Texas: Big Bend Ranch State Park

 28 April 2022

Closed Canyon Trail, Big Bend Ranch State Park

We drove along Riverside Road in the State Park, stopping at points of interest as per the suggestion of the park ranger at the visitor center. We hiked out to West Contrabando for the view and marveled at the sheer drop off at the Big Hill stop. After our Canyon hike, we stopped to see the Hoodoos, but honestly, it was too dang HOT to want to hike down to see them up close and personal…

All of the photos in this series are from the Closed Canyon Trail, that took us down into a slot canyon. I’ve envied those who have been in the famous slot canyons in Arizona. That was not this, but it was fantastic. We both marveled at the geology and were grateful that the huge canyon walls provided some shade.

Volcanic extrusion, exposed on the side canyon wall

Dan whipped out his phone as I was struggling to slide down (!) a part of the path…thanks, buddy.

I took at least twice as many photos as are here. No surprise.
You are grateful I didn’t subject you to all of them! 

Fort Leaton

Fort Leaton, according to the signage at the road, has been ongoing since 1683. SIXTEEN EIGHTY THREE!! The Fort, as shown today, dates from 1848, at which time it was used as a residence and trading post. We did the self-guided tour, which we both found interesting, but didn’t dawdle as it was in the mid-90s by mid-day!

The interior courtyard

Ceiling construction in the dining room. In addition to the dining room, this fort had  a kitchen/pantry, formal parlor, family parlor, trading office, servant’s quarters, a “jail”, guardroom, blacksmith shop, corral, animal pens, and a separate bakery.

Dan in the servant’s quarters. I was impressed with the authentic adobe construction visible on the interior wall to the left. The exterior walls were adobe as well and over a foot thick. It was not oppressively hot in the inside rooms even as it was 95F outside.

In the corral, Dan models next to the “carreta”. They must’ve had a Babe, the Blue Ox, to pull it!

I often resort to taking photos of doors and windows. I have no idea why.
This one has the added feature of mid-day sun/shadows.

Looking from the courtyard through to the corral.

A couple more before I go:

Three hoodoos are visible in this photo in the middle distance. We decided we could be satisfied with a photo from afar. 

The final photo shows a view of the river at the Colorado Canyon boat launch area. It actually looked paddle-able here.

Tomorrow we leave Texas and head to Las Cruces, NM, with a (too) short stop in Marfa. Stay tuned!