Texas Mountain Trail Daily Photo

Dell City Ranching

2012-02-14T08:23:00.002-06:00

Today we share the last of the series of photos taken near Dell City, sent to us by Texas Mountain Trail board member and editor of the Hudspeth County Herald and Dell Valley Review, Drew Stuart. All of Drew's "cow works" photos were taken at the fall roundup/branding/ etc. at the CL Ranch, just west of Dell City.

Thanks to Drew for a wonderful week of great photos from a great corner of the region, just west of Guadalupe Mountains National Park!

View from the TOP of Texas!

2012-02-13T08:39:00.000-06:00

From the TOP OF TEXAS, the view from Guadalupe Peak (8,749 ft) in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, from our Texas Mountain Trail board member and editor of the Hudspeth County Herald and Dell Valley Review, Drew Stuart. The hike is 8.4 miles with an elevation of 3100 feet, and offers stunning views of the mountains and the desert land below. Most people do it as a day hike (there are a few camping options near the summit) and it usually takes 6-8 hours round trip. Take plenty of water...the park recommends 4 quarts per person.

Once you reach the summit, be sure to write your name in the journal at the obelisk!

Here's the GeoBetty page for the hike, complete with a map! The park has a two page flyer about the hike...to view it, click here.

Guadalupe Mountains at Sunset from Salt Flat

2012-02-12T08:40:00.003-06:00

Today, another lovely photo of the Guadalupe Mountains National Park at sunset from Salt Flat. The salt in this area is a remnant of an ancient shallow lake, and was important to native peoples as a sacred element, and was used in the tanning of hides, as a condiment and as a preservative. It was collected by the explorers and settlers in the area.

The National Park's website has a great page on the El Paso Salt War. Highlights from that page:

"Mexicans and Mexican Americans from the El Paso Valley communities would make a 70 mile, two day journey from San Elizario to the salt beds. The salt would then be transported by mule drawn wagons south to Chihuahua and Sonora, where it was an important trade item. In addition to traditional uses, in Chihuahua the salt was used in the smelting of silver."

"Prior to 1848, the salt beds, under Spanish law, were common land not owned by any one individual. After 1848, under American law, these were unclaimed lands, available to anyone who filed there. The Mexicans, believing that everybody had the right to the salt, never thought to file claims to the salt beds in the name of any one individual or group."

"The El Paso Salt War began in the late 1860’s as a struggle between El Paso businessmen W.W. Mills, Albert J. Fountain, and Louis Cardis in an attempt to acquire title to the salt deposits near the base of the Guadalupe Mountains. Mexican Americans of the valley communities, who had for years collected salt there for free, were now faced with the threat of being charged salt collection fees."

"In September 1877, Howard started a riot when he arrested two San Elizario residents who attempted to go for salt. An angry mob captured and held Howard for three days at San Elizario. He finally gained his freedom by vowing to give up claim to the salt beds and leave the country. He retreated to Mesilla, New Mexico, but quickly returned to murder Cardis in an El Paso store. Angry Mexicans demanded Howard’s arrest. Howard was arraigned for Cardis’ murder and placed under bond to appear in court in March."

For the rest of the story, click here!

Thanks again to Drew Stuart, Texas Mountain Trail board member and editor of the Hudspeth County Herald and Dell Valley Review. We've enjoyed your photos all week!

Shumard Peak

2012-02-11T05:00:00.000-06:00

Thanks again to Drew Stuart for sharing this photo of Shumard Peak of Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The peak is part of the Western Escarpment, which plays an important role in telling the story of the Permian period in North America. According to the park's website, "these exposures present one of the finest cross sections in the world of the transition from shallow-water to deep-water deposits." Geology fans, want to learn more? Click here for the full story. Thanks again to Drew, one of our dedicated Texas Mountain Trail board members and editor of the Hudspeth County Herald and Dell Valley Review for sharing this photos from around the Dell City area.

Fall Roundup by Dell City

2012-02-10T05:00:00.000-06:00

Another in our series of images from Dell City from Drew Stuart, editor of the Hudspeth County Herald and Dell Valley Review, and Texas Mountain Trail board member. Drew says, "the "cow works" photos were taken at the fall roundup/branding/ etc. at the CL Ranch, just west of Dell City." Thanks to Drew for sharing all these great images with the rest of us!

