Big Bend National Park (South Rim Loop) - Trip Report

"They might all go to hell, and I would go to Texas" - Davy Crockett

It is a rare occasion that a National Park graces itself with its presence on this blog, but cheap flights, great weather, and some unique opportunities beckoned me to Big Bend National Park in southwestern Texas. For as long as I can remember since falling in love with the Desert Southwest, possibly before I even moved to New Mexico the first time, I have wanted to go to Big Bend. I always dreamed of watching the sunset while the South Rim's vistas turned pink and the endless view past the Rio Grande into Mexico. I dreamed of looking up at Santa Elena Canyon's sheer walls as the river trickles nearby. I dreamed of looking out The Window from the Chisos Basin at the deserts in the distance. I am ecstatic to say that I was able to accomplish all this and more during my five days in Big Bend.

The circumstances that led to me taking this trip are a nice alignment of opportunities and urges. First, I have been increasingly interested in going on backpacking trips. I use a Linux system at work, and everyone who uses Linux systems is looking for a "stable build", or, an operating system that does not frequently crash or make work impossible. Backpacking-wise, I have hit a "stable build". My gear is mostly where I want it to be (I can always use more expensive, lighter gear) for 3-season backpacking, and I have gotten trip planning and execution down to a science. I am more than comfortable going solo, so long as I am not in grizzly country. This all has lead to backpacking trips being mostly enjoyment, and less and less frustration, anxiety, or pain. This means I want to go on more trips and more challenging trips. Second, January is supposed to be cold in North Carolina (though I think we've had at least 3 weeks of 60+ highs), but it is at least cold in the mountains. Conversely, highs/lows in Big Bend in January are varying, but comfortably in the 70s/20s. Finally, my brother Sam recently moved to San Antonio to attend UTSA's physics graduated school, which was all the excuse I needed to buy a plane ticket.

The Alamo

3 lb. Cinnamon Roll at Lulu's

Plans for this trip changed several times. Originally, I was going to visit Sam for a night, rent a car, drive to Big Bend, and do the famous Outer Mountain Loop. However, after Sam agreed to join me, I knew an easier hike would be in order. Before I could come up with a plan, though, my parents said they wanted to tag along, too. Unfortunately, medical reasons meant my parents had to cancel as of Christmas, so I had two weeks to plan a trip to Big Bend with no reservations (channeling my inner Anthony Bourdain).  Fortunately, I have been reading pretty much every hike description and travel guide that can be found about Big Bend, so I knew everything would be okay.

Chisos Mountains from the Fossil Discovery Exhibit

On Saturday, January 4th, I flew into San Antonio, and we rented a two-person tent and sleeping bag for Sam at REI. Then we went grocery shopping for the week. Later that evening we went to the Alamo, watched some playoff NFL football, and had the famous giant cinnamon roll at Lulu's Cafe. We would be on the road by 6:30 AM the next day for the 5.5 hour drive to the Persimmon Gap Ranger Station via Hwy 90.

Sam setting up the rental tent

Rental tent with Casa Grande in the background at Chisos Basin CG

Day 0

We arrived at the Persimmon Gap Ranger Station after a long drive through the desert at 12:30 PM. After using the bathroom, we took in the desert scenery and eyed the Chisos in the distance. On our way to Panther Junction, where we would acquire our backcountry permits, we stopped at the Fossil Discovery Center. This is probably a nice place for kids or old people looking for a short, shaded walk, but I found it underwhelming aside from the nice lookout and architecturally pleasing building. We pulled in to Panther Junction and got our backcountry permits. The plan I had settled on after realistically considering a first-time backpacker's capabilities was a 3-day loop of the Chisos Mountains South Rim, the pièce de résistance of the high country, if not all of the park. When we visited, no backcountry reservations were allowed. Everything was first-come, first-served, and with it being peak visitation season, I was rather nervous that we would not get a campsite. As it turned out, we got every campsite we wanted, including our backcountry car campsite for our post-hike night.

Terrible shot of the two bears

Heading down to the Window, and inexplicably carrying a whole gallon of water

The Window

Though I had a campground reservation at Rio Grande Village, we elected for a walk-up site at the Chisos Basin Campground to make the next morning go more smoothly. As an aside, I feel like the non-refundable deposit on the campground discourages people from cancelling their campsites. I chose not to cancel my Rio Grande Village site since there were so many open sites, but if it were a full weekend there would still have been no incentive for me to cancel aside from altruism. A pleasant side-effect of staying in the Chisos Basin Campground was that we were able to have a late afternoon hike to the famous Window. All water in the Basin flows out of the Window to the desert 200 feet below, and the polished rock notch at the end of a short trail is truly spectacular. I also got to see my first bear on a hiking trail.  It's worth noting that it was impossible for me to get a good picture in the Window because of the starkly different exposure requirements, so I did the best I could to fix these after the fact to be more like what I actually saw.

