Ever since we got the RV we each had a different stop in the itinerary that we wanted to make. Last year we finally made it to Carlsbad Caverns for Sue and this year we made it Big Bend NP for Sallie.
It is definitely not your typical national park… it’s a desert. You really want to have to come to this park on purpose! It is hours away from any civilization and probably the farthest Southwest you can get in Texas. This is the land of the Prickly Pear Cactus, Road Runner, Javelina’s and lots of various species of lizards. We came at the end of the “high season” (spring) because the summer is just too darn hot for people to enjoy the park. The Chisos Mountains Campground and Lodge can be a little more comfortable in the summer because they are set up higher in elevation than where we camped at the Rio Grande Village and had lots of trees.
Two years ago they re-opened the Boquillas, Mexico border, so we spent a few hours across the Rio Grande River. We met a nice gal at the campground, Diana, and spent some time with her. We all took a rowboat over to the “other” side, rode Burros into town, had lunch at Señora Mena’s house, then our guide, Lupe, showed us the school, church (Mass-one time a month), grocery store and overlook of the river.
After we took the rowboat back to the US and went through a telephone Customs interview about what we did in Mexico (needless to say, the strangest Customs we’ve been through), we hiked the Boquillas Canyon Trail. We saw some wild horses on the hike and cool views of the Rio Grande.
Our last night we did a sunset hike to view the Sierra del Carmen Mountain Range (Mexico) that typically turns a beautiful salmony pink when the last rays of sun hit the mountain range. The skies were different every night we were in the park… simply magnificent!
I’m glad you made it back. The first time we went, we tent camped when you were about 5 years old. We stayed up in the Basin because we went in August. We didn’t go across the border then. When Dan and I went back years later. we stayed in the lodge and did go across the border.
BTW it is the southernmost part of Texas, maybe the US Haven’t checked that out yet.
Glad you enjoyed it again. You had a great time the first time.