We have arrived!

On Wednesday, November 11, after a week of travel, we were finally on our way to Big Bend National Park. We drove to Marathon TX and had breakfast at the only restaurant in town – which was quite busy and quite good. We turned off on Highway 385, which goes directly into the park. It turns out that, since today is Veteran’s Day, everyone gets free entrance to the park. We have our Senior Pass so do not have to pay, anyway, but it was quite a lovely gesture and a reminder of all we have to be thankful for.

We stopped at the Visitor Center to get oriented and stamp my passport. We decided to drive directly to Rio Grande Village to get a camping spot at their campground – one of only 4 in the park. The RV Hookup campground was full, but the rest were not. We found a lovely spot under a tree, surrounded by grass, and not far from the bathrooms and the river.

It is difficult to write about this park. It is huge, covering a large area in south west Texas where the Rio Grande River makes a bend and forms the boundary between the US and Mexico. It is in the Chihuahuan Desert, but there are also several mountain ranges in the park. Plant and animal diversity is tremendous. We have seen lots of birds, javelinas, and deer. This area has a long history of conflict among the Native Americans, Mexicans, and Anglo pioneers. There are ruins and artifacts throughout the park. We could probably spend a week here and not see it all. In my next post I will tell you some of the things we have done.