While winter rages out of control in the northeast, we must take time out to bask in the 80 degree temps of the Big Bend in February. We hooked up the camper and set up camp for 3 days in the Cottonwood campground on the banks of the Rio Grande River, just a stone’s throwContinue reading “A Blooming Desert”
Author Archives: texasflashdude
Hiking the Marufo Vega Trail of Big Bend National Park
When a friend popped the question on Sunday, “Let’s go hike the Marufo Vega Trail tomorrow,” it did not take long to say yes. I never tire of the grand vistas that this hike provides, and with a warm and dry weather window, I knew we had an opportunity for a wonderful trip. After pickingContinue reading “Hiking the Marufo Vega Trail of Big Bend National Park”
Backpacking the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend National Park
December is a great time to backpack in the Big Bend. Very little rain, warm days, and crisp, clear nights (for great star-gazing) make for a special time on the trail. This past week I packed up for a short overnight trip to the south rim of the Chisos Mountains, an “island in the sky”Continue reading “Backpacking the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend National Park”
Wyoming’s Wind River Mountains by Backpack
Usually my posts are related to the Big Bend region of west Texas, but in this post I will share some images of a recent 12-day backpack trip into the Wind River Mountains of western Wyoming. The Wind Rivers, and specifically the Bridger-Teton Wilderness, are located about 100 miles east of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. TheyContinue reading “Wyoming’s Wind River Mountains by Backpack”
Marathon’s Elk
When I tell folks that we have some of the largest elk in the west just a few miles outside of town, people look at me sideways, with that look of, “Oh, sure.” This evening driving back into town, Jodie and I were greeted by three majestic bulls, sporting full velvet, and probably not yetContinue reading “Marathon’s Elk”
Spring Backpacking in New Mexico
When the spring temperatures in the Big Bend region start to hit the 90’s by mid-May, it’s time to start thinking about the mountains of New Mexico and southern Colorado. It’s almost spring weather up there, and well within a day’s drive of home. This year, I’m joining my good friend and backpacking partner, Joe,Continue reading “Spring Backpacking in New Mexico”
March Means Spring Break Along the Border
March is a warm month in the desert. It means time for hiking, stargazing, and sidestepping all the “Spring-Breakers” that flood into the Big Bend, first from Texas schools, then from the northern colleges as the month wears on. It was during this time that two good friends from the Dallas area made the tripContinue reading “March Means Spring Break Along the Border”
Beneath the Sierra Maderas del Carmen
This weekend I revisited one of my most favorite places on earth, the Marufo Vega Trail, in the far eastern drainages of the Big Bend National Park. This is a favorite for many reasons, among them the solitude, the scenery, and, oh yes, did I mention the solitude? This is a land not to beContinue reading “Beneath the Sierra Maderas del Carmen”
The Great Sand Dunes of Texas
Didn’t know that Texas had sand dunes? Well, yes, there are a few dunes on the Gulf coast, but we’re not talking about the beach. At least not a beach as we know it now. But a few hundred million years ago, a shallow sea covered what is now west Texas, the the sands createdContinue reading “The Great Sand Dunes of Texas”
The Great Texas Camel Experiment
Given the warmth of an Indian Summer week, Jodie and I set out this morning for our monthly “road trip” around our backyard, the Big Bend loop from Marathon through Big Bend National Park to the “ghost town” of Terlingua, then through Lajitas, along the River Road up to Presidio, then northward through Marfa, Alpine,Continue reading “The Great Texas Camel Experiment”
texasflashdude 