Big Bend - Alpine - Marfa - Fort Davis

[Biff Tannen 45685]

4 hours ago, VonZipper said:

Looking at a week long trip to BBNP in mid October with the wife.  Wondering about the temps and the crowds.  We're both early 60s and are in relatively good shape, but not looking to hike everyday the entire week.  Our limit would probably be 15 miles for a single hike.  Thoughts and comments on where we should concentrate our efforts.  Probably looking at a VRBO as we're not much into camping. I've read most of this thread and have looked at the site: https://bigbendchat.com  Lots of information to digest.  TIA

Book something NOW

[High Plains Drifter 11049]

On 8/24/2023 at 1:10 PM, VonZipper said:

Looking at a week long trip to BBNP in mid October with the wife.  Wondering about the temps and the crowds.  We're both early 60s and are in relatively good shape, but not looking to hike everyday the entire week.  Our limit would probably be 15 miles for a single hike.  Thoughts and comments on where we should concentrate our efforts.  Probably looking at a VRBO as we're not much into camping. I've read most of this thread and have looked at the site: https://bigbendchat.com  Lots of information to digest.  TIA

 

yeah, what Bif said. Weather should be awesome. Best time of the year weather wise for that area imo.

 

[4th and 5 4914]

On 8/24/2023 at 1:10 PM, VonZipper said:

Looking at a week long trip to BBNP in mid October with the wife.  Wondering about the temps and the crowds.  We're both early 60s and are in relatively good shape, but not looking to hike everyday the entire week.  Our limit would probably be 15 miles for a single hike.  Thoughts and comments on where we should concentrate our efforts.  Probably looking at a VRBO as we're not much into camping. I've read most of this thread and have looked at the site: https://bigbendchat.com  Lots of information to digest.  TIA

Perfect time. You should hike every day. 15 miles is way too long. Just do one short/medium hike per day, like Lost Mine, The Window (or to the Window, then take Oak Spring Trail downhill to Cattail Falls, one way, leave a vehicle at parking lot for Cattail Falls), Balanced Rock, Upper Burro Mesa Pouroff (personal favorite, be sure to scramble down to the pouroff), Santa Elena, cross to Boquillas, do Ernst Tinaja and Pine Canyon if you are in high clearance. Download All Trails app, then download the trails for offline use.

[Biff Tannen 45685]

20 hours ago, 4th and 5 said:

Perfect time. You should hike every day. 15 miles is way too long. Just do one short/medium hike per day, like Lost Mine, The Window (or to the Window, then take Oak Spring Trail downhill to Cattail Falls, one way, leave a vehicle at parking lot for Cattail Falls), Balanced Rock, Upper Burro Mesa Pouroff (personal favorite, be sure to scramble down to the pouroff), Santa Elena, cross to Boquillas, do Ernst Tinaja and Pine Canyon if you are in high clearance. Download All Trails app, then download the trails for offline use.

AllTrails is phenomenal these days

[mdmost 43001]

On 11/28/2022 at 3:32 PM, yoladu said:

how was the trip? We did this recently. Guadalupe Mountains NP is underrated IMO. Enjoyed it, but the weather was perfect. Wouldn't want to do it in the summer.

The scope of Carlsbad Cavern was unreal.

Carlsbad, NM : Restaurant options pretty uninspiring. Hotels options: basic, generic.

We just got back from finally taking this trip. Kids had a long fall break where DISD merged the two Fair days together. They also had today off as a teacher in service day. So we had Thursday to today. Drove to Van Horn on Thursday and stayed at the Hotel El Capitan. Great old hotel which is a sister to the Hotel Paisano in Marfa. Got up early on Friday and drove the Guadalupe Mountains. Really beautiful drive. We saw the Blue Origin launch site on the way. Hiked the Devil's Hall trail until it got too difficult for my out of practice teens. We ate lunch and then went over to Frijole Ranch and the McKittrick Canyon area. Drove to Carlsbad for the night and had a good meal and beers at the Guadalupe Mountains Brewery.

Went to Carlsbad Caverns the next day and hung out until the solar eclipse had hit its full peak. Then we went down into the Natural Entrance. I think I've been to Carlsbad Caverns 3 times now and it's still great. We had a late lunch in Carlsbad before continuing on to Cloudcroft. That was a real treat. Beautiful weather and the leaves were starting to change color. We stayed in an AirBnB near the Mexican Trestle Bridge. We hiked the Trestle Recreation Area which was fantastic. We drove to Alamogordo in the late afternoon and hung out at White Sands NP until sunset. Wife and I were chuckling at how absurd it is for the Lincoln National Forest to be plopped down in the middle of some of the most inhospitable parts of the United States. Just an oasis in the middle of a desert. And it changes just immediately when you go from east from Alamogordo. You pop through that tunnel and it's a different world from the desert hellscape you just drove away from. 

