West Texas 2012

Balmorhea State Park 

One of the cool projects by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the early 1930s, Balmorhea (bal-mor-ay) hosts the world's largest spring-fed swimming pool. It's fed by the San Solomon Spring, and ranges from 3 to 25 feet deep. When we were there scuba divers were having a weekend retreat and loving the depth and clarity of the water - something not found in Texas very easily.

One view of the very large pool.

Crystal clear spring water

Big Bend National Park

Big Bend is amazing. The park is huge and inside there are a ton of different kinds of trails, ecosystems, and things to do. We spent our time hiking only, so I can't speak to how it is on mountain bikes or climbing. 

My detail information on the trails highlighted below comes from the Falcon guide, "Hiking Big Bend National Park" by Laurence Parent. It is an excellent guidebook with useful details, general information, historical info, topo info, and trailhead maps. 

Boquillas overlook near the Boquillas Canyon Trail. The overlook is pretty, but not spectacular compared to the other amazing vistas and overlooks in the park. You can see Boquillas, Mexico just on the other side of the river. This overlook is really accessible, and you can drive right up to the vista with no walking up inclines or barriers. 

Another view from the Boquillas Overlook.

This is the only picture from our hike of the Boquillas Canyon. 

Why? Lol, this was our least favorite hike of the trip. Notice that my face is super red here. I had just hiked up the 80 ft steep  trail to the top of the canyon wall. Unfortunately I had left something in the back of the truck, and the warning signs about theft had made me nervous. Luckily my husband is very nice and went back down the trail to put the stuff inside the truck. Then I watched him literally run up the steep incline - this is why trails rated as 'easy' can be misleading! 

We stood at the top of the canyon wall and looked down on the Rio Grande. It's pretty up there, and we hiked back down the other side to get to the Boquillas canyon floor. There were men on horses crossing the river, a little ranch on the other side of the river, and birds flying around the blue sky. Sounds nice, eh? Here's why we didn't like this trail - it's humid as hell. The rest of the hikes we did were not as close to the river as this one. The humidity really made a difference, and we were both exhausted and sweaty once we finally made our way back up the steep canyon walls and to our truck. 

This is the Burro Mesa Pouroff located at the end of the Burro Mesa Pouroff Trail. This trail is interesting because the walking environment changes a few times. It's a short trail with some shade, though I can't say exactly how much. We hiked this in the pouring rain, hence the big rain jacket I'm wearing in this photo. I'm actually going to review this jacket later, because I have a few notes about it I think may be helpful when deciding whether to buy it or not. 

The Burro Mesa Pouroff - looking straight up into it. 

The pouroff itself is very tall and so cool! I was glad to see that our destination was so awesome when we got there, because I was tired from earlier hikes, my feet were soaked, and my legs felt like they each weighed a million pounds. Part of this hike is on a rockly trail, but then you drop down into a dry sandy wash...which turns into a wet sandy wash when it rains. My feet were soaked and covered in wet sand - luckily it's a short trail and we go to the pouroff quickly. 

The trail is pretty flat aside from a few ups and downs - it's not too steep, and I think it wouldn't be a problem for most people. I'm super out of shape and was pretty tired when we hiked it, and I was able to keep my pace up and hike it quickly. 

Hiking back out of the pouroff you see this guy - very cool stripe down the side of this hill.

Cloudy morning view from our campsite at the Chisos Basin Campground. So pretty and dreamy.

Another shot of the cloudy morning. The clouds actually come down into the basin and then get stuck, so they hang around a while. At this moment it was sunny blue skies right outside of the Chisos Basin.

I don't have notes on where this picture was taken. I think it's the Rio Grande Overlook, but could be wrong. Sorry! It's pretty though :)

Coming off the Burro Spring Trail. 

There is little shade on this trail, so make sure you have water, a hat, and lots of sunblock. The majority of the time you will be in full sun. This trail is just over 2 miles long, but if you're like me it'll take you much longer than you think to complete it. The trail is rated as 'easy' in the guidebook, but I'm going to say that for me it was more like moderate. 

