I love the national parks. And one of my all time favourites is Big Bend National Park in Texas. But right next door is another, even more secluded, gem: Big Bend Ranch State Park. In the remote State park, there are over 275 thousand acres of Chihuahuan desert to explore. It's the largest state park in Texas! But you don't have to go deep into the backcountry for … [Read more...]
Texas Wildflowers
There's more to Texas wildflowers than just bluebonnets. Although I have to say that the bluebonnets are so spectacular they can easily create a roadside traffic jam. They tend to grow on the sides of the roads you see. But actually Texas has 5,000 different types of wildflowers and you'll find them all over the place from grassy meadows to rocky hillsides and you'll likely … [Read more...]
Sunset and Prickly Pears Over the Rio Grande
From the Rio Grande Village Campground at Big Bend National Park, Texas, you can take a short hike up to the Rio Grande Overlook and find this stunning view! I like hiking, but it's nice to find a sunset spot where you don't have to hike down too far in the dark - or worse leave your spot too soon because you don't want to get jabbed by nasty cacti like these prickly … [Read more...]
The Silence and the Stars
I've been thinking of recording the sounds of some of the places I visit and Texas had some really unique sounds. First there was the nasty javalinas, which are 60 pound hairy pig-like creatures (but they are not pigs). I wish I had a photo but they were too elusive and I only saw one once. It was the time I heard one that was frightening. Ray and I were on a trail … [Read more...]
Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas
We drove north too fast! After enjoying 80-85 degree and dry weather conditions in Big Bend National Park, we headed up to Guadalupe where we were shocked to see snow for the first time on our trip. It was just a light dusting of snow that was perfect for photography and I had to pull the truck over a few times along the way to make sure I captured it before it was … [Read more...]
Which city has the best “Welcome To …” sign?
I can't say I usually pay attention to the "Welcome to [insert city name], Home of the [insert team name]" signs. Every city big and small has one. Some are square, some are round. But none have caught my attention like the one at Fort Stockton, Texas. Please click the image to view a larger version. We stayed at Fort Stockton before and after our visit to Big Bend … [Read more...]
Sunset on a Ghost Town
As the sky began to change and late afternoon turned to evening, I made my way to the ruins of the old Chisos Mining Company in Terlingua, Texas. It was such a peaceful evening. I felt lucky to be able to experience such a magical place. … [Read more...]
Terlingua, a Texas Ghost Town
You know from my recent posts how much I enjoyed Big Bend National Park in Texas. We stayed at Rio Grande Village for the first part of our visit and then we moved around to the other side to be closer to some of the scenery over there. It's a pretty big park. We chose an RV park in a ghost town named Terlingua. Little did I know it would turn out to be one of my favourite … [Read more...]