I had the opportunity to slip away from work for a few days corresponding with spring break. I had been in talks with a few friends, still finishing up university, to get together for a camping trip. Although in years past, we had taken an annual trip to New Braunfels, TX, we decided it was time to raise the bar. Approximately two years prior, I started to learn of the amazing experiences Big Bend National Park (BBNP) offered in Far West Texas. Unfortunately, the timing and commitment from companions had yet to cooperate. However, in March 2014 the stars aligned, six of us would make the trek to BBNP (four guys and two gals). The gang packed up the Toyota Land Cruiser, complete with roof box and cooler hitch to optimize interior space and to acquire universal respect from fellow campers. Filled to the brim, we embarked from Houston, TX, opting to drive through the night (10.5 hours), to maximize our daylight at the park on Wednesday.
DRIVE-IN:
On the way out of town, we decided to enjoy one last sit-down meal before primitive cooking became our only means, making a pit-stop in Columbus, TX. The Big Bend Crew (self proclaimed nickname) unloaded from the car, already grateful to stretch our legs before walking into Schobel's, a restaurant dedicated to homemade food with a German twist. Everybody ordered with eyes bigger than their stomachs and thoroughly enjoyed carving off of the giant cheddar cheese block, as well as the authentic southern hospitality. I feasted on the jalapeno schnitzel, that was unique and satisfying, although I'm not sure I would order it again due to the heaviness of the "jalapeno gravy" and having laid eyes on the chicken fried steak. We left happy campers (or soon to be) as we jumped back on I-10, with nine hours remaining before exiting for BBNP.
The time was assuaged by a well constructed playlist that offered applicable tunes for a journey into West Texas, including the likes of Hank Williams Jr., Max Stalling, Gary P Nunn, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and many more favorites. All but the driver dozed in and out of consciousness, before stopping in Madisonville, TX, for a gas fill-up and bio break at Buc-ee's. The travel stop offers clean bathrooms and an extensive meat market, albeit overpriced. I was easily convinced to walk out with one pound of Hill Country Turkey Jerky (the best I have tasted) and a Dr. Pepper Icee. Back on the road, we cruised at an average speed of 70 MPH, while I flipped through "The Intelligent Investor" by Benjamin Graham, before taking over captain around 2:00 AM. By this point, my fellow passengers were deep into inception, while I dodged the occasional jack rabbit, until finally arriving at the front gate of BBNP at 6:00 AM.
ARRIVAL/RESERVATIONS:
I joined the rest of my party in slumber for the next three hours, waking up when the visitor center opened to select our home(s) for the next three nights. Making online reservations at Big Bend, often requires six months of advanced notice. Seeing as we had about one month of planning for our journey, we decided to make use of the many first come, first serve sites across the park. Do not sweat heading to the park without reservations, this is common, especially during the busier parts of the season, i.e. Spring Break. After talking with a park ranger, who answered our questions and concerns in great detail, we booked three separate sites for each night ($15 total): (1) Telephone Canyon 2 (TC-2) (2) Pinnacles Trail 2 (PI-2) (3) Paint Gap (PG-2). Each site was located in a unique part of the 800,000 acres BBNP has to offer. We filled up with gas at the onsite pump for $3.86 (a slight, but understandable premium) for the 1.5 hour drive to Telephone Canyon located off Old Ore Road.
WEDNESDAY - TELEPHONE CANYON (DAY 1):
With 4 wheel drive engaged and minding our clearance, we set down an hour stretch of Old Ore Road to access our "primitive roadside campsite." Everyone was taken aback by the amazing views of geological formations along the way. The road was extremely bumpy, requiring constant attention and evasive maneuvers at times. But upon arrival at the campsite, everything was still intact, with the exception of the five gallon water cooler, that was now filled with dirt after coming loose from the tie-down strap. Fortunately, we had plenty of water to last us until the next day, a necessity, since none of the primitive campsites have access to running water, electricity, showers, or toilets. Seemingly alone in the middle of the desert, we began to unpack the car, setup camp, and concoct a meal, before taking to the trails.
Anxious to start exploring, we scarfed down some apple cinnamon oatmeal and bananas, filled the Camelbaks, and walked a short distance to the Telephone Canyon trail-head. To hike the trail completely was over 20 miles, however we opted to go as far as possible, while still returning before dusk. There was a large ridge that seemed to continue into infinite, visible throughout the hike. We scoured the desert flora, occasionally snagging thorns, cacti, and other prickly plants. There was no shade, as the sun beat, unfiltered, fortunately, the cool wind kept us comfortable along the way. No wildlife in sight, we continued to climb, keeping an eye out for arrowheads between taking-in the vast, majestic terrain. The first milestone was about 3.5 miles into the trail, Ernst Basin, where a bridge/dam structure remained that seemed to be in the style of the Civilian Conservation Core (CCC).
The Telephone Canyon Trail was said to trace original communication lines that were used during World War I, but aside from occasional rock structures, we did not witness any type of infrastructure. After enjoying the brief break at Ernst Basin, we continued through the overgrown terrain and disappearing trail for another 3.5 miles, succumbing to a long day of travel, hiking, and exhaustion. We sat to take in more of the beauty that surrounded us, while battling gusts of wind, as the sun began to retire. We made the hike back to camp, depleted of energy and ready for supper. Warmed by the spicy goodness of Cajun gumbo and rice, we resided to the tents to escape the cold and ravenous winds, as we settled down to play a round of Ello Govna before burrowing into our sleeping bags for the night.
THURSDAY - PINNACLES TRAIL (DAY 2):
Wanting to take advantage of our day, I popped out of the tent, still chilled, at 8:30 AM. I outfitted my pack for the day and got to work making breakfast, peanut butter & banana sandwiches, while waking the other snoozers with a touch of the Randy Rogers Band. We tore down camp, packed up the rig and decided to take a drive through the Rio Grande Valley before making our way to the Chisos Basin. The southern half of Old Ore Road was tamer than the first, as we enjoyed the great weather, looking forward to using the facilities at the Rio Grande Valley visitor's center and refill our water supplies. We continued on, driving into the Chisos Basin, where we would be backpacking to our second campsite. Upon arrival, we found another visitor's center complete with a small store and wifi. With the car parked, we packed frugally as our campsite was about 4.0 miles up one of the more strenuous trails in the park. This also meant eating a lunch, tailgate style, complete with gumbo, ranch style beans, and fruit, to prepare us for the hike.
Ensuring we had the necessities to last until the next afternoon, we each carried a fair load as we initiated the climb to Pinnacles 2 (aka home sweet home). Although knowing the trail was rated as "strenuous", we found ourselves huffing and puffing to scramble up the mountain, passed by numerous scouts and other companions descending from Emory Peak. The mountains were a night and day difference from the barren desert, lush with green vegetation, well marked trails, and even a bit of wildlife (half of the group spotted a buck on the way up). Wondering just how much further the campsite could be (and how much longer I could support my pack), we encountered a park ranger, mounted atop a white horse. He confirmed our campsite reservations and promised the site was a hop, skip, and jump away. The group reconvened at the new campsite, sheltered by multiple trees, with the added privacy of a large boulder that offered a great platform for observing (and going #1). Becoming professionals at setting up camp, the tents were erected in no time and the crew, with a bit of peer pressure, decided to climb Emory Peak tonight, rather than in the morning.
EMORY PEAK TRAIL:
Emory Peak, the highest point in BBNP (7,825 feet), was an additional 2.5 mile hike. The trail offered fabulous window views of the Chisos Mountains and gave proximity of how far we traveled for the day. The trail was no less strenuous, but much more enjoyable without a heavy pack attached. Once at the top of the trail, there is a "rock scramble" to reach the top of the peak. We had read about this prior to the hike and were unsure what to expect as none of us were rock climbers. We found the scramble to entail climbing a 15 foot rock with natural holds, that required some skill (hiking boots) and ability to swallow your fear of heights (the guys found their way up with little difficulty and the ladies opted to enjoy from below). The climb was well worth the struggle as you scurried up a few more boulders before reaching the summit, next to a large solar panel. We could still see the large ridge that was visible from our first hike, hours away by car, as well as the entirety of the mountain range and deep into Mexico. We were joined by two other hikers, as the sun dimmed at the close of the day. This was by far a life changing view, making me realize just how small I truly am. Leaving the peak just before darkness set in, we hurried back to camp, making use of the compost toilet along the way (a scentsational experience).
It was dark by the time we returned to camp, the dried papaya and beef jerky snacks had worn off and we were ready for a solid meal to christen our living quarters. Dinner was Mexican pork stew, rice, and asparagus, savored while gazing at the vibrant stars (one of the clearest nights for spotting constellations). After enjoying one another's company, we again flocked to the tent, this time playing the classic die game, Farkle (aka 10k Tumble), until retiring for the night.
FRIDAY - PAINT GAP (DAY 3):
Completely in love with BBNP and the experiences we had encountered thus far, I was anxious to get going Friday morning, as I received my wake up call (a friend unzipping our tent and telling us to get a move on). The tents were repacked and all the gear compressed into backpacks, while we ate another round of apple cinnamon oatmeal that would stick to our ribs for the day. Due to the long hike down the mountain and the uncertainty of distance to the next campsite, we decided against hiking the South Rim Trail, a 13.1 mile hike rated "strenuous". Instead, we returned the 4.0 miles to the Chisos Basin, hopped in the car and headed for Paint Gap to set up base camp for the remainder of the day. Paint Gap was about an hour or so away from the Chisos Basin and surrounded by absolutely nothing. The road seemed to continue forever and we again found ourselves surrounded by barren land. Unloading the car, the heat began to blister as the tents were put up in record time (this time the ladies did it all on there own). Flies and bees began to flock toward us, desperate for any water source, but a nuisance to say the least. We cooked up banana pecan pancakes with Lazy 8 Pancake Mix for our lunch, improvising with a piece of cardboard as a spatula. The meal was welcomed as we hydrated for the day and made plans to visit Pine Canyon and Grapevine Hills Trails for the afternoon.
PINE CANYON TRAIL (4.0 MILES RT):
After talking with a friend who had previously visited BBNP, we made our way to Pine Canyon Trail, described as a great hike that leads you through both desert and forest, ending at a flowing waterfall during the rainy season. The trail was rated "moderate" difficulty which was welcomed by the group after working hard the previous day. We passed fellow travelers at the beginning of the hike reassuring us of the beauty we would soon encounter. A little over the first mile of the trail is a desert hike, with amazing rock formations, through fine gravel (somewhat aggravating when rocks constantly get in your shoes), while the latter half meandered through a lush canyon that required a bit more effort. Running through a few classic puzzle games (the land of Oz), we finally arrived at the waterfall, albeit dried to the bone. We climbed up the large boulders stopping momentarily for a group picture, before continuing to explore and heading back to the car. The transformation of Pine Canyon Trail was unforgettable and would definitely be worth a return visit, especially if the water was fallin.
GRAPEVINE HILLS TRAIL (2.0 MILES RT):
Slightly worn from the long days, we decided the last hike of the day would be relatively easy, as we ventured over to Grapevine Hills Trail, about 45 minutes from Pine Canyon. The trail led to the famed Balanced Rock of Big Bend, a guilty pleasure we all wanted to see. We walked a mile through a canyon as the sun began to set through easy terrain before combing to a .25 mile climb leading to the Balanced Rock. I was not sure what to expect as far as a wow factor, but was pleasantly surprised by the gravity defying structure. Clattering around we became trigger happy with the picturesque views and attempted climbing anything in sight. After a few attempts we all thought it to best to leave the balanced structure at peace. The crew enjoyed the incredible views before returning to the car and deeming the trail the "best value hike." The hike offered the most stunning surroundings, with the greatest ease.
Arriving back at Paint Gap, we were thrilled to find the flies and bees had vacated with sun, as we prepared our final dinner. Tonight, we would dine to a smorgasbord of pasta, macaroni, and boudin. The pasta sauce was composed of a jar of marinara, canned okra and tomatoes, and green beans to add substance as well as flavor. Loud shrieking from one of the girls had us on our toes as she spot lighted a kangaroo mouse scurrying under the table. We saw about six more of these little guys throughout the night along with a jack rabbit or two (kangaroo mice do not require water to survive, they can metabolize it, as needed). It truly was a feast as we reminisced over the recent memories we had made and gazed into the night sky that was well lit by the full moon. Our competitive spirits were still alive as we went back into the tents for another round of Farkle, to settle the score. Exhaustion finally got the best of us as we bundled up for the final night in a tent, tomorrow we would be leaving the park that we had grown to love in a matter of days.
