Texas Vacation - Day Five - Big Bend National Park - Part 5 - Tree Zone/Chisos Area

 As we entered the park several days ago, the visitor center had information about black bears in the park and today I commented to Mister that I just didn't see how it could be.  The terrain just hasn't been what bears like in my mind.  Well, all of that just changed as we entered The Tree Zone.  In the Chisos Basin the world of trees begins and we enter a woodland of junipers, oaks, and Mexican pinons.  Higher up, there are forests of tall Amazon pines and Douglas fir.  See -- this is why we need to come back and spend time here and on the east side next year.  It's just so beautiful to end our day.

Texas Vacation - Day Five - Big Bend National Park - Part 4 - Lower Burro Mesa Pouroff Hike/Sotol Vista

 Short hike number 4 for today.  We are at Lower Burro Mesa Pouroff.  It is 1 mile roundtrip with 120 feet in elevation gain, the most overall gain of the day.  This is supposedly an easy walk that leads through a gravel creek bed (yay - those are such fun) to a narrow box canyon where water has carved a deep channel into Burro Mesa.  This 100' pouroff attests to the power of water that floods this canyon during summer rains.  Burro Mesa also shows Big Bend's volcanic past with its yellow and orange bands across the bluffs.  They are ash-flow tuffs (there is that word again), which show the layered beds created as they were deposited.  

Texas Vacation - Day Five - Big Bend National Park - Part 3 - Tuff's Canyon Hike

 We are in Big Bend at the PERFECT time to see the first signs of spring.  Little blooms here and there.

Texas Vacation - Day Five - Big Bend National Park - Part 2 - Dorgan Sublett Trail

 Perhaps the most interesting part of Big Bend, at least to me, is the ever-changing terrain and they are rapid changes sometimes.  We have both commented on it and are so surprised each occurance.

Texas Vacation - Day Five - Big Bend National Park - Part 1 Santa Elena Canyon

 Yay!!!!  We are heading back to Big Bend this morning for some hiking and nature observation.  I am super excited to get out and really stretch the legs.  But first --- a view for you of my attacker last night.  It has been found guilty of assault and battery and has been sentenced to solitary confinement --- I will give it a REALLY wide berth.  Dang devil.  I can't believe it doesn't even really appear to have suffered from a human falling into it.

Texas Vacation 2022 - Day Four (Second Half) - McDonald Observatory, TX to Alpine, TX

 We left off with the Hobby-Eberle Telescope at the end of the last post and we are now starting down Mount Fawkes, where it is located.  Across the way, we can see McDonald Observatory, which was our first stop.

Texas Vacation 2022 - Day Four (First Half) - Alpine, TX to McDonald Observatory, TX

 Happy Birthday Mister!  Travel is the BEST birthday present for my sweetheart.  This morning is COLD, but I'm trying to get a few pictures of our little home for the next few days.  Come along on my little tour.  The outside of the building and our little screened in porch are first followed by the main room.