Water from the basin pools on its way to the Window

Casa Grande becomes pink in the late sun

Carter Peak and the Window silhouetted against the sunset

Day 1

We got a 10:30 AM start from the Chisos Basin trailhead and started up the Laguna Meadows trail.  Normally this late of a start during the short winter days would be a huge no-no in my book, but we only had a 6.5 mile hike ahead of us, and with campfires being illegal in Big Bend, it does not pay to show up to camp too early. The Laguna Meadows trail steadily climbs from the high desert to the dry mountain climate. As we climbed the shaded south-facing slopes of the Chisos Mountains, we encountered small patches of snow and ice, showing that even in Big Bend, snow patches can stick around in the shade. Meanwhile, the views north to the peaks that line the basin, including Vernon Bailey Peak, were spectacular, and occasionally we would catch views of the desert beyond the mountains and the famous Casa Grande Peak. The Mexican jays continuously chirped around us.

The Window from the Laguna Meadows trail ascent

Lugging a ~50 lb. pack

Heart of the Chisos Basin

 

Emory Peak on the left as the Laguna Meadows trail climbs to a saddle below to the right

First snow and ice patches as elevation rises on the sun-shielded south slopes

At the saddle with Casa Grande and the rest of the Chisos Basin in the background

Eventually we arrived at Laguna Meadows, a rolling series of brush-dotted hills. While pleasant, this was one of the least-scenic parts of the hike apart from some views of Emory Peak to the southwest. It was also where the wind started to pick up a little bit. The reduced uphill grade was appreciated though, as we were carrying close to 3 gallons of water each. We wound our way to the intersection with the Colima trail where we had lunch and saw our first of many fearless Carmen whitetail deer. It is apparent that these deer are not hunted by people, because they are not afraid whatsoever, and will frequently walk through your camp or lunch spot. We hiked the last mile or so to our campsite, SR-3, passing some nice views from the head of Boot Canyon to Lost Mine Peak as we looked down on hikers below on the Boot Canyon Trail. As soon as we got to SR-3, we were taken aback by the gorgeous view to the southwest of the desert below. Though there are many rim sites, few of them have direct views to the desert below, so SR-3 is special in this regard.

Laguna Meadows right after the saddle

Emory Peak through the trees

The desert in the distance

The climb is more gradual after reaching Laguna Meadows, but it's still a climb

Blue Creek canyon

Boot canyon below opens up views to Lost Mine Peak

One's first view from the South Rim is a magical experience, and I don't say things like that lightly. Even though it was not the full view we would get the following day, it was absolutely breathtaking. Every feature of the desert is identifiable, and it looks like the miniature model of the park in the visitor center, only it's real. I was excited to see famous features of the desert that I had previously only seen pictures of, and I was amazed at how small they looked. In particular, the Mule Ears and Santa Elena Canyon were both easily spotted from the site, and despite being some of the most impressive features we would see later, they looked miniscule from this vantage point. We compared the map to the desert below as ravens and deer visited our campsite to share the view. We had dinner and tuned in early once the beautiful sunset had officially ended, since the direct sunlight seems to account for at least 30 degrees of heat. Predicted lows were in the mid-20's, and though I was warm in my sleeping bag, I did not want to spend much time outside it.

Looking southwest from SR-3 Campsite

Mule Ears Peak looks miniscule

Santa Elena Canyon (left) is barely a blip from the Southwest Rim

Carmen Whitetail Deer nonchalantly walk through our camp

Deer (center) enjoys dinner and a view

Day 2

After a typically uncomfortable night sleeping on the ground, with all hopes of stargazing ruined by the waxing gibbous moon, only 4 days away from being full, we woke up to a pleasant, albeit slightly windy, morning. The temperature did not noticeably rise until the sun had cleared the hills to the east of us and the trees around our campsite. We were in no hurry, as our next campsite, ER-4, was only 2.5 miles away. Eventually, after a breakfast of grits with fake bacon and ham, we were on the trail around 11:00 AM.

