In another thread querty gave me some information about available gas in Big Bend National Park. He also gave me an idea. The idea was to ask here if anyone has any information about Big Bend that they would share with me and my nephew. We are heading to Big Bend in mid March. We have two weeks there and reservations in the "no generator" zone of the Rio Grande Village campground. My understanding is we have picked the busiest time of the year there...spring break. Oh well.
If anyone has any ideas, suggestions or information about good primitive roads, trails, places to eat, things to see, we would love to have them. I also intend to explore out of the park, especially Big Bend Ranch State Park, so information as to things outside the park borders is also welcome. The plan is to park the truck upon arrival and ride everywhere we go. I've done some homework, read what I could find, but I am sure there are things I have missed. If I get some suggestions and ideas I will just print this thread off and take it along.
Just thinking there might be some collective knowledge and information here.
You can get a lot of information right from the Park HQ which you will pass on your way to Rio Grande Campground. When we were there it wasn't crowded so we moved around to different campgrounds, including in Terlingua. You can get a National Geographic map of Big Bend, and the park has 2 small booklets, "Road Guide" one to paved and improved roads, and one to backcountry dirt roads. No off road riding in Big Bend, but some of the roads are a real challenge. A couple of the photos I posted are on Old Ore Road that starts near your campground.
Wonderful. Somewhere in my searching I have seen that picture of Mrs. Trip's sleeping TW. Just ordered the Nat. Geo. map. I assume it would be safe to take my nephew into Mexico for a day, crossing at Presidio? (He got a passport so we can cross at Boquillas, but I know he would get a real kick out of a short ride south of the border. I rode all through Mexico in the late '70s...but I realize the world is a different place.
Yeah, its safe and easy to go as far as Peguis Canyon. Terlingua is fun too...folks hang out on the porch of the Starlight Theater and play guitars over a few beers at the end of the day. Great little Mexican restaurant there too. The guy that owned the Kiva just got killed so I don't know if that will be open or not. Get those booklets when you get there, they are only $2.00 or so, and have detailed notes about all the roads. They make it very interesting with the history and geology as you ride. And definitely ride up into the Basin. Big Bend is cool. We never made it to Big Bend Ranch State Park...only spent 1 night there...we just didn't have time.
Borneo, another area there that's got some great riding is Terlingua Ranch. Its a few miles north of Study Butte. It's private property, so you have to get their OK to ride there. They'll just give you a permit if you ask for it at the Terlingua Ranch Lodge office. We camped out there for the night, but you don't have to. You can ride up Christmas Mountain where's there's a great view, and there's many miles of ranch roads you can ride:
Thank you Mr Trip. You are a treasure trove of exactly the information I was hoping for. It's going to make our trip so much better, and I truly appreciate it.
Keep in mind, Borneo, it's 2 years ago when we were there. Things may have changed.
We also camped at Castolon, and scared off a whole heard of Javelina when we arrived:
And also camped out in one of the dispersed campsites...awesome skies at night, all by ourselves in the desert
Great views of the Chisos Mountains, too:
The road from Big Bend up to Presidio is a great drive. Its also considered one of the best motorcycle roads in Texas for a street bike. Along the way, there is an old movie set
...used on a few different movies as I recall. Pretty cool.
Also along that road is a camping area that's part of Big Bend Ranch State Park where we spent another night
The campsite over looked the Rio Grande
And the mountains on the Mexican side:
We didn't ride in Big Bend Ranch, but we hiked from the campsite up into a cool slot canyon:
"I had to run before I knew how to crawl,
the first steps were hard, but I have had trouble with them all..."
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