Big Bend Trip Report with pictures

[geanes]

Had a GREAT weekend in Big Bend! Spent 3 nights doing the primitive camping on the perimeter of the park. No one near us for 10 miles or more in any direction. Used my KISS drawers and an air-mattress to sleep in absolute comfort in the back of my rig. Buddy slept in a tent adjacent. Lots of beer, lots of steaks and lots of fun. Snuck across the Rio Grande River to drink beer on the Mexican side.....such rebels. Black Gap was a real treat. LX wouldn't go into HIGH due to weight (WAAAAY more than I've ever put in it: fully stocked drawer system, 100quart loaded cooler...some beer, 36quart loaded cooler...ALL beer, propane tank, tent, camp table, cooking supplies, 5 gallon jerry can of fuel, 10 gallons of onboard water, 2nd 33" spare on a steel wheel, etc). But, ran perfectly fine in Neutral on all of the rocky trails including Black Gap. Never once scrammed to LOW/Limp mode even with easily 800lbs of extra weight over the axles. Went both directions on Black Gap and the rig handled it with relative ease. No scraping at all. Bunch of cats in a mini Jeep Jamboree (20 jeeps) were all taking photos of the rig coming thru Black Gap as none of them believed a Lexus could do it. Got lots of high fives! With all that said, here come the photos.....will add more description going forward.

 

[geanes]

River Road and Talley2 Campground...

 

[geanes]

Talley2 Campground and Mariscol Canyon (7 mile hike with 2500 feet elevation and super rocky)

 

[geanes]

Black Gap Road

 

[geanes]

Black Gap and Glenn Springs

 

[geanes]

Balanced Rock hike

 

[geanes]

Santa Elena Canyon and hike

 

[FxFormat]

Looks like a good time! Cant will till May to go on my adventure.

 

[geanes]

Santa Elena Canyon, a GX (fellow Mudder) and a seriously bad ass G-Wagon. Merc owner was a guy named Tony. Super rad dude. He and I were on Black Gap and a bunch of Jeep owners took photos of us because they never thought a Lexus and a Mercedes could rock crawl. I never really get super-jealous of other rigs, but this Merc was unbelievably NICE!

 

[geanes]

Terlingua Abajo campground (Santa Elena Canyon in background), Mule Ears (wonderful hike) and my DREAM rig....EarthRoamer

 

[geanes]

The Window Trail (incredible view over the Big Bend valley), view of Big Bend Park from the front patio of The Starlight in Terlingua Ghost Town and a final parting shot heading north towards Alpine, TX

 

[Ager Venator]

I am insanely jealous - I only got to experience that part of Texas in a 2wd pickup while working. Alpine is probably one of my favorite towns in the world.

 

[LEX]

Very nice. I need to make it out there one day. Thanks for sharing.

 

[colby1979]

Awesome trip! I dont spend much time in the BBNP but Black Gap is great, excellent fishing and bird hunting. Im pretty sure I saw that earth roamer in Fort Davis last week.

 

[Bloomer]

Looks like a nice trip. Santa Elena Canyon is one of my favorite hikes. The ambient temps in the canyon are incredible when it is otherwise really hot!

 

[geanes]

I am insanely jealous - I only got to experience that part of Texas in a 2wd pickup while working. Alpine is probably one of my favorite towns in the world.

Yeah, Alpine is pretty danged sweet. Such a gem. But, shhhhhhhhhhh....don't let the secret out

 

[AndersN]

Great trip! I made it out there for the first time last January but next time I go out there I need to include some of those hikes, great views. To anyone debating a trip to Big Bend, quit thinking and just go.

 

[REKCUT]

Really enjoyed the week trip spent there last feb. Really only complaint is the fact they only allow 2 vehicles in most camp sites. Most of the ones we used had room to park and camp many more than the small limit.

 

[TXSunDevil]

Looks like a blast man. I did the state park in November. Great photos

 

[Mike6158]

Nice. Santa Elena in the morning, Terlingua Abaja, Glenn Springs Road, Black Gap, Mariscal Canyon, The Window trail. Mule Ears. Pretty well rounded trip. I didn't see the Mariscal Mine but the canyon is a great trade off. I'd have traded the Window for the South Rim. Similar effort, more time, orders of magnitude better hike. There are jewels all along the Old Ore road, etc, etc, but there's always next time. A friend and I are planning a late May excursion. We'll see how it goes. Park attendance is way up from what I think of as the norm...