August 27-29, 2020 —
Do any of you have that friend that always wants to embark on the craziest, most random, logic-defying escapades? That friend that is constantly searching for adventure and looking to live life to its fullest? If you don’t, I’d recommend searching for one, because they’re great. For me, that friend is Shane Bonness. After we met freshman year and began living together sophomore year, I firmly resisted his constant nagging to ditch my responsibilities and go rock climbing on countless weekends during our time at Purdue. However, he finally wore me down late in our Junior year (see my story on Zion National Park) and even more during our Senior year, getting me out to places like Red River Gorge, Holy Boulders, Colorado, Utah, and California. This helped instill in me my adventurous and carefree spirit when it comes to traveling, which has carried me far in my journeys to the national parks.
Still, I was a bit surprised that he agreed to venture out to Big Bend National Park with me in the heat of August. I saw the trip as a great opportunity despite the time of year. Shane lived in Texas at the time, meaning it’d be easy to fly into DFW, stay with Shane, and drive out to the park with him. Flights were cheap thanks to the pandemic, and I had a month of free time before starting my job at Rolls-Royce. The fact that it was certain to be hot and the lack of established climbing routes made me uncertain if Shane would want to do it. Nevertheless, he agreed to the idea and we set the trip in motion.
Plan your trip to Big Bend National Park
Table of Contents
- Day 1: Arrival to the Oasis
- Day 2: Escape from the Desert
- Day 3: Big Bend Ranch State Park
Day 1: Arrival to the Oasis
I flew into Texas on August 26th, 2020, and got a tour of Fort Worth from Shane. After an evening of climbing at his local gym, we went to bed early and woke up at the crack of dawn the following morning. From Fort Worth, it was an 8-hour drive to the park. After passing some impressive wind farms and colorful rolling hills early in the drive, the landscape quickly turned drab. If you haven’t been to Texas, I recommend driving as little as possible around the state: it’s on par with Kansas or Iowa for boring drives. Until you hit the western part of the state, there are lots of flat fields and lots of oil farms. Things got more interesting a couple hours from the park.
A Surprise in the Desert
The flatness gave way to surprisingly tall mountains. The ranches were replaced with wild and untamed lands. Straight roads became windier and curvier. Dust devils began to pop up on the horizon and around the roads. Despite the much more interesting landscape, everything was still very much a desert, and Shane & I continued to wonder if our long journey would be worth it. Even after entering Big Bend through Persimmon Gap on the north end of the park, neither of us were impressed. While the landscape was vast and untouched, we couldn’t see much to write home about at first glance.
Our opinions changed when the Chisos Mountains appeared in the distance. To understand the layout of Big Bend, it’s easiest to reference the map of the park, but I’ll do my best to describe it with words. In short, the Chisos are located in the center of the massive park and feature many of the park’s popular hikes. I didn’t know much about the mountains beyond their name and the hikes they contained. This made it all the more surprising when we finally reached the mountains and discovered a lush, green oasis that differed completely from the surrounding landscape.
The Lost Mine Trail
Our first hike – the Lost Mine Trail – was surprisingly pleasant. The temperatures were in the 80s. Clouds kept the sun off our backs. Birds and ground critters hopped around the brush and in the trees around us. I suddenly felt much better about the decision to travel such a long distance to reach the park. The 4.8-mile hike was a delight, and the spectacular view at the end was the cherry on top.
100-Degree Camping
After our stop at the Lost Mine Trail, it was time to venture on to our campsite. Due to COVID-related restrictions, most of Big Bend National Park was closed at the time of our visit. Only the hiking trails and visitor center at Chisos Basin were open. Everything else – the Santa Elena Canyon, Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, the Rio Grande Village – was closed. Overnight stays in the park were prohibited, so every campground was closed, too. To work around this, we booked a spot at Rancho Topanga Campgrounds, a remote campground west of the park that was as rugged as its name sounds and – in true Texas fashion – that sold guns back behind its office.
Due to the dip in elevation compared to the Chisos Mountains and the lack of cloud cover, the temperature spiked dramatically during our approach. My phone told me that it was 101 degrees when we arrived at our campsite, a number we believed without doubt the moment we stepped out of the car.
Shane and I spent hours contemplating our mortality and isolation while baking in the hot sun. We used the car and a nearby bathhouse for blissful shade while we cooked and ate dinner. Except for the occasional car that drove down the nearby highway, we did not see or hear another soul. Honestly, I enjoyed the escapist feel of our situation in spite of the heat. Shane, on the other hand, was very verbal about his discomfort.
“I used my only two vacation days to do this… I’ve made so many mistakes in my life, and this was one of the largest. Also, the running water – since it’s stored in a black pot – burns you.”
Shane Bonness
He still had fun. I think.