You may have heard of Yellowstone and Yosemite, but have you heard of Big Bend? It is one of the least visited National Parks and we feel that is a Big Shame. Situated in the west of Texas it sits alongside the Rio Grande bordering Mexico where the river goes through a curve so long that it forms a distinctive part of the shape of the state. We went there in the  spring which turned out to be a great time to visit the park. The desert is in flower and it was also relatively quiet as most Americans go there in winter when it is at its coolest.

Prickly Pear Cactus & Chisos Mountains

The amount of colour in this desert during the spring is amazing. Those of us from more northern climes are used to growing Prickly Pear Cactii in pots, but in Big Bend they grow in the wild to a much greater size with a superb display of yellow flowers.

Hot Springs

Hot water at 40 degrees centigrade (105F) bubbles from the ground just beside the Rio Grande.  The facilities here were rudimentary compared to Hot Springs, Arkansas, but this used to be bandit border country. The story starts with J.O. Langford  who in 1909 moved to Texas in the hope of curing recurrent malaria. He heard stories about hot springs that had curative powers, so he set up a homestead on the land. The waters cured him, so over the years a small spa was built up comprising the now disused Hot Springs Village and this small riverside bathing pool that can still be used today.

Strawberry Pitaya Cactus & Chisos Mountains

Not to be outdone, the Strawberry Pitaya Cactus shows off its pink blooms. In the background the desert changes to the mountain scenery of the Chisos Mountains surrounding the Chisos Basin.

Big Bend National Park

The Window, Big Bend

At  a height of over 1500 metres (5000 feet) and surrounded by mountains rising to over 2300 metres (7400 feet) the Chisos Basin has a very different climate from the rest of the National Park resulting in very different plant life. The ring of mountains is broken by a V shaped valley that allows a glimpse of the desert outside, hence the name ‘The Window’.  This area was in the 18th century the stronghold of the Mescalero Apaches who raided Spanish settlements south of the river. They were replaced by ranchers until the area was included in the National Park.

Raft on the Rio Grande leaving Santa Elena Canyon

In Big Bend the river cuts through mountains to form two deep gorges, the Santa Elena and Mariscal Canyons. The cliffs of Santa Elena Canyon rise to a height of 300 metres (1000 feet) above the river. This is border country, the National Park is American territory but the rock wall in the picture is in Mexico, not the USA.  The river flows lazily through the canyon with very little white water, so an ideal way of seeing it is on a raft. So lazy is the river here that during times of drought you may end up doing some parts of the raft journey on foot!

DLU050712

Click on Minimap to navigate

Home > US States > The Southwest > Texas >

To move forwards or backwards through the Texas  trail click the arrows above, or select your next destination on the Minimap.

© Mike  Elsden 1981 - 2025

The contents of this page may not be reproduced in full or in part without permission