Jan 6, 2023 Day 4 Big Bend, TX

Getting to the Lajitas Mesa Trail was a bit tricky but we located it on AllTrails and it provided perfect guidance to Ron to reach the summit. Ron started out about 9:00am to hike the 8.1-mile round trip to the summit. The terrain was very rocky with loose rocks, and he was glad for the hiking poles that saved him from falling numerous times. Although it was rugged, the views were amazing. Enroute, he came across a herd of Aoudad Sheep which are not indigenous to the US but from Northern Africa. He was near the top of the Mesa when he came across them and they took off running immediately but he was able to get a photo when they turned to look at him. He thought he’d get more photos since they ran towards the tip of the Mesa, but when he got there, no sheep. Apparently, they went over the sheer cliff side of the Mesa! Must be pretty agile creatures. The park is planning to remove them from the area as they consume valuable water and plants that Bighorn Sheep, who are indigenous, need to survive.

Ron’s hike was about 4 1/2 hours long and after he got back, we decided to take a drive that our camper neighbor suggested that travels from our campground to Presidio. She said the views were nothing short of spectacular, and she was right.

The Texas State Park is along most of Texas Farm to Market Road 170, following the Rio Grande River and bordered by the mountains of Big Bend. The State Park has many different campgrounds in this area but they are all primitive camping with no utilities, water, or dump stations but they are in some of the most beautiful spots you can find. Grassy Banks is phenomenal and is located right on the banks of the Rio Grande. There are also various canoe/kayak access points along the river and other campgrounds. I imagine there is plenty of wildlife in this area too. We came across a neat picnic area with Teepees beside the river with some tremendous views.

Tomorrow we are planning another recommended drive with short hiking trails in between.