View from Alamo Mountain

2012-02-09T05:00:00.000-06:00

This "view from Alamo Mountain" was actually taken in New Mexico, but it captures Texas landscape - the Guadalupe Mountains and Guadalupe Mountain National Park. This week we're featuring views from around Dell City, by our Texas Mountain Trail board member, Drew Stuart. Drew is also the editor of the Hudspeth County Herald and Dell Valley Review. Thanks, Drew, for sharing your corner of the region with the rest of us!

Cornudas Mountains

2012-02-08T07:28:00.003-06:00

A view of Cornudas Mountains, a cluster of volcanic formations northwest of Dell City, which straddle the state line, in Hudspeth County, Texas and Otero County, N.M. This week we're featuring the photos of one of our Texas Mountain Trail board members, Drew Stuart, who is also the editor of the Hudspeth County Herald and Dell Valley Review. Thanks, Drew! Gorgeous view!

Dell City Roundup

2012-02-07T08:12:00.002-06:00

This week we're featuring photos from around Dell City, a corner of the region that is not often traveled by visitors, but should be. The photos come to us from Drew Stuart, editor of the Hudspeth County Herald and Dell Valley Review, and one of our Texas Mountain Trail board members. The "cow works" photos were taken at the fall roundup and branding at the CL Ranch, just west of Dell City.

2012-02-06T05:00:00.000-06:00

The view from Fort Davis' Cemetery Road, by S. Billingsley. We've been tremendously excited to share a wonderful collection of images of our region by S. all week long. Our heartiest thanks to the photographer. Catch more of his images at his facebook page, here.

Storms bring GREEN!

2012-02-05T05:00:00.000-06:00

The rain brings a carpet of green regrowth to Davis Mountains State Park. Big, big, big Far West Texas thanks to S. Billingsley of Fort Davis for sharing his wonderful images of the region with our audience. S. Billingsley, thank you so much!

View on Pinto Canyon Road

2012-02-04T05:00:00.000-06:00

Our friend, S. Billingsley shot this wonderful image from Pinto Canyon Road, FM2810, south of Marfa. We've been happy to share his photographs of our region with all of you this week. Sending our heartiest thanks to S.!

Fort Davis Drug Store by S. Billingsley

2012-02-03T05:00:00.000-06:00

One of Fort Davis' favorite places is the Drug Store in the heart of downtown. Here's it captured by our Facebook friend, S. Billingsley. Looks inviting!

Our heartiest thanks to S. Billingsley for sharing his images of our region all week! Love your work!

View from Boy Scout Road by S. Billingsley

2012-02-02T05:00:00.000-06:00

Another great image of the Davis Mountains by our friend, S. Billingsley. This shows the view from Boy Scout road between Fort Davis and Balmorhea. Lovely blue sky!

Want to see more great photos? Check out his facebook page!

Mitre Peak under beautiful clouds

2012-02-01T05:00:00.000-06:00

Another great image from our friend, S. Billingsley. This one shows the road to Marfa, with Mitre Peak in the background!

Again, thanks to S. Billingsley for sharing his wonderful images of the Davis Mountains. We'll be featuring them the rest of the week. Connect with him on Facebook, here.

Sunset by S. Billingsley

2012-01-31T05:00:00.000-06:00

One of our Texas Mountain Trail facebook friends reached out to us recently with the offer to share his photographs with our Daily Photo Blog audience. We took one look at his work and enthusiastically said, "YES!" Here's a lovely Far West Texas sunset from S. Billingsley. Are you on Facebook? We love what he says as his mission on Facebook, "To leave some lasting Image that will live long after I am gone." We think you've done just that!

Connect with him on Facebook here.

Sound, Safe and Secure

2012-01-30T14:46:00.001-06:00

Another great historical image of early life in Van Horn, from the collection of the Clark Hotel Museum.

Target Practice?

2012-01-29T08:45:00.002-06:00

Another wonderful image of early life in Van Horn from the Clark Hotel Museum collection.

More great hiking attire!

