This map may be useful for finding places at Big Bend. It is an old map but still shows the places mentioned here.
I left for Big Bend on Tuesday. I arrived in the park at about 11AM. I first drove to Panther Junction, the park headquarters, in order to get my camping permits. Since I was a solo hiker, they had to take pictures of me, my pack, and the sole of my shoe. I also had to fill out an information form describing my clothing and equipment in case of a SAR. I got permits for 3 nights. The first night was a camp called Ernst Tinaja along the Old Ole Road. The next two nights were for zone camping in a portion of the park called Marufo Vega. Marufo Vega is east of Boquillas Canyon.
After getting my permits, I drove the Dagger Flats road. I like the road because it has a guide book with it that describes about 20 of the plants in the Chihuahuan Desert. The Old Ore Road connects to the Dagger Flats road so I then began driving south on the road. Along the drive, I saw 4 mule deer including a gorgeous 6 point. I got to Ernst Tinaja and set up camp. I then hiked back to the tinajas.
The tinajas are holes in the rock which hold rain water. They have water in them year around.
A picture of Ernest Tinaja.It was very windy that night. My tent was taking quite a beating as my tent poles started twisting and bending. I got some extra rope out and put some extra lines on my tent to support the poles. The wind finally died down later in the night. The next morning I got up and cooked my breakfast, pancakes. I then completed my drive of the Old Ole Road. I then drove to the Rio Grande Village Visitor Center.
During the night I decided to change my itinerary. I still wanted to go to Marufo Vega that night, but wanted to change the 3rd night to zone camping at the Chimneys. I did this at the Visitor Center and then drove to Boquillas Canyon. I hiked a short ways up into Boquillas Canyon. On the Mexican side of the river, there was a Mexican man singing Mexican songs. On the American side, a Mexican boy was selling walking sticks. He had a sign written on a piece of card board that said the sticks were $5 and donations were accepted for the "schol children" in Boquillas. Boquillas is a town on the Mexican side of the river. I felt oh so bad for not support the schol children. On my way out, I saw the Mexican boy get some assistance as another Mexican rode across the river on a burro. He was also selling walking sticks. I then left the Boquillas Mercado and parked at the Marufo Vega trailhead.
Marufo Vega trail is a 14 mile lollipop loop. I hiked it once in 2005 with a couple of my college buddies. We loved it and it was certainly one of the many highlights of that trip. In 2005 we hiked the south fork of the loop first. I decided to follow the NPS recommendation of doing the north fork first. I found that we had down it the correct way in 2005. The north fork goes through a canyon that empties into the Rio Grande. The south fork climbs a ridge and then drops off the ridge on the Rio Grande flood plain. Because it peaks out over the ridge, it has an awesome view.
View from the South Fork
In addition to the awesome view from the South Fork, canyons are easier to climb up than down.
The two forks connect with a trail that runs along a ridge above the Rio Grande. At the south fork intersection, a trail drops to the river. I followed this .5 mile trail to the river. When I got to the beach along the river, I looked and saw what appeared to be a mule deer. I got my binoculars out and saw that it was actually a desert big horn ewe. I had never heard of them in the park before so I later asked a ranger about them. They have been reintroduced at Black Gap WMA east of the park. They are extremely rare in the park. I camped along the Rio Grande that night in my tent. It was still a little windy but not nearly as windy as the night before.
The next morning I hiked out via the south fork. I spotted another mule deer when I made it back to the Straw House trail. I got my truck and drove to Santa Elena canyon. Between Castolon and Santa Elena, I spotted a few javelina. I explored the canyon and then drove 15 miles back up the road to the Chimneys trailhead. It was a short 3 mile hike to the Chimneys. I checked them out and saw Indian petroglyph's in the rock. I was planning on camping at Red Ass spring that night. It wasn't on the map but the guidebook I was using said to look for the tree. That is pretty easy to do in the desert! I located the tree and hiked about 2 miles cross country to the spring. The spring was surrounded by a wall of mesquite, prickly pear, and catclaw which refused to allow me to enter the spring. After about 30 minutes of getting torn up, I withdrew to a high spot across a wash about 100 yards from the spring. I slept out under the stars that night as the skies were clear and no wind. I woke up about 6 and got to watch meteors. I hiked the 5 miles back to my truck cross country. Spotted another 5 mule deer that morning.
