Grand Canyon National Park

Hiking down South Kaibab trail into Grand Canyon

Our first visit, and hopefully not our last, to Grand Canyon National Park was in February 2020 towards the end of the month.  Earlier that month we had visited our most interesting Harvest Host, Rock Springs Cafe in Black Canyon Arizona.  Also, we'd bought the new truck (February 10th) and then decided to 'go North' west no matter how cold it would get to see the Grand Canyon!!

Here is the photo album I've been working on for the Grand Canyon.  Lupe and I both contributed photos to this album and there are, in my opinion, some of our best photos so far.  Of course, it WAS the Grand Canyon so what we were shooting was an amazing plethora of beauty LOL. Bert

Closed Canyon in Big Bend Ranch State park and the incredible drive down FM 170 to get there

A young, in-shape guy, came through the Rio Grande Village (RGV) store while we were working at Big Bend National Park and mentioned his hike through Closed Canyon in Big Bend Ranch State Park.  He said the slot canyon was amazing, the hike was great and we should definitely do it, and then he mentioned that he'd gone too far into the canyon, going over a rock formation that was too slick to climb out of, and he was not able to get back out. He said that to get back to civilization he had to continue down the canyon to the Rio Grande and hike another 7 miles until he found another canyon that he could climb out of.  Well, we got excited just hearing 'slot canyon' and not much else really made any sense, until we faced a similar choice in a place similar to what he talked about.

When we got there we found an unexpectedly beautiful place to explore.

We decided to make the drive through Terlingua and on to the State Park's eastern visitors center, Barton Warnock Visitors Center, near Lajitas.  This was really the only way to get to the state park from Big Bend, and we'd been wanting to visit Barton Warnock since we'd heard how great it was.

This was still a long drive for a hike. From the southeastern part of Big Bend, it would be an hour and a half drive just to get to the visitors center.  Then we'd have 20 miles to go down FM 170 to get to the canyon.

Google map from RGV to Barton Warnock Visitors Center

Another reason to make the trip was FM 170 or River Road, one of the most scenic and unknown drives in America.  We often talk to Big Bend visitors about 170 out of Terlingua as a way to see an almost entirely unknown, and therefore, unexplored part of West Texas; an incredible drive above and through the canyons created by the Rio Grande over millions of years, River Road is undoubtedly one of the most if not the most scenic drives in North America (Texas Monthly and National Geographic agree).

Barton Warnock Visitors Center

So, we began at Barton Warnock asking questions about Closed Canyon.  By the time we got there, mid-afternoon, it was about 105 degrees (it was August!). The folks there were very helpful, providing all the details we needed.  As it turned out, they said Closed Canyon was a relatively easy hike and we'd get some shade because of the high walls and narrow slot canyon.  The Ranger mentioned not hiking too far in and paying attention to what you climbed over, under or through.  Many formations and boulders were not easy to climb when coming back; so he said we would not be getting to the Rio Grande River on the hike.

And I got to buy a state park T-shirt and support Texas State Parks!!

Closed Canyon trailhead marker

The parks trailhead marker sign provided much-needed safety information everyone should take in before hiking the trail and mentions being aware of drop-offs that become 'too great to safely negotiate'.  Point taken!

Heading into Closed Canyon

The hike began in the dry creek bed leading in.  We began to realize it was much cooler and windier in the canyon.  The air began to travel faster and cooled as it was compressed, forced through the slot.

The path curved to the left as you enter the high-walled slot canyon. Small creek rock and black dirt covered a hard but smooth canyon floor. 

The canyon was rather wide as we started with variations in the color and texture of the rock, smoother on the lower parts of the walls and rougher up higher where the water had not affected it as much.  

Looking into the canyon as we walked you could see how the water traveled through it, smothing it over millions of years, carrying sand and rock with it.  

With cliffs and caves above us, the slot canyon began to narrow, becoming even more smooth-walled along the way; large boulders were exposed as the canyon narrowed. 

Each left and right we took through the canyon gave us a new view around the corner with something unexpected and different ahead.  

We began to do more boulder climbing to continue on through the narrowing slot. 

Eventually, the flat ground disappeared, and all we had was boulders to climb to continue the hike.

At about .87 mile, we came to a drop-off of about 12 feet that we could tell we'd not be able to climb out of on the way back.  

We both tried and could have gotten past the standing water tinaja but getting back up the rock seemed like 'too great to safely negotiate'.  