2012-01-28T07:06:00.000-06:00

Another great image of early life in Van Horn from the Clark Hotel Museum collection.

The Ultimate in Hiking Attire

2012-01-27T08:26:00.000-06:00

Another great image from Van Horn's Clark Hotel Museum of early life in that community!

Thanking a couple of invaluable volunteers

2012-01-26T11:18:00.001-06:00

This afternoon, Van Horn's Clark Hotel Museum formally thanks two special people, Robert and Nada Stuckey. For many years, this couple has been at the museum every day, giving tours, running the Museum Quilters program, writing about Culberson County history for the local newsletter. Sadly, they're leaving Van Horn soon to move closer to family, and their contributions to the community will be sorely missed.

Robert and Nada, THANK YOU for your many years of service, and our boundless enthusiasm for Van Horn's history, and your advocacy for the Clark Hotel Museum. You've been good friends of the Texas Mountain Trail, and community members of our hometown, Van Horn!

1913 Flood in Van Horn

2012-01-25T07:30:00.001-06:00

Notice Van Horn's Turtleback Mountain in the background? Another great photograph from Van Horn's Clark Hotel Museum.

Almost off!

2012-01-24T08:26:00.000-06:00

Early ranch scene from Van Horn's Clark Hotel Museum collection.

Cold? Pensive? Not ready for a joy ride?

2012-01-23T09:09:00.002-06:00

Another wonderful photograph of early Van Horn from the collection of the Clark Hotel Museum.

Unknown Riders by Van Horn's Turtleback Mountain

2012-01-22T17:55:00.002-06:00

Image lent to us for use by the Clark Hotel Museum in Van Horn!

Old Courthouse Portrait in the collection of the Clark Hotel Museum

2012-01-21T15:01:00.002-06:00

One of several portraits of landmarks from the area, this portrait of the old Culberson County courthouse hangs in Van Horn's Clark Hotel Museum. Alas, the courthouse was razed in the 1960s to make way for the construction of a new courthouse for the county.

The View from I-10 Van Horn's Six Mile and Turtleback Mountains

2012-01-20T05:00:00.000-06:00

As you pass Van Horn heading west, the town's two signature mountains come into view. Above, is Six Mile Mountain (that's three miles from town and back!), and below, is Turtleback Mountain! Though some people think the "V" is the roman numeral 5, it stands for "Van Horn!"

Turtleback Mountain as seen from Van Horn's cemetery

Remembering Judy

2012-01-19T05:00:00.000-06:00

Judy's burro parked outside the Valentine post office

This time of year, we remember a woman who was a fixture in the region for a long, long time, Judy Magers. Also known as the Burro Lady, she rode all over our region on the back of her burro, spending nights on the side of the road on blankets and under a bright blue tarp. She lived out in the elements, keeping mostly to herself, and seeing her along the side of the road was a special experience. You can read more about her here. She passed on a few years ago about this time of year, from natural causes. She often traveled through Van Horn, stopping at the McDonalds, or the laundromat, or the post office. This time of year, especially, we remember her with fondness. To us, and to many travelers, she embodied the region's feeling of freedom.

Downtown Van Horn, 1940

2012-01-18T05:00:00.000-06:00

Take a close look at the left side of the photo for the Hotel El Capitan sign. Now back in business as a lovingly restored historic hotel, the sign is back!

Get off the freeway and visit Van Horn's El Mercado and Farmers Market

2012-01-17T05:00:00.000-06:00

If you're heading east or west on I-10, you know there aren't very many stops of interest...at least compared to more populated parts of the country. But a little bit of exploring can reap some big rewards in rest from the grind of miles of miles of freeway traffic...and the little town of Van Horn offers some smalltown charm, especially when you know what to look for!

Take any of the three exits at Van Horn and head north a block or two to Broadway, the main thoroughfare in town. In the center of the historic area of "downtown" on Broadway (a couple of blocks west of the historic Hotel El Capitan), you'll find the town's El Mercado. Most days there's at least one vendor there with fresh fruit and vegetables, including local favorites like chile and mango. Sometimes there's Mexican style cheese, corn husks for tamales. On special event days, you may find a band there!

Exploring the old ranches in Big Bