hike, go to the hot springs. ect.

I would then work my way across the park to Terlingua. When the sun rises you get really good light into Santa Elena Canyon.

Frome there I then work my way back to the middle and the basin, and hike the mountain trails. Be sure and hike to the Window.

You can then leave and out of the park back to Marathon. Be sure and check ot the hotel.

I am envious I love going to Big Bend.

I was there last weekend for the bike race. We go about 3-4 times a year. For a family, I would recommend the Lost Mine and The Window trails while in the park, as they provide great views without overly taxing the kids.

How much time are you spending in the park and how much time are you spending doing other things in the West Texas area? IMO, you could spend an entire week in the park alone, but probably not with young kids.

If you head out there through Marfa, attend a Star Party at McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis, which is just 25 miles north of Marfa. If you stay overnight in Fort Davis, then there's the Limpia Hotel. If you stay overnight in Marfa, stay in the Paisano. In Marathon, stay at the Gage.

As mentioned above, swim in the pool at Balmorhea State Park.

If you want some great pizza for the kids (and adults) for dinner (only open for dinner), visit Long Draw Pizza on Highway 170, just west of Terlingua on the left. Say hello to Nancy. She is a bit gruff, but makes a darn good pizza.

If you want to do a river tour or guided mountain bike ride, the guys at Desert Sports in Terlingua are the ones to use.

Above all, stop in the ranger station at Panther Junction and talk to the staff. They are always going to be a great source of info. Plus, Ranger Dean is a great guy.

Have fun.

And Six String, give us a full report on you trip.

A nice 4 mile round trip hike is Cattail Falls. Without much rain it is usually only a trickle instead of a waterfall, but it is a nice hike. It is not a publicized trail, so there won't be too many people there, even during spring break.

The trailhead is located of a very short dirt road directly across from the Sam Nail Ranch on the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. If you ask the Rangers at Panther Junction they can give you more information about Cattail Falls.

Another nice short hike (1 mile round trip) is to Indian Head, which is very near Terlingua, so it might be close to where you are staying. Next to the Big Bend Motor Inn there is a road marked "Indian Head." Follow this smooth dirt road to its end at the National Park boundry, then follow the well worn path to the petroglyphs and pictographs. The park is not as willing to give out information about Indian Head, but if you ask your river guides, they will be able to give you precise directions.

The Big Bend bluebonnets have just started to bloom, and hopefully with a little rain they will be doing well in march.

Thank you everyone.

I will definitely give everyone here a report on what seems to be shaping up to be a great trip.
The only curve ball twist is that my mother-in-law has "voluntered" to go.

OK. Here is the report

Great trip.

Drove to San Angelo and spent the night. Got up the next day and saw the fort then drove to Marfa. The windmills on the hills were very cool and surrel.

Stayed at the Hotel Paisano. Neat place and then toured the art scene in Marfa. Also cool if you like the art thing, (we do).

Saw the Marfa lights, or something out there in the desert that shined and moved around. They looked like far off ranch lights to me, but people at the viewing are, (40 - 50)swore that there were no structures out there.

Next day drove to a small "guest ranch" down from Alpine 20 miles from the entracnce to the National Park. Cowhead Ranch, was fun fo rhte kids, but the emenities did not suit the wife too well. Conditions were plyywood shacks that did nothing to stop the dust blowing in and cold wind from keeping us frigid.

A garden hose for a shower and a disguised port o potty did not go over to well witht he better half.

I cannnot say that it was a bad experience, just unique.

Drove to Terrilunga the next day and floated down from Lajitas on the Rio Grande. Very cool and Big Bend Sports was very capable and professional. One of the guides was a recent Aggie grad. What guts, just graduated from A&M and was living in a tent behind a hippie flop house in Terrilunga guideing tourists down the Rio Grande.

Due to comman sence and a coming drop in temperature, we stayed in a motel on this night. Tried to go to Starlight Theater, but it was packed. Went to the "Cave" instead.
Good food, but very drunk people on Sat Pats day.