I have to say if you're coming from DFW and travel west on 20, you really do have to earn that beautiful mountain view. That stretch from about Big Spring to where you meet up with I-10 is just an utterly depressing and terrible place. There was a stretch around Odessa where the air all around was just red and it was nothing but refineries and temporary housing for the oil patch workers. I don't see how anyone could endure living there. You really earn your reward driving through that. On the way back we went a back way that kept us off 20 for a while but it was just as desolate driving through Hobbs and Seminole. 

Most of the pictures are on my camera but I'll see if I can add some from our trip.

Edited October 17, 2023 by mdmost

[deft 6849]

That sounds amazing for a quick jaunt.

[mdmost 43001]

This was a trip I had been planning for a few years now. It worked out so much better that we could take it this year with the extra day. Allowed us to spend the night in Van Horn instead of having to drive down after school was over and stay in either Midland or Odessa for the night and then go on to Guadalupe Mountains. I wanted to get those 3 National Parks in since they were so close together. White Sands was just an extra since our financial advisor had been talking up Cloudcroft to me for a few years now and it was only a 30 minute drive. He goes to Cloudcroft in the summer to escape when it's 1000 degrees in Austin. It was well worth it. I think if we go back to New Mexico though, we're probably flying into El Paso or ABQ and renting a car. I think our next big national park is going to be the Great Smoky Mountains since that's very driveable once you get past Memphis. 

Edited October 17, 2023 by mdmost

[Carl Spackler 3483]

Your trip has got me contemplating a nice 4 or 5-day loop trip -- fly into El Paso, rent car, catch GMNP the first day and Carlsbad Caverns the next.  Stay at the Trinity in Carlsbad the first couple nights and use it as a base for seeing GMNP and the caverns.  Then west to Cloudcroft for the next couple nights -- check out that area and WSNP.  Complete the loop by driving from Cloudcroft down to El Paso and dropping the rental car off at the airport, fly home.

Three national parks in a relatively short span of time plus the Cloudcroft area.  Very tempting.   

[mdmost 43001]

I had contemplated that loop after Cloudcroft and continuing on as I've never been to El Paso and wanted to see the Franklin Mountains. But that would've added 1.5 to get there and then 10 hours home, all in one day which was just too much. I think flying into El Paso and doing the round trip would work. You'll just have to choose which portion of Guadalupe Mountains you want to do since McKIttrick really is just the one long hike through the canyon up to the top. Easy to do each in about 3-4 days. Maybe grab a late flight out of El Paso. 

Edited October 17, 2023 by mdmost

[Biff Tannen 45685]

I did Cloudcroft and White Sands over July 4th and it was quite nice, but yeah, that drive through west texas is just brutal and depressing. I’d rather go to Clovis than Hobbs. That’s how bad Hobbs is. Weirdly, Artesia is a nice little town. But yeah, flying to El Paso seems like the better way to go. 

[BrazilHorn 6606]

Just got back from weekend in Marfa playing in baseball tournament.

Was my first time there and it is definitely a cool little town.

Recommend the following restaurants:

Hotel St George Bar - Had a Pizza here that was great. One of the best Crusts on a pizza I have had

Marfa Burrito - The Gordo (chorizo, potato, egg, cheese) was great. Huge, fresh flour tortilla. Super tasty green salsa to go on top. Great base layer

The Sentinel - Good coffee, solid pancakes and eggs.

Planet Marfa - Cool bar, and the costume party was a blast. Definitely a fun bar and a cool place to hit up.

edit- Forgot Convenience West for BBQ. Their brisket sandwich was delicious. Had good carrot dip appetizer as well. Good price for 32oz Modelo ($6)

Edited October 30, 2023 by BrazilHorn

[deft 6849]

Did you sign the wall when you got your burrito? They are tasty for sure though. And planet marfa nachos were half decent best I recall but I’m usually a few longnecks in since I’m just walking back to the St. George.

[tx 3 putt 76958]

8 hours ago, BrazilHorn said:

Just got back from weekend in Marfa playing in baseball tournament.

