Slowing down to soak in the beauty of Big Bend

Big Bend turned green with all the rain in May 2023. Pam LeBlanc photo

My usual Big Bend routine includes hiking in sky islands, mountain biking through dry creek beds, rafting through a river of coffee-colored water, or pitching a tent on the desert floor. 

I’m still nursing a knee injury, though, so I dialed down the adventure a notch during my latest trip out west.  

And even though I’ve visited the hardscrabble terrain along the Rio Grande at least 20 times, I can’t get enough of it. This time I discovered some new things to do, too. 

Here are the highlights… 

Kick back at the Gage in Marathon 

The Gage Hotel in Marathon is located about an hour from the Persimmon Gap entrance to Big Bend National Park. Pam LeBlanc photo

I like to schedule ​in ​a night at the historic ​Gage Hotel​​Gage Hotel​ in Marathon whenever I go to Big Bend. The hotel, designed by famed El Paso architect Henry Trost, instantly reminds me I’m not in Austin anymore. Plus I like Squeeks, the resident cat.

Pick from a room in the original hotel or one in Los Portales in the adjoining courtyard. The Gage has its own spa, several adjoining rental houses, and the Brick Vault BBQ next door, too. And arrive early so you can perch on a rocking chair on the front patio. Then head to the White Buffalo next door for a margarita.  

Read more: Discover history and simple pleasures in Baffin Bay 

Brush up on Big Bend history in Alpine 

If you’ve never stopped at the ​​Museum of the Big Bend on the campus of Sul Ross State University in Alpine, put it on your agenda. The museum, where you can stare into the eyes of a ​taxidermied​​ black bear (hit by a car in 2009) or gaze up at a ​flying dinosaur ​replica ​with a 36-foot wingspan, will double in size when the Emmett and Miriam McCoy Building opens in late June. The focus on the new 10,500-foot expansion is Western art. The murals of life on a Big Bend ranch made me swoon. 

Luxuriate at Cibolo Creek Ranch 

Meals are served family style at the luxurious Cibolo Creek Ranch. Pam LeBlanc photo

If ​your ​​pockets are padded, book a stay at Cibolo Creek Ranch, a 35,000​​​–​acre ranch-turned-luxury-resort about 30 miles south of Marfa. The property is home to three historic forts, all of them restored by landowner John Poindexter, a wealthy businessman from Houston.  

A ranch tour on an all-terrain vehicle included stops to see the second​–​tallest waterfall in Texas, plus springs that provide water that fills a small lake. Take time to explore the pocket museums inside the old fort, too. You’ll find projectile points, antique furniture and an old cannon.

We ate quail and grilled pork during communal meals with other guests. One day we arranged a meditation and tea ceremony that reminded me that sipping tea isn’t about what’s in your cup, but how you slow your mind down to appreciate the moment. 

Drive the River Road in Big Bend

The sun rises over the Chisos Mountain, as seen from Terlingua. Pam LeBlanc photo

After two nights at Cibolo Creek Ranch, we headed south to pick up ​at ​the River Road in Presidio. You could drive the 62​ ​​–​mile stretch of pavement in an hour and a half, but you’ll want to get out to take pictures at some of the pullouts. Don’t rush.

Read more: A fall paddling trip down the Devils River 

Explore Big Bend Ranch State Park 

Stop at the sprawling park’s west entrance at Fort Leaton to pick up permits if you want to explore Big Bend Ranch State Park. I skipped it this time – too rugged for my leg – but you won’t forget a night at the park’s remote Guale Mesa II campsite. You’ll need four-wheel-drive to reach the campsite, but it’s glorious. Mesas and canyons fan out around you and don’t forget to look up. You’ll see more stars than you’ve ever seen in your life. (Pack water and avoid camping there in the height of summer.) 

A good hiking option during summer months is Closed Canyon. As you hike farther and farther into the shady, high-walled slot, easily accessible from the River Road, it feels like curtains are sweeping in around you.  

If you brought a mountain bike, stop at the Barton Warnock Visitors Center. There you can pick up Big Bend Ranch State Park permits and maps. A trailhead for some of the best trails in the area is located just across the street. Go early, pack plenty of water, and prepare for heat.  

Visit the mayor in Lajitas 

You’ll pass the desert resort of Lajitas next. Stop and say hi to Mayor Clay Henry, the resident goat. (He’s actually the fourth such beast to hold the office. The first is ​taxidermied​​​ and displayed inside the Starlight Theatre down the road in Terlingua.)  

One of the best unknown hikes in Big Bend National Park starts at a trailhead hidden behind the employee housing area at Lajitas. Hike up Mesa de Anguilla and take a spur off to the right when you reach the top. You’ll get a fantastic view of a ​horseshoe-shaped​​ bend in the river far below. 

Stay a spell in Terlingua  

Wendy Elizabeth Jones warms up before a show at the Starlight Theatre in Terlingua. Pam LeBlanc photo

Speaking of Terlingua, stop in the funky little enclave to admire the cemetery and look at ruins from the old quicksilver mining operation. No visit counts without sipping a cold one on the porch in front of the Terlingua Trading Company, where you’ll find a stash of guitars and a pile of hula hoops. Then step into the Starlight Theatre for dinner and live music. 

Part of me can’t stand the mishmash explosion of development that’s popping up around the old mining town. Do we really need this many bubble-shaped rental pods, tiny A-frame houses, or tipis?  

Terlingua has been discovered, folks. 

Still, I like the place, and I’ve got friends who live there. High on my list of places to stay are ​Casa Vista Grande or La Posada Milagro Guesthouse. This trip I added two more properties to that list – the yurt (complete with a “cool pool” on a deck) where I stayed at ​​Paisano Azul Ranch, and the Big Bend StarGazer, an Airstream trailer with a fully-equipped outdoor kitchen and a separate (and fancy) enclosed bath house. 

Pick up groceries at the Cottonwood, which sells a surprisingly Central Market-like array of goods. 

Roam Big Bend National Park 

The sun sets through the Window in the Chisos Basin at Big Bend National Park. Pam LeBlanc photo

For most, the main attraction remains Big Bend National Park, where any Texan worth his salt should hike the iconic South Rim Trail. In the summer, start early and pack plenty of water – or pitch a tent at one of the campsites at the top. A park swept through the area in 2021, and you’ll notice the scars.

I’ve never seen the park so green. Recent rains have transformed the usually gray-brown landscape into one fringed in bright green. For the first time ever, I saw standing water at the side of the road.

I hobbled around Sam Nail Ranch, a popular destination inside the park for birdwatchers. My biggest find didn’t have wings. A greater earless lizard, which looked like it was wearing Dolly Parton’s ​“​Coat of Many Colors,” made an appearance. Other hikes on my greatest hits list include Cat Tail Falls, the Window Trail, Balanced Rock, Ernst Tinaja, and the Lost Mine Trail.  

If you plan well in advance, you can reserve one of the park’s stone cottages, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, or stay in the no-frills hotel rooms. But for the full Big Bend experience, bring a tent and camp on the desert floor.