Week 49: Big Bend National Park
Back in my happy place!
Hey, friends! Hi, fam! Thanks for tuning in to for another weekly update on our big advanture! I can’t tell you how much it means to have you along for the ride!
I’m writing this post from our awesome camp spot in the Chisos Basin at Big Bend National Park in far West Texas, watching the light play on Casa Grande Peak and listening to the birds. Feeling so lucky that we get to call this place home for a while. We’ve been coming here since almost every year since 2005 — sometimes twice a year — but this is the first time we’ve been here since selling our house in Austin, Texas to travel full time.
Being here feels different in a way that’s hard to describe.
That’s because we hatched our plan to sell everything and travel full time when we were tent camping here at Big Bend in Pine Canyon back in January of 2020. We didn’t want to go back to Austin — we just wanted to keep on going!
During the 8.5 hour drive back home we talked about getting an adventure vehicle of some sort — a truck camper, travel trailer, or a camper van — and we were so excited!
Four years and a pandemic that really threw a wrench in our plans later we finally got to live our dream.
Dryer Disaster Recovery
When we left off last week Jason and I were so bummed after washing our clothes at a laundromat and discovering that the malfunctioning dryers destroyed our clothes. The dryers were waaaaaaaay too hot and so much of our stuff melted and shrunk! We’re glad nothing caught on fire!
It’s a hard hit when half of your wardrobe is unwearable y’all.
So we spent about 2 days online shopping to find socks, pants, shorts, shirts and fleeces. J found a UPS pickup location about 2.5 hours from here and we’re going to get our new duds on Monday — wish us luck! At least we had a beautiful spot to do our shopping from, right?
Hiking the Window Trail
Whenever we camp in the Chisos Basin we just have to hike the Window Trail.
It starts right from the campground and goes to that notch in the middle of the photo. And it always seems like you can be there in 15 minutes or so, but things in the desert are always further away than they appear. Ha!
Here’s a blurb about the trail from the NPS website:
This trail descends through Oak Creek Canyon to the Window pour-off which frames panoramic desert vistas. During wetter periods Oak Creek may be flowing, and must be crossed several times. Keep in mind that it is an easy downhill walk to the Window, but the return trip is a challenging climb of 1,000 feet. It is important to start this hike early in the morning to avoid hiking during the heat of the day. Bring more water than you think you will need!
It’s all downhill from the campground — but that means it’s all uphill on the way back!
But still the views can’t be beat!
I love seeing all of the agaves, cacti and yuccas. Some of the cacti were even putting on a show!
Everything seems drier than normal, but there are still mesquite trees, weeping junipers, pines, and oaks dotting the trail.
You know you’re getting close to the pour-off when you see these CCC-built stairs, which we’ve nicknamed “the mines of Moria”:
And then as you turn a corner there it is: the end of the trail and the Window pour-off!
The Window is such an amazing view down to the desert below. We’ve been here before when water was flowing in Oak Creek, and it’s so cool watching it fall over the edge. The rock is super slick there so we don’t like to get too close to the edge!
Then as you make your way back up the trail you start to get amazing views of Casa Grande Peak.
Instead of hiking back to the campground, we decided to go the extra mile to the Basin proper so I could say goodbye to the Chisos Basin Visitor Center, the lodge, and the camp store before they’re torn down.
Farewell to the Chisos Basin Visitor Center and Store
Big Bend is going to undergo a major renovation project and the Basin complex and the whole mountain road will be closed for two years — yep, you read that right — two whole years! So that was one of the reasons I just HAD to come this spring. From the park website:
Thanks to funding from the Great American Outdoors Act, work on two large construction projects in the Chisos Basin is scheduled to begin Fall 2025 and continue for approximately two years. As work begins, the Chisos Basin area will be closed to visitor entry. This includes the Basin Road, lodging units, Basin Campground, restaurant, NPS visitor center, camper store, and surrounding trail access. This work will ONLY affect the Chisos Basin area of Big Bend National Park. As major components are completed, park managers will assess which areas can be safely reopened to regular public access.
I just had to say goodbye. Here’s an overall view of the current lodge and restaurant, tucked under Casa Grande:
That’s where the restaurant is and we made so many memories there. There’s a gift shop and an old payphone — I’ll never forget the time a young kiddo asked her mom what it was!
There used to be a phone booth in the campground too.
Then we stopped by the Visitor Center, where I had to get a photo of Mr. Mountain Lion:
I’ll never forget one time we were walking by the VC late at night and I yelled “mountain lion!!!!” and J was like “Where?” and I said “There!!” He laughed — eventually.
As an aside, I’ve only seen a mountain lion once in the 20 years we’ve been coming here. It was a foggy morning and I felt like something was watching me. Then I saw it’s hindquarters and tail silently slink off into the mist. All the little hairs on the back of my neck stood up when I realized what it was!
We also stopped by the camp store one last time and got a snack and ate it on the patio of the lodge.
We both reminisced about using the wifi at the lodge and having to work from the patio. Glad we those days are behind us, along with all the stress!
The Basin complex also has a short, paved Window View Trail with awesome views:
What a great day! And it wasn’t over yet — our tradition is to watch the sunset through The Window from the campground, and this one didn’t disappoint:
Really gonna miss these views for two whole years! But the Basin has been in need of a renovation for a good while now, so I’m happy it’s finally happening.
Wind Storm!
Thursday we BIG windstorm with 60 mph winds and a few sprinkles of rain!
Our view of The Casa started like this:
And then The Casa disappeared!
Whoa! So cool to get to witness this.
My Handyman!
Then next day J replaced our slowly failing water pump:
He impresses me more and more all the time! He said he was a little nervous doing it, but I’d have never guessed.
Best of all, this pump seems to be working better than our original one, even when it was brand new. Water to the kitchen sink flows so smooth and steady. Woo hoo! Go, J!
Moonrise Over the Casa
That’s it for this update — thanks so much for following along!
We’ll be here at Big Bend one more week and I plan to savor every moment. Until then, I thought I’d leave you with a moment of peace and stillness, as the moon rose over The Casa.
Lisa, you've unearthed more travel memories from our many visits to Big Bend. We camped in Rio Grande Village our last visit in 2018, and enjoyed paddling the river with volunteer hosts, and hiking nearby trails. I remember one hike Rich and I took to a natural hot spring and indulged in the relaxing water. That was our first mistake; second was not carrying enough water. We were lucky, and didn't make that mistake again!! So glad J replace the water pump. It's so gratifying when you successfully tackle home repairs!! Your moon rise photos made me smile. I don't have to tell you that full moon rises in Ohio mostly happen behind overcast skies!! Enjoy your new wardrobe! Happy Trails!!
Such wonderful memories and photos