Jan 4, 2023 Day 2 Big Bend, TX

As the sun comes up, it hits the mountains painting them is shades of browns and reds. It’s a beautiful morning and the forecast is perfect – 70 degrees and clear skies. Although we have neighbors on all sides, this is a quiet campground overnight and we are sleeping well.

I worked in the morning until noon, then we drove to Big Bend Panther Junction Visitor Center and got our passport book stamp for Big Bend! Maverick Ranch RV, our campground, is located on the western side of the park and it’s nearly a one-hour drive to Panther Junction and another 30 minutes to reach the far eastern side of the park. The park is so vast and with the panoramic views, majestic mountains, and desert lowlands, words and pictures cannot fully convey the beauty or the scope of this park. Some parks are visited while traveling through the area, Big Bend is definitely a destination park due to its remote location – but it is well worth the drive.

From the Visitor’s Center we learned about the animals and plant life that call the park home. There is black bear, a small population of mountain lions (20), javelins (a medium-sized pig-like hoofed mammal), over 450 species of birds, deer, and gray fox. There are also 4 species of rattlesnakes and 1 species of copperhead, but they mainly hunt at night and rarely seen during the day. There is also scorpions and tarantulas, but they are shy and not likely to bite someone unless provoked.

The plant life is so unique, and we learned today what the strange looking plants are named. During the Springtime, many of these plants bloom and carpet the valleys with color but right now they are dormant. One of the most unique plants is the Blue Agave. This plant grows for ten or more years before it flowers and sends a tall mast upwards of 40 feet high to bear flowers for pollination, then subsequently dies. This plant also has a high production of sugars in its core, making it suitable for preparation of alcoholic beverages, including Tequila.

There are 3 different species of Hummingbirds and Bluebirds, Roadrunners who can run up to 20 miles hour, raptors, warblers, and many more birds here in the National Park. Ron spotted a hummingbird today visiting a feeder at our neighbor’s camper. I missed seeing it but hopefully catch a glimpse of it over the next few days. We also are planning to visit an area known as a birder’s area and hope to get some photos of different varieties.

For supper we grilled a couple of burgers on the Blackstone, along with some potato salad, a tossed salad, and fresh strawberries bought locally – they were so large and sweet, absolutely delicious! We also enjoyed another campfire before heading to bed.