With the smoothed rock walls and about 8 feet apart, we would not have been able to push against both walls, like a bridge, hands on one side, feet on the other, to get across both ways.  This is a technique we've seen (on youtube) to get past the point where we had to stop at Ernst Tinaja!! 

It was tempting to consider just dropping into the water and continuing the hike, but climbing up and out would have been very difficult or impossible for both of us.  We do need to practice 'bridging' for next time!! 

So we hiked out, happy as clams that we got as far as we did! 

Here's my short video of the hike out

 

On the way back, we spent some time exploring and taking photos of FM 170.  

Here's a panorama photo taken from Fandango Dome Rock, a high point on the road, looking toward Presidio.  

And another looking toward Big Bend National Park with the Rio Grande's green path in the lower right.  

Here are our related posts!

Kayaking in Big Bend Ranch State Park, passing below Fandango Dome Rock.

Hiking into Ernst Tinaja, were we got stuck at the big hanging rock.

And here are our all our videos and photos from this hike in our Google Photo Album.

Ernst Tinaja and the Dead horse Mountains

Ernst Tinaja, a series of rock watering holes, is reached by hiking up a half-mile into the amazing Boquillas formation created 90 million years ago. The difficult part is getting there.  The Tinaja (Spanish for "large earthen jar") is accessed from Old Ore Road, which is a 27.5-mile backcountry road in Big Bend National park connecting the RGV (Rio Grande Village) area to HWY 385, the park entry road coming in from Marathon.

And while we believe 'The Green Monster', our 1500 RAM, is the best truck in the world, it is not a 4x4 vehicle, however, since it IS a monster we decided we'd try the road anyway to see the tinajas.

We began our trip from the southern end of Old Ore road, so the side road to the Ernst Tinaja camping area was about 5 miles down that road. Along the way, we had amazing views of the Chisos Mountains as the morning began.  We started about 9 a.m. to avoid hiking in the hotter afternoon heat.

Along Old Ore Road you get many beautiful views of the Chisos

Along the way, we passed multiple camping areas, including Candellia, which was named after the very abundant Candellia plant, used to produce fine wax in Mexico

and the grave of Juan de Leon who was murdered at La Noria in 1933 following an argument with Joe Loftin, who was never convicted of the crime. I hope my grave looks this good when I'm put in the ground!!

Anyway, we arrived at the Ernst Tinaja camping parking lot and started our hike.  The weather was wonderfully cool and perfect for the hike.  We immediately started to notice all the water that had collected on the exposed bedrock probably still there from the 2.5 inches of rain RGV had received two-weeks prior.

As you begin the hike, up the wash, you walk on exposed, whitish limestone sheets uplifted and angled over time, each holding a little water full of tadpoles and small creatures.

hiking towards Ernst Tinaja

As noted in Falcon's Big Bend Hiking Guide, continuing up the wash you are walking back in geologic time.  The type of rock changes from large white limestone sheets to thinner and more colorful limestone and shale.  Fossil remnants indicate these beds were originally deposited on the ocean floor 90 million years ago.

entering the tinaja canyon

Walking into the Ernst Tinaja canyon, rocks become even more colorful, layered and more folded while the white limestone base rock that forms the tinaja, known as budda limestone, starts to appear.

Ernst Tinaja

Looking back from where we had hiked in, the shot of Ernst Tinaja shows the deep green color of the water; you can't see the bottom. The water level was higher than what I've seen in other photos probably due to the recent rains. Many references to this tinaja talk about how animals get trapped in its water and drown as the water level drops, with the sides slick with algae preventing them from escaping.

Just past the tinaja the horizontal, layered walls become twisted and pushed into cave-like structures.  Years of sand and rock-filled water traveling through the canyon and high speeds have also changed these formations smoothing the lower rocks like a rock tumbler would.

Smooth white budda limestone formations are abundant.

continuing into the canyon past the tinajas

We continued into the canyon another quarter mile, climbing up, over or under many of the smooth rock formations

eventually, stopping where we didn't have the climbing skills to pass. I call it the big hanging rock!

At the formation where we stopped, there was a bee-filled pool, where they could take a cool a drink.

We hiked back out of the canyon passing many flowering plants with birds fluttering around them.  The tinaja supports a small community of plants and animals all year long, an oasis that allows for life in the typically hot Chihuahuan desert.

Dead horse Mountains pouroff

We decided to continue down Old Ore Road toward 385 which we found out was the more challenging part of the backcountry road, especially for the truck.  To the East, we were blessed with beautiful views of the Dead horse Mountains and high mountain pouroffs along the way.