Here's why: The path is very rocky, so I had to watch every single step I took. There were a couple of times where I easily could have twisted my ankle. Watch your step!

Also, while the first .5-.75 miles of the hike are very easy, there are some inclines later in the trail that were difficult for me. I got through them just fine, but I had to stop and catch my breath and then do some and stop and catch my breathe and then do some, etc. Which is fine - I felt awesome afterwards knowing that I did it. But it's good to know!

The Burro Spring Trail is very pretty. There are a number of geologic points of interest, and the second half of the way out is very scenic. The trail curves around the side of a hill, and as you go around the back you actually can get some shade if it's the right time of day. You'll arrive at a 100ft overlook above the actual Burro Spring, and there is a cliff you can look over. The trail continues down a steep 100ft scramble. - Don't feel like you have to go down there. You can see pretty much everything from the top where you end up. It's really pretty and has a great view of a neighboring hill, nice big rocks to rest on, and cool plants and rocks to examine. 

Another great Chisos Basin shot from our campsite. Fyi, we were in site 19 and it was a beautiful view. The campsites all come with large bear-proof boxes to store your delicious smelling items in. 

This is the hot springs located on the Hot Springs Trail. 

This trail is super easy and neat. It follows alongside a tall canyon wall, and there are stairs cut into the side if you want to climb up and look around. That water running just on the other side of the hot spring is the Rio Grande! 

Note: try to plan your visit to the hot spring when it has not just rained a lot. If the Rio Grande is high it will overflow into the hot spring, and the river water is kinda gross and is very muddy. 

Note: The road to the Hot Spring Trail is a very narrow gravel road with big dips and is not for very low or wide cars/trucks. Also, there are a number of signs up about thefts occurring at the parking area for the Hot Springs Trail. 

This is me at the top of a scramble up the side of a hill at then end of the Grapevine Hills Trail. 

This trail is hot! Go early in the morning to avoid the worst of the heat. There is little to no shade on this trail, so bring lots of water, a hat, and sunblock. 

This out-and-back trail is mostly very easy. Going out you walk almost the entire way on soft sand and follow the trail ever so slightly uphill until you reach the hill at the end of the wash. There are signs showing you where, but it's easy to see the path up the hill. It's steep and rocky, but there are large boulders on the sides you can use to help pull yourself up. I went slowly and stopped to catch my breath when necessary. At the top you can see the trailhead off in the distance, and the view is very nice. 

Be mindful of the strong winds at the top of the hill. It's a bit precarious to move around, but there are plenty of larger rocks to steady yourself on. Coming back towards the parking area, but sure to take the uphill path that veers to the left. It leads directly to the parking area. If you go right you'll be led further down into the wash and have to double back to make it back to the parking area. 

This is the view from Rio Grande Overlook. It is definitely worth making the effort to see it. Pictures don't do it justice. Drive up and park in the small lot. Walk up the incline towards the overlook and look around at 360 degrees of amazing views. 

Luckily there was another couple hanging out at the Rio Grande Overlook, so we were able to get a shot together. We mostly didn't run into other people and I'm glad we got this picture. 

This gorgeous shot is from the overlook near the Santa Elena Canyon. 

Located near the Rio Grande in the Southwest corner of the park, this overlook is easy to get to and very pretty. It's a perfect stop if you're driving down to the Santa Elena Canyon Trail. Be advised, the road down to the canyon is easily washed out, so trips to this area should probably be planned when it's not rainy. 

The overlook is not right where you park, but it's a short and mostly flat little walk to the overlook. 

This is a sunset view through The Window, one of Big Bend's most famous vistas. 

There are two trails for The Window - this is the .4 mile paved very easy trail. It's wheelchair accessible, mostly flat, and so pretty! The other window trail is pretty strenuous and about 3.6 miles roundtrip. I didn't do it, but my husband did. He said it kind of kicked his butt on the way back up. I'll be tackling it next time we come!

This photo was also taken on the paved and very easy Window Trail. It's up in the Chisos Basin, so there are 360 degrees of beautiful views. Also, silly faces. 