Since I was a solo hiker, I was required to return my permits to a ranger. I drove to Castolon to do so. Along the way, a backpacker waved me down. She was with a group of hikers and had a dog that had been following them for four days. It wasn't theirs and they didn't know what to do with it. It was microchipped and had current rabies tags from a vet in Alpine. I took it to the rangers at Castolon. It was a ranch dog and knew how to ride in the passenger seat of a truck. A very friendly dog and would have certainly licked any stranger to death. After turning in my permits, I decided to drive the Old Maverick road back north. I saw more javelina between Castolon and Santa Elena. I drove the road, explored Luna's Jacal and headed out of the park.
It was a great trip and I sure hated to leave home to return to my apartment.
During the night I decided to change my itinerary. I still wanted to go to Marufo Vega that night, but wanted to change the 3rd night to zone camping at the Chimneys. I did this at the Visitor Center and then drove to Boquillas Canyon. I hiked a short ways up into Boquillas Canyon. On the Mexican side of the river, there was a Mexican man singing Mexican songs. On the American side, a Mexican boy was selling walking sticks. He had a sign written on a piece of card board that said the sticks were $5 and donations were accepted for the "schol children" in Boquillas. Boquillas is a town on the Mexican side of the river. I felt oh so bad for not support the schol children. On my way out, I saw the Mexican boy get some assistance as another Mexican rode across the river on a burro. He was also selling walking sticks. I then left the Boquillas Mercado and parked at the Marufo Vega trailhead.
Marufo Vega trail is a 14 mile lollipop loop. I hiked it once in 2005 with a couple of my college buddies. We loved it and it was certainly one of the many highlights of that trip. In 2005 we hiked the south fork of the loop first. I decided to follow the NPS recommendation of doing the north fork first. I found that we had down it the correct way in 2005. The north fork goes through a canyon that empties into the Rio Grande. The south fork climbs a ridge and then drops off the ridge on the Rio Grande flood plain. Because it peaks out over the ridge, it has an awesome view.
View from the South ForkIn addition to the awesome view from the South Fork, canyons are easier to climb up than down.
The two forks connect with a trail that runs along a ridge above the Rio Grande. At the south fork intersection, a trail drops to the river. I followed this .5 mile trail to the river. When I got to the beach along the river, I looked and saw what appeared to be a mule deer. I got my binoculars out and saw that it was actually a desert big horn ewe. I had never heard of them in the park before so I later asked a ranger about them. They have been reintroduced at Black Gap WMA east of the park. They are extremely rare in the park. I camped along the Rio Grande that night in my tent. It was still a little windy but not nearly as windy as the night before.
The next morning I hiked out via the south fork. I spotted another mule deer when I made it back to the Straw House trail. I got my truck and drove to Santa Elena canyon. Between Castolon and Santa Elena, I spotted a few javelina. I explored the canyon and then drove 15 miles back up the road to the Chimneys trailhead. It was a short 3 mile hike to the Chimneys. I checked them out and saw Indian petroglyph's in the rock. I was planning on camping at Red Ass spring that night. It wasn't on the map but the guidebook I was using said to look for the tree. That is pretty easy to do in the desert! I located the tree and hiked about 2 miles cross country to the spring. The spring was surrounded by a wall of mesquite, prickly pear, and catclaw which refused to allow me to enter the spring. After about 30 minutes of getting torn up, I withdrew to a high spot across a wash about 100 yards from the spring. I slept out under the stars that night as the skies were clear and no wind. I woke up about 6 and got to watch meteors. I hiked the 5 miles back to my truck cross country. Spotted another 5 mule deer that morning.
Since I was a solo hiker, I was required to return my permits to a ranger. I drove to Castolon to do so. Along the way, a backpacker waved me down. She was with a group of hikers and had a dog that had been following them for four days. It wasn't theirs and they didn't know what to do with it. It was microchipped and had current rabies tags from a vet in Alpine. I took it to the rangers at Castolon. It was a ranch dog and knew how to ride in the passenger seat of a truck. A very friendly dog and would have certainly licked any stranger to death. After turning in my permits, I decided to drive the Old Maverick road back north. I saw more javelina between Castolon and Santa Elena. I drove the road, explored Luna's Jacal and headed out of the park.
It was a great trip and I sure hated to leave home to return to my apartment.
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