Next day we went into the park and byu a stoke of luck, got rooms at the Chisos Mtn. Lodge. This was for me the highlight of the trip.. Those of you that have seen it know what type of place this wonder is. You have not lived until you have seen ths awsome place. Hiked 1/2 Window trail.

Get up next day and hiked the Lost Mine trail.

Next day left and drove to Mexico via Presido. Low part of trip. Never go to Presido and never go to the opposing border town. Quite a dump.

Went to Ft. Davis and next day saw the Fort and the McDonald Obser. Very cool despite the tour guide's one liners about A&M.

Drove to Llano the next day and spent Sat on enchanted Rock and Coopers BBQ. Then came home/

Very cool trip. Ready to go back


Six

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Very cool despite the tour guide's one liners about A&M.

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That doesn't surprise me since the Observatory is run by the sips. The County Judge of Jeff Davis County is George Grubb and despite being a sip is a great guy. Have known him since my days doing living history events with him when we would go to the Labor Day festival at Ft. Davis in the late 80's. ( I was in the living history cavalry unit from Ft. Concho in Angelo)

I do not know if he still has the position of Physical Plant director of the Observatory or not, but I bet his tour guides get some indoctrination.


Sounds like you had a great trip. And you picked the right time of year to go, IMHO.

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Next day left and drove to Mexico via Presido. Low part of trip. Never go to Presido and never go to the opposing border town. Quite a dump.

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I understand the misspelling of Terlingua and calling La Kiva the "cave" (actually refers to Puebloan structure for ritual practices), but I have to take offense at the low blow to Presidio/Ojinaga. I have spent quiet a bit of time working at an orphanage in Ojinaga, MX. What you see is what you get with real Mexico. Real Mexico = everything besides Cabo, Cancun, and other tourist packed places that carry on a marginal existence and smile to appease their American clients. You probably took great effort to avoid touching the Rio Grande because it is affiliated with “dirty Mexicans” and you heard it was filled with chemicals and raw sewage, a misconception that hopefully your guides attempted to dispel. Oh well, imho people that have such a poor view of a place to call it a dump are better off to never go back again and leave it for people who might enjoy such a place.

In reply to SuzyQ06

SuzyQ06 said:

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DO NOT STAY IN THE EASTER EGG VILLAGE (near Terlingua). We knew it would be tacky...but we didn't know it was an absolute ****hole!

But on a positive note: I second Santa Elena Canyon, as well as the Basin. I didn't enjoy Boquillas as much, but that may be just me.

Hm..Terlingua is cool, you see everything in about 5 min.

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We recently stayed at the Easter egg cabins. They are now known as the Chisos Mining Co.

They sucked, but served their purpose. The main problem with them was you had to bag your used ass wipes.

We stayed for 4 nights, and it is really close to the park. I think that alone was worth the stay.

Thinking of taking my road bike. Are the roads in Bend good for long rides?

In reply to CWNBAG

CWNBAG said:

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Next day left and drove to Mexico via Presido. Low part of trip. Never go to Presido and never go to the opposing border town. Quite a dump.

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I understand the misspelling of Terlingua and calling La Kiva the "cave" (actually refers to Puebloan structure for ritual practices), but I have to take offense at the low blow to Presidio/Ojinaga. I have spent quiet a bit of time working at an orphanage in Ojinaga, MX. What you see is what you get with real Mexico. Real Mexico = everything besides Cabo, Cancun, and other tourist packed places that carry on a marginal existence and smile to appease their American clients. You probably took great effort to avoid touching the Rio Grande because it is affiliated with "dirty Mexicans" and you heard it was filled with chemicals and raw sewage, a misconception that hopefully your guides attempted to dispel. Oh well, imho people that have such a poor view of a place to call it a dump are better off to never go back again and leave it for people who might enjoy such a place.

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OP is correct it is a dump!