Was my first time there and it is definitely a cool little town.

Recommend the following restaurants:

Hotel St George Bar - Had a Pizza here that was great. One of the best Crusts on a pizza I have had

Marfa Burrito - The Gordo (chorizo, potato, egg, cheese) was great. Huge, fresh flour tortilla. Super tasty green salsa to go on top. Great base layer

The Sentinel - Good coffee, solid pancakes and eggs.

Planet Marfa - Cool bar, and the costume party was a blast. Definitely a fun bar and a cool place to hit up.

edit- Forgot Convenience West for BBQ. Their brisket sandwich was delicious. Had good carrot dip appetizer as well. Good price for 32oz Modelo ($6)

 

thanks for this post. ive been looking for a weekend get away and sounds like marfa is a solid choice 

[stc 1462]

marfa burrito is average at best, have never understood the hype. it's a place you have to eat because nowhere else is open. 

[BrazilHorn 6606]

17 hours ago, deft said:

Did you sign the wall when you got your burrito? They are tasty for sure though. And planet marfa nachos were half decent best I recall but I’m usually a few longnecks in since I’m just walking back to the St. George.

I did not. I saw the markers but was in a happy, full place after the Gordo. I Stayed at the St. George as well and it was good hotel, with a great gym (albeit a bit of a hike to get to). Would absolutely stay there again.

[deft 6849]

Their pool isn’t bad either given the rural ass area.

[Frank Drebin 5639]

Is Marfa Burrito the one in that lady's house?

If so, it was average.  I did a Stripes breakfast taco the next day that was better.

The St. George is a welcome addition to that area.  Nice to have a reliable place to get a drink and food in that town.

[stc 1462]

28 minutes ago, Frank Drebin said:

Is Marfa Burrito the one in that lady's house?

If so, it was average.  I did a Stripes breakfast taco the next day that was better.

The St. George is a welcome addition to that area.  Nice to have a reliable place to get a drink and food in that town.

yes, that's the one. 

[GreenspointTexas 9602]

3 hours ago, Frank Drebin said:

Is Marfa Burrito the one in that lady's house?

If so, it was average.  I did a Stripes breakfast taco the next day that was better.

The St. George is a welcome addition to that area.  Nice to have a reliable place to get a drink and food in that town.

By stripes u mean Laredo Taco?

[texashorne 1178]

I am heading to BB tomorrow with friends.. We have South Rim, Santa Elena Canyon, and McDonald Observatory on the agenda.. 

I have a question about Ernst Tinaja.. I have a 2wd Ford Expedition.. Is this sufficient to drive on the road to access this trail? I took the same vehicle down Old Maverick Rd last year, no issues.. 

[stc 1462]

1 hour ago, texashorne said:

I am heading to BB tomorrow with friends.. We have South Rim, Santa Elena Canyon, and McDonald Observatory on the agenda.. 

I have a question about Ernst Tinaja.. I have a 2wd Ford Expedition.. Is this sufficient to drive on the road to access this trail? I took the same vehicle down Old Maverick Rd last year, no issues.. 

yes, just take it slow and you'll be fine.

[Your Mom 4806]

5 hours ago, texashorne said:

I am heading to BB tomorrow with friends.. We have South Rim, Santa Elena Canyon, and McDonald Observatory on the agenda.. 

I have a question about Ernst Tinaja.. I have a 2wd Ford Expedition.. Is this sufficient to drive on the road to access this trail? I took the same vehicle down Old Maverick Rd last year, no issues.. 

Good choices on all that.  Hopefully the evening you’re at McDonald Observatory is a star party night. Ernst Tinaja is very cool.  I’m surprised it doesn’t get more attention compared to some of the other hikes. I guess because not everyone can get to it. I wouldn’t take a Honda Civic down there or anything like that but any truck with a little bit of height should do fine. I took my old 2wd Tacoma down there a few years ago.  And if you’re down there for that hike you’re not far from the Boquillas border crossing, the boat ferry and horse ride into town for lunch is a nice way to spend the afternoon.  
 

[deft 6849]

We rented a jeep last time and did Ernst. You’d be fine in a high clearance 2wd. My Volkswagen wagen would not have been.

[thrillhammer 683]

10 hours ago, texashorne said:

I am heading to BB tomorrow with friends.. We have South Rim, Santa Elena Canyon, and McDonald Observatory on the agenda.. 

I have a question about Ernst Tinaja.. I have a 2wd Ford Expedition.. Is this sufficient to drive on the road to access this trail? I took the same vehicle down Old Maverick Rd last year, no issues.. 

done ernst tinaja several times in a standard suv.  you shouldnt have any problems.

[4th and 5 4914]

13 hours ago, texashorne said:

I am heading to BB tomorrow with friends.. We have South Rim, Santa Elena Canyon, and McDonald Observatory on the agenda.. 

I have a question about Ernst Tinaja.. I have a 2wd Ford Expedition.. Is this sufficient to drive on the road to access this trail? I took the same vehicle down Old Maverick Rd last year, no issues.. 

It’s rough but you can make it. Take it slow and budget 45 minutes each way. Then go to Boquillas for lunch.  
 

 

[stc 1462]

just saw that google lists guzzi up in alpine as permanently closed. that sucks, place was good every time i ate there and was one of the few places that was consistently open. 

[Nice Guy Eddie 13512]

Someone missing at Big Bend, last seen on Lost Mine trail.  

25 year old Houston woman by herself. Rental car at the trail head but no sign of her.  Eyewitness accounts had her near the top. The article is unclear when she may have gone missing. They point to the last "official" understanding of her timeline was picking up a rental car in Midland on the 9th.

As someone who has hiked alone on those trails, you can be by yourself for long stretches of times depending on the day/season. I was at the top of Lost Mine by myself last year. As a relatively inexperienced hiker, I watched my footing near ledges especially when fog was rolling in and some surfaces were slippery.

Hopefully they find her sitting in an AirBNB in Terlingua unaware she's missing.

[stc 1462]

it's weird that no one noticed she was missing for a week. it's my understanding that her car has been at the trailhead the whole time so it seems unlikely she's sitting in an airbnb. she either fell off a cliff or got in a car with someone. 

[Nice Guy Eddie 13512]

Just now, stc said:

it's weird that no one noticed she was missing for a week. it's my understanding that her car has been at the trailhead the whole time so it seems unlikely she's sitting in an airbnb. she either fell off a cliff or got in a car with someone. 

Agree that the airbnb hope is unlikely. Tried to end my post on a positive.

[tejas60 3533]

found her safe today. I'm guessing she hooked up with somebody. hopefully.

[stc 1462]

the report i read sounded like it was a rescue in progress but who knows 

[stc 1462]

Quote

UPDATE: We are pleased to report a successful search and rescue operation in Big Bend National Park. Our highly skilled team, in collaboration with outside law enforcement, has located and safely rescued the missing hiker. She is currently under medical care and being transported to a hospital in Odessa, Texas.

We thank all involved parties, including our dedicated search and rescue team, partnering law enforcement agencies, and the local community for their unwavering support throughout the operation. Our primary focus remains the safety and well-being of those who visit and explore Big Bend National Park.

 

[CycleTex87 2970]

Had a vague family connection to this young lady, very glad to hear she is safe.  Now interested to hear the rest of the story.

[deft 6849]

She probably just shacked up with a black bear

I’ve seen one every time I’ve been on lost mine trail

[DaysOff 7951]

My oldest daughter was there at the same time. She said the park was mostly empty, and there was one car at Lost Mines parking when they arrived. They turned around a half mile from the summit due to fog and cold. When they returned, the car was still there. They now think it was Christy Perry's car. Crazy. Glad they found this fellow Longhorn.

[Biff Tannen 45685]

2 hours ago, stc said:

 

Good to hear.  That's some unforgiving country.

[thrillhammer 683]

17 hours ago, CycleTex87 said:

Had a vague family connection to this young lady, very glad to hear she is safe.  Now interested to hear the rest of the story.

got to be lots more.  the idea of flying from houston to midland, renting a car and driving to the park, and going straight to the lost mines trailhead seems an odd, poorly thought out, and suspicious plan to me to begin with.  knowing you still had to make camp later that evening.  then, the second part is all this happened on the 9th and she wasnt found until the 17th? she survived 8 days up there with a day pack?  very strange.

[Nice Guy Eddie 13512]

 From photos on the new cnn story it looks like she fell off the summit or at least that it my recollection of the top of the trail.

 

 

[CycleTex87 2970]

Prolly taking a selfie. 

[thrillhammer 683]

20 hours ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

 From photos on the new cnn story it looks like she fell off the summit or at least that it my recollection of the top of the trail.

 

 

hadnt heard anything about any injuries.  my facts were incorrect above however.  she flew into midland on the 8th and entered the park on the 9th.  wonder where she spent the night.

[HRSchenker 2268]

Ehh I can't blame anyone for wondering what else was going on in these "missing in a national park" stories. I was in Utah when that lady went missing in Zion. Turns out she was a few hundred feet away from a campground where we had lunch. Tons of people in the area! How do you go missing for so long like that without someone hearing you yell or at least making an attempt to contact nearby people?

At least this one looks like a legit injury caused disappearance. Glad she's safe. 

[stc 1462]

there's video of her walking from the helicopter to the ambulance so she couldn't have been that seriously injured. whole thing doesn't make sense. 

[Biff Tannen 45685]

They has to be peyote involved in this somehow.

[texashorne 1178]

I was there this past Wednesday through Saturday afternoon. I'm glad she was found safe, but the whole thing was very odd. Lost Mine Trail is a pretty straight forward hike and I couldn't understand how you would get lost unless you tried. My theory is she hiked to the bottom of that valley at the end of the trail and ended up falling in something or hiking down into a hole she couldn't get out of.  

[texashorne 1178]

The trip was awesome.. We did Ernst Tinaja on Wednesday afternoon, dinner at La Kiva which was fantastic. Thursday was the big hike.. We started at Chisos Basin, then Pinnacles to Emory Peak, back down to Boot Canyon and around East Rim and South Rim, before returning on Laguna Meadows to Chisos Basin. 15.5 miles and took is right at 10 hours. Long Draw Pizza never tasted better that night. On Friday we did the boomerang, a canoe trip in Santa Elena Canyon. We had lunch in Fern Canyon and scrambled a good ways back in there, which was awesome. Dinner at Starlight which is always good. On Saturday we hiked Lost Mine and then left for BBQ in Marathon for lunch, and on to Ft Davis for the Star Party.  

[deft 6849]

That’s a badass itinerary. Jealous.

[Biff Tannen 45685]

2 hours ago, texashorne said:

The trip was awesome.. We did Ernst Tinaja on Wednesday afternoon, dinner at La Kiva which was fantastic. Thursday was the big hike.. We started at Chisos Basin, then Pinnacles to Emory Peak, back down to Boot Canyon and around East Rim and South Rim, before returning on Laguna Meadows to Chisos Basin. 15.5 miles and took is right at 10 hours. Long Draw Pizza never tasted better that night. On Friday we did the boomerang, a canoe trip in Santa Elena Canyon. We had lunch in Fern Canyon and scrambled a good ways back in there, which was awesome. Dinner at Starlight which is always good. On Saturday we hiked Lost Mine and then left for BBQ in Marathon for lunch, and on to Ft Davis for the Star Party.  

That Rim hike in one day is no joke.

[Jersey Man10 3529]

just saw that google lists guzzi up in alpine as permanently closed. that sucks, place was good every time i ate there and was one of the few places that was consistently open. 

Yeah it’s a shame, had their pizza and it was really good.

[stc 1462]

spent dec 24-jan 1 in alpine/big bend/terlingua. alpine on christmas eve was dead, not even a place to get a beer. bock burger was open and once again a solid burger sold from the side window of a house. big bend was the busiest i've ever seen it, there was a line of cars waiting to get in the basin on a 1 in 1 out situation and all of the trailheads were more than full. our goal was to get as much solitude as possible and we succeeded, didn't see another person on any of the hikes we did. days were perfect and nights were cold, 21 degrees was the lowest 8am temp we saw.  spent nye in terlingua. had a good time at the boathouse and watched some fireworks in the parking lot of starlight. in bbnp we did banta shut-in, san vicente cemetery, bone spring, and old castolon river road. did the lajitas mesa hike on nye day. camped at k-bar, nine point draw, and cottonwood. 

 

 

 

[Darth Tron 1123]

Got a trip planned for March.  We're camping one night at Davis Mountain State Park, then staying at the Harvard for 2 nights before heading home.  We've got hikes planned, along with a star party and a trip to the Desert Research Institute.  For a day trip we're driving through Paisano Pass to see the volcano and then spending the day in Terlingua.  I have questions about the restaurants in the area.  We're needing 2 dinners in Fort Davis and a lunch in Terlingua.  Where should we eat?  Got 2 kiddos with us so that factors in.  Unfortunately we're going to be in Terlingua on a Tuesday so no La Kiva from the look of it.  Ideas/thoughts?