This photo was taken on the floor of Tuff Canyon on the Tuff Canyon Trail. 

The Tuff Canyon Trail begins by immediately descending about 100ft or so - the trail is kind of steep and rocky, so watch your footing. It's easy going down, but coming back up was tough for me. 

Tuff Canyon is really pretty. Once you're down into it you walk in between two tall canyon walls and can hear (probably) thousands of bats inside the canyon walls. It's very cool to hear, but it does smell like guano - just fyi. 

You follow the canyon floor around and past where there is a viewing area above you. Keep going and you'll get to a large opening with small pools of water. There's another overlook above this area, so look up and wave if anyone's there!

Another view of Tuff Canyon from the floor. 

Here's a cool tunnel located right near the Rio Grande Overlook. 

Me and the view from Sotol Vista - a beautiful and really spectacular overlook. 

Turn off the main road and follow the signs to Sotol Vista. It's a steep incline, but you're driving so it's fine. It's very high up, so keep your eyes on the road if you are scared of heights. Once you get up to the top it's amazing. Pull into a parking spot and get out to look around. There's no incline to walk up, so it's very accessible. It's so beautiful here and you can see miles and miles into the distance. Also, there are bathrooms at this overlook!

Here's Mule Ears Overlook. 

This is a small overlook with a great view of this unique rock formation. It's also the trailhead for the Mule Ears Trail, which we didn't do because it's rated as difficult. 

The Ward Spring Trail is a desert hike through scrub to the hidden spring at the base of a large hill. 

You park on the main road and then enter the desert, hiking on rocky dirt paths. You are headed gently uphill the whole way out, but most of the time it's not too steep. There are a few places where it gets a little steeper or where you can choose to hike up a little side incline for a nice view. 

My recommendation for this trail is to pace yourself and stop often to catch your breath. It's not that it's so steep, just that it's constantly uphill. 

 When you reach the base of the big hill you'll encounter a number of little ups and downs with steeper inclines than the rest of the trail. Take them one at a time and rest in between if you need to. 

The Ward Spring Trail offers little to no shade, so be prepared. IF you are like me, you might consider only hiking the first mile of this trail and then turning around. This was our second hike of the day, and I was not as energetic as I could have been. I chose to turn around and head back while my husband completed the last section of the trail and then caught up with me. If you choose to hike this like I did, just keep hiking until you get to the little hills and switchbacks - then turn around. 

Going back is easy because it's all gently sloping downhill!

The Sam Nail Ranch Trail is easy and has cool old ruins and a windmill. 

There are signs that describe the stuff you see around you on the trail. The trail itself is easy with only 2 little inclines that are easy. This trail offers some great shade in the parts that are down at the bottom of the little inclines.

There's also a windmill down there with some signs explaining the area and how the family that lived here survived. It's an easy short trail that is pretty accessible for both us out of shape people and kids. 

The Chihuahuan Desert Nature Trail is a very easy trail with signs along the path to teach you about native plants and animals. 

Located next to Dugout Wells, the CDNT is a short well defined trail perfect for those interested in learning about the flora and fauna of the area. Drive down the gravel road and park near the Dugout Wells picnic area. There are bathrooms! The trailhead is clearly marked, and it winds around in a circle that eventually spits you out near where you parked. There are picnic tables to rest at and eat lunch, and if you walk into the trees a little there is a hidden picnic table under a giant Cottonwood tree. Very shady and nice. 

Homer Wilson Ranch Overlook and Trail

I didn't remember to get a photo from the Homer Wilson Ranch Overlook, so unfortunately you'll just have to look at the sign and imagine it. The overlook is very pretty and looks out and down over the historic ranch buildings. It's a very short little walk from where you park to the overlook. 

The trail is short and mostly easy. Going down it is steep, and coming back up might be hard for some people. I have trouble with steep inclines because it's hard to haul my 300+ pounds up a steep slope. My strategy is always to go slow and stop whenever I need to catch my breath. Letting my heartrate fall back into a normal slower pattern allows me to eventually get to the top.