And to the west, we again had the distant Chisos Mountains to watch for between the undulating McKinney Hills

where we also found remnants of the McKinney ranch.

Along with more beautiful, flowering plants along the road.

Here's our Google Photo Album of all photos from this trip.

Window View Trail, Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National park

The Windows View Trail starts in the Chisos Basin just behind the Basin General store. This hike is considered easy as it is only .3 miles round trip. The trail is also paved making it handicap accessible. 

start of trail

The first plaque you come across is dedicated to Stephen Tyng Mather who led a publicity campaign to promote the creation of a unified federal agency to oversee National Park Administration, which was established in 1916. In 1917, Mather was appointed as the first director of the National Park Service. He served until 1929, during his tenure Mather created a professional civil service organization, increased the numbers of parks and national monuments, and established systematic criteria for adding new properties to the federal system.

Stephen Tyng Mather

The Windows View Trail is relatively short compared to the many Basin trails that can be started from it. 

Once you get to the center of the trail you can read about the Volcanic origin of the Chisos mountains around you and also use the marker to help put a name to each of them.

Once you have read about them you can take as much time as you like to just sit and be with the area.

 The view is amazing and you can hear so many different things if you just take the time to slow down and enjoy. 

Here's our Google Photo Album of this hike. 

Our First 2018 hike in the Chisos, the Lost Mine Trail

Our first hike in the Chisos Mountains during our 2018 stay at Big Bend happened during the two days we were camping at the Basin Campground.  We knew we wanted to hike while up there but weren't sure which one we had time for.  

We did the Windows Trail and (secret) Falls trail in 2014 but never got to the Lost Mine trail.  Lost mine is known for having incredible views of the Chisos most of the way up and that was absolutely true!  The hike took about 3 hours and we ascended about 1800 feet to about 6800 feet in elevation.  

We camped at the Chisos basin campground for two days so we'd be near the hike, and hiked the Lost Mine trail early in the morning to avoid the heat of mid-day.

Here's a photo of the great view from the top. Bliss Moment! 

Here's the photo album of the hike

McDonald Observatory 2018 Visit

We visited McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis on our trip to Big Bend National Park -  where we would work for the Summer.  After leaving Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, we camped at Davis Mountains State Park for the weekend and had Sunday to visit the observatory.

Below is a view towards McDonald Observatory from highway TX-118. Mt. Fowlkes is on the left and Mt. Locke is on the right. The Hobby–Eberly Telescope dome is visible on Mt. Fowlkes and the domes of the Harlan J. Smith Telescope and Otto Struve Telescope can be seen on Mt. Locke.

By Jason Quinn - Own work, Public Domain
from https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5507127

McDonald Observatory is a 15-minute drive from Davis Mountains State Park; so the State Park is the perfect place for an overnight stay when you want to visit McDonald Observatory.

Timing is everything when headed to the Observatory if you want to catch a tour, Star Party or Twilight Program. They have scheduled tours twice every day of the week and Star Parties and Twilight programs available Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday (check the tour page for exact details and times).

Entrance patio's Giant Sundial

Since we were there later in the day and on a Sunday we didn't get a tour or Star Party, however, the guide at the visitors center explained the closing times for the 3 main telescopes (5 p.m. I believe), and we were able to do the self-guided tour of the three main telescopes.  

We definitely plan on coming back for tours and a star party or two but just getting to go into the display lobby of the Hobby–Eberly Telescope (HET) was amazing. We were able to do some reading, begin to understand how it all works and view the interior of the telescope.

 Approaching HET, the 10-meter (30-foot) aperture telescope completed in 1997. After an upgrade completed in 2015, the usable optical aperature was increased to 10m. 

A three-dimensional map of our local universe.

HET is composed of 91 hexagonal segments, using a segmented mirror design.  The segments function together as a single curved mirror.  

We were also able to walk around the building containing the Otto Stuve Telescope, the first major telescope built at the McDonald Observatory. 

The wording on the Historical marker outside the Ott Stuve Telescope begins with "Original unit in a complex forming one of the great observatory centers in the world".

Entrance to Otto Stuve Telescope building

Interior shot taken by Jason Quinn [Attribution], from Wikimedia Commons

We also were able to go into the small display room of the Harlan J. Smith Telescope and read about its history. 

Interior of Harlan J. Smith Telescope during a tour, from Wikipedia. 

The views from the top of Mt. Locke were amazing and made us appreciate even more what we have here in Texas at McDonald Observatory. 

And here is the Photo Album of that the visit to McDonald Observatory.