Laurence Parent - Hiking Big Bend National Park

Hiking Big Bend National Park

Second Edition

Laurence Parent

With the assistance of Mary K. Manning and other hikers and writers of the Big Bend National Park staff

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Every effort has been made by the author and editors to make this guide as accurate and useful as possible. However, many things can change after a guide is publishedtrails are rerouted, regulations change, techniques evolve, facilities come under new management, etc.

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Thanks for your input, and happy trails!

Copyright 2005 by The Globe Pequot Press

A previous edition of this book was published by Falcon Publishing, Inc. in 1996.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted by the 1976 Copyright Act or by the publisher. Requests for permission should be made in writing to The Globe Pequot Press, P.O. Box 480, Guilford, Connecticut 06437.

Falcon and FalconGuide are registered trademarks of The Globe Pequot Press.

All photographs are by the author unless otherwise noted.

Maps by XNR Productions, Inc. The Globe Pequot Press

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Parent, Laurence.

Hiking Big Bend National Park / by Laurence Parent ; with assistance from hikers and writers from the Big Bend National Park staff.

p. cm.

"A Falcon guide."

Includes bibliograhical references.

ISBN 1-56044-286-7 (pbk.)

1. Hiking --Texas--Big Bend National Park--Guidebooks. 2. Big Bend National Park (Tex.)--Guidebooks. I. Title.

GV199.42.T492B547 1996

917.64'93--dc20

ISBN 978-0-7627-9746-2

Second Edition

The author and The Globe Pequot Press assume no liability for accidents happening to, or injuries sustained by, readers who engage in the activities described in this book.

Contents

Overview

Acknowledgments

This book project was completed with the contributions of many people. Special thanks go to the members of the Big Bend National Park staff who hiked the majority of the park trails and wrote up the respective descriptions. These hikers and writers were Audrey Ashcraft, Karen Boucher, Don Corrick, Mark Flippo, John Forsythe, Mark Herberger, Mary K. Manning, Gus Snchez, Jeff Selleck, Raymond Skiles, and Carol Sperling. David Alloway, formerly with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, did the same for the trails at Big Bend Ranch State Park. Mary K. Manning helped immensely with the revised edition.

Dennis Vsquez and Mary K. Manning did most project organization. I did most of the primary editing, but was assisted by Mary K. Manning, Valerie Naylor, and Dennis Vsquez. Fact-checking was done by several members of the Big Bend staff. Thanks also go to Carl Robinson of the Big Bend Natural History Association and Randall Green of Falcon Press for encouraging this project. I also wish to thank Earl Nottingham for assisting me on the hikes I did for this book.

The Rio Grande flows tranquilly above Hot Springs Canyon.

Introduction

For hikers and backpackers in Texas, Big Bend National Park is the states number one destination. More than 1,200 square miles of undeveloped land beckon with endless miles of trails and cross-country routes. The park is not only the largest tract of public land in Texas but is also one of the best examples of Chihuahuan Desert in the country.

The Chihuahuan Desert sprawls across a vast expanse of northern Mexico, West Texas, and southern New Mexico. Like other deserts, it is defined as an area of low precipitation, generally less than 10 inches per year at lower elevations. Specific plant communities and climate patterns differentiate the Chihuahuan Desert from other deserts. One plant in particular, the lechuguilla, is unique to the Chihuahuan Desert. The plant, growing in a green rosette of thick, fibrous leaves tipped with wicked spines, quickly makes itself apparent to unwary hikers at Big Bend.

Like islands in a sea, rugged mountain ranges dot the vast lowland expanses of the Chihuahuan Desert. Some of these mountains, such as the Chisos Mountains at Big Bend, reach high enough elevations to attract additional rainfall. The additional rain and cooler temperatures allow forests to grow on the upper slopes of these ranges. A forest of pinyon pine, juniper, and oak cloaks the Chisos Mountains; bigger ranges, such as the Sierra del Carmen across the river from the park in Mexico, contain lush forests of Arizona pine, Douglas-fir, aspen, and other trees.

Water is of paramount importance in the desert country of Big Bend National Park. Plants adapt to the hot, dry terrain by growing small leaves. Waxy coatings limit transpiration of water by plants. Cacti have done away with leaves altogether. Plants such as the ocotillo only produce leaves after sufficient rainfall. Seeds of many annuals will not even germinate in dry years; when they do germinate, they develop, flower, and fruit quickly, before the moisture disappears. Animals also adapt to the arid conditions. Most come out to feed and hunt only at night during cooler temperatures. The kangaroo rat never has to drink at all; it obtains water from its food.

Because water is scarce at Big Bend, springs and water holes are particularly valuable. Permanent creeks are rare. One major exception, the Rio Grande, creates a long, narrow oasis, a ribbon of green along the southern boundary of the park. The river and springs are vital to the parks wildlife.

The many trails at Big Bend National Park visit some of these springs and the deep canyons of the Rio Grande. They wander through the high, wooded peaks of the Chisos Mountains and past the ruins of old ranches and settlements. This guide will help take you to many places that park visitors unwilling to leave their cars will never see. Some of the most spectacular scenery in Texas awaits you.

Backcountry Ethics

A few simple rules and courtesies will help preserve the natural environment and allow others to enjoy their outdoor experience. Every hiker has at least a slight impact on the land and other visitors. Your goal should be to minimize that impact. Some of the rules and suggestions may seem overly restrictive and confining; however, with increasing use of the park, such rules have become more necessary. All can be followed with little inconvenience and will contribute to a better outdoor experience for you and others.