Morning light hitting the desert, from SR-3

Elephant Tusk

Sierra Quemada in foreground, Punta de la Sierra in background

Trying not to get too close to the edge

Elephant Tusk is much more impressive in person than pictures do justice

Not ready for a picture

Living life on the edge

Right before the South Rim trail meets up with the North Rim and Boot Canyon trails, we came upon a composing toilet. The composting toilets are funny because they only have two walls, and you are not supposed to urinate or put toilet paper in them. When you are done, you have to put peat moss in to aid in the composting and mask the smell. Unfortunately, people tend not to heed the no toilet paper rule, but the park should put signs that make this clear. Right around this point, a portion of the rim juts out south enough to give a view of the desert to the west, south, and east. We spent about an hour here taking pictures and identifying the features in the distance. I was most impressed with Elephant Tusk, since in person it looks gigantic, while pictures tend to make it appear small and distant. The drop in most places is enough to kill, so we were careful to watch our footing and not get too close to the edge.  The distant mountains in Mexico looked like ships in a hazy sea as the steady wind kicked up dust.  I can understand now why these high mountains in the desert that support different kinds of life are called "sky islands".

Elephant Tusk dominates the desertscape as the trail heads east

Southeast towards Chilicotal (left) and Talley (right) mountains, and the Sierra del Carmen in the distance in Mexico.

Continuing along the Southeast Rim

Southeast

As we made our way along the Southeast Rim, I was surprised how starkly the view of the desert changed. While the overall scenery remained the same, it seemed like every hundred yards or so altered the perspective enough to keep things different and allow new appreciation of the features. The view to the southeast is less mountainous as the southwest, and Juniper Canyon opens up to a mostly flat plain with a few mountainous features breaking the monotony until, far in the distance, the cliffs in Mexico of the Sierra del Carmen rise, almost as a reflection of the South Rim of the Chisos. The Rio Grande Village campground and village of Boquillas in Mexico are in view, but not noticeable in the haze and sea of beige.

Lost Mine Peak watches over Juniper Canyon from ER-4

Hanging out

The view southeast as the sun sinks low

Mariscal Mountains

Cliffs of the Sierra del Carmen

Elephant Tusk

We reached the ER-4 campsite, which is about a tenth of a mile off the main trail, at about 3:00 PM.  Unfortunately, for the sake of views, none of the campsites on the East Rim have much of a view from the site, unlike SR-3, but it is only a short walk through brush to get somewhere with a view.  We had several viewpoints that afforded views into either Juniper Canyon or the southeast desert.  As the sun set we appreciated this view to the East, and these are some of my favorite pictures from the trip.  Sunsets in the West look amazing in person, but on camera they tend to cause issues with exposure levels that, unless you know a lot more than I do, can ruin pictures.  As the light got low, the distant desert floor and mountaintops became the only lit features in view, making for an awe-inspiring view.  I thought about the Sierra del Carmen in the distance, thinking that there might be a Mexican Sam and Nate looking at the Chisos' South Rim at the same time we were looking at them.  Overnight the wind was so loud, I was worried that we were in for nasty weather.  Thankfully, the campsites are fairly well sheltered, so despite the wind tunnel-esque gales, our tent was mostly secure; though, as the wind increased in strength, I eventually tied out all the extra guy lines.

Lost Mine Peak in the morning light

Juniper Canyon; would be a beautiful place to hike in the future

Carrying a much lighter pack than when we started

Descending into the drainage that leads to Boot Canyon

Small trickle of water in Boot Canyon

Plenty of lingering snow in the shaded canyon

Day 3

We got an earlier start than the last two days, being on the trail by 9 AM.  The roaring wind made putting away the tent a minor challenge, but nothing some strategically placed rocks couldn't manage.  Almost immediately we turned north, leaving the South Rim for good, and faced Juniper Canyon far below as we began our gradual descent into Boot Canyon.  Boot Canyon is the only source of water in the Chisos, and it is unreliable at that.  Though the trickle looked clear far up the canyon, it was difficult to get to without a rock climb.  As we neared it further down, it was only stagnant, murky, algae-filled pools that I would not want to drink out of unless I had no choice.  Though less than a week after New Years Day, the atmosphere felt like fall, as the crisp and cool (but not cold) air carried the aroma of fallen leaves and the low morning light added an orange tinge to the brown unfallen leaves of the oaks.