SATURDAY - (DAY 4):
The group eased out of the tents on Saturday, looking forward to a satisfying breakfast, a few last memories to be made in Big Bend, and of course the 10.5 hour drive home. We dismantled the tents and set all of our gear and luggage outside of the car to be reloaded with organizational precision. But before squishing in the car, it was time for breakfast, the menu included bacon, fried eggs, and toast. Combined into a breakfast sandwich, we enjoyed our final time at Paint Gap, coming to an appreciation of the vast sprawl of land and the many critters we had befriended the prior evening. After playing packing tetris, we jumped the car, activated 4 wheel drive and watched the dust in the rear view mirror, en route to the Chisos Basin.
WINDOW VIEW TRAIL (0.3 MILES PAVED):
With persistence, the crew stopped in the Chisos Basin one last time to see the Window of Big Bend through the Window View Trail. Unfortunately, we did not have time to complete the Window Trail that was a 6.0 mile hike to witness the view up close and personal, but this was our closest alternative. We parked, and went to the trail head, walking a very short distance on a paved path which led to a few benches where visitors of all ages could enjoy the Window of BBNP. The Window was an opening between two rock formations that offered an intimate view of the park complemented by clear, blue skies. Looking through the Window, we realized the bonds that our trip to BBNP had forged among the crew and the priceless memories we would recount for years to come. One last stop resulted in souvenir shopping, where I picked up postcards, stickers, and a ball cap, before jumping into the Land Cruiser and waving adios.
THE JOURNEY HOME:
About 45 minutes after leaving the Chisos Basin we had officially exited BBNP, it surpassed my expectations and was a great introduction to realm of backpacking. Our next stop was a border patrol checkpoint, where we stopped and answered a few questions before rolling through, never forgetting to look up and enjoy our surroundings. Back on I-10, we had wanted to make a stop in Luling, TX, for some Texas BBQ from City Market, however we would not make it before closing time. With hearts still set on enjoying smoky meat before returning home, we began researching potential stops as our phones went in and out of service.
Finding a "hole in the wall" joint, with limited reviews, we stopped in Ozona, TX, to try out Wagon Wheel BBQ. It had been described as a converted gas station that was family fun and that was exactly what we found upon arrival. We were greeted by three generations of family members as we walked in and smelled the great flavors we would soon be devouring. There were mismatched tables and chairs spread across the floor and crock pots lining the counter top as we placed our orders (everyone opted for the two meat plate to satisfy both curiosity and hunger). My plate included two pork ribs, three large pieces of beef brisket, a double order of coleslaw, homemade bread, apple cobbler, and tea ($13). I could not wait to dig in as I admired the thick pepper seasoning and smoke ring around my meats. The coleslaw was crunchy, not overly sweet, the brisket was full of flavor, but a bit dry for my liking, and the ribs were excellent, providing plenty of tender meat and an extraordinary flavor as I consumed everything in sight. We watched as the owner began seasoning another batch of ribs just a few feet away with, what tasted like, a rub recipe handed down by God. Whenever passing through Ozona, I must recommend Wagon Wheel BBQ, where the love is clearly transferred from the family to the plate. I grabbed a small bag of beef jerky on the way out, which was the most natural tasting I had ever encountered, a bit strong for my liking ($6). If I were to do it all over again, I would order a double rib plate complemented by coleslaw and pinto beans, with an off chance of trying the smoked turkey. But those ribs doe!
We powered through the rest of the drive, only stopping to fuel up the rig. There was a continuous flow of tunes as I played emcee, taking requests that ranged from Eric Clapton to 50 Cent. Houston was on our horizon around 10:00 PM, as we dropped of one of the crew members and reality set in, the trip to Big Bend National Park was coming to a close. The trip was full of adventures, struggles, and great experiences that will be eternally cherished. The barriers to entry were much steeper than taking a traditional spring break to Florida, Colorado, or Mexico, however it was rewarding beyond belief, well worth the sacrifice of surf and snow. We only touched the surface of what BBNP has to offer and look forward to the next opportunity to explore even more of Texas' beauty.
CMH #TXtourist