The eponymous "Boot" of Boot Canyon

Boot Canyon eventually winds its way into the open Juniper Canyon

Looking north at Vernon Bailey Peak and the Basin from the saddle

Emory Peak

We meandered through Boot Canyon and up to the saddle that makes the intersection of the Boot Canyon, Emory Peak, and Pinnacles trails.  Though today would be our shortest day with packs (about 5.2 miles), we decided to take the side trip to Emory Peak, adding approximately 3.2 miles of packless hiking.  Hiking without packs is always fun, and it reminds me of little league baseball, when I would warm up "on-deck" with the donut around the bat to make it heavier, and feel like Superman after removing the weight.

Ascending Emory Peak

Gigantic drop

Sam climbs the Emory subpeak

Chisos Basin from near Emory Peak

The Emory Peak trail is easy until the last 30 vertical feet or so. At a certain point you hit a rock wall that goes right to Emory Peak (a subpeak is a slightly easier route left). There are two ways up from here. One way is a pretty easy crawl up a chute, the other way is a series of rock climbs that are easy enough that I can do them. The first way seems like a no-brainer, except below the chute is a 500 foot drop. I climbed the first rock wall, but with the drop in view, the high wind, and my lack of confidence in my rock-climbing abilities (I was not immediately sure that I'd be able to safely get down), I gave up here. I'll get it next time!

Casa Grande and Pinnacles

Back on mostly level ground, with Casa Grande's angle now starkly different

Fully in the high desert climate

One of the best Window views on the entire hike

When we got back down to the saddle, the trail was indundated with youths, so we hiked a few hundred yards down the switchbacks of the Pinnacles trail and ate lunch. The rest of the Pinnacles trail was mostly underwhelming, if only because almost anything would be underwhelming after the hike we had just had. Were it not for the continual switchbacks, I'd recommend this route for the way up over Laguna Meadow, since it's hard to appreciate the pinnacles from below after you've seen them from above. My favorite part of the Pinnacles trail, though, was that, because it is so steep, you get to fully appreciate the stark transition from alpine to high desert climate.  We got to the car and chatted with a couple we had seen our first day who did the entire loop in a single day (which was our original plan).  We also saw two young, like 16-18, backpackers heading up Pinnacles carrying a gallon of water in each hand.  Oh, the perils of desert hiking!

Postscript

After the hike we drove down the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive to our backcountry campsite, Ocotillo Grove.  My favorite part about the scenic drive was seeing all the features we had seen from the rim up close.  They all looked so gigantic that it was hard to believe they were the same mountains we saw from the rim.

Mules Ears Peaks Lookout

 If the South Rim is the highlight of the park's high country, Santa Elena Canyon is the highlight of the park's low country.  The main reason I decided to stay another night at Big Bend and to stay at the Ocotillo Grove campsite was because I knew I couldn't go to Big Bend without seeing Santa Elena Canyon.  The Rio Grande flows out from between 1600 foot-high cliffs that abruptly end.  Standing next to these cliffs and looking up was breathtaking. It was hard to believe this was the same feature we had seen from our campsite on the South Rim two nights before.  A small herd of domestic goats bleated from Mexico as we sat on the sandy riverbank looking up at the canyon walls.  Unfortunately, I got more video than images of Santa Elena Canyon, but hopefully the dramatic scenery is conveyed.

The Mexican side of the Canyon continues south away from the Rio Grande

Goats graze

We then drove down the dirt Old Maverick Road to our campsite, Ocotillo Grove. Though Old Maverick Road is "good for most vehicles", it is washboarded and must be carefully driven in places if you have a low-clearance vehicle like we did. As such, the 8 mile drive took about 30 minutes. The actual campsite was pleasant, with desert views in all directions and Santa Elena Canyon in the distance. The sunset was so beautiful, we didn't notice the mosquitoes from nearby Terlingua Creek biting away at our ankles. We would sleep soundly and have an uneventful drive back to San Antonio the next day.

Sunset at Ocotillo Grove

All in all, this will go down as one of the best trips I have ever taken. I did not put in as many miles as I normally would because Sam was with me, but being able to have my brother tag along made the trip special, and I think he enjoyed his time more than he thought he would. It also had the added benefit of being able to sit back and enjoy the scenery, something that often gets lost when the hikes push past 12 miles, especially when the days are shorter. The views of the South Rim are among the most dramatic I've seen in my life. One thing is for sure, I need to go back to Big Bend again. Having hiked pretty much all the backcountry trails in the Chisos, I am eying desert-centric hikes like the Abbreviated Outer Mountain Loop, Mesa de Anguila (to see Santa Elena Canyon from above), Mariscal Mountain, and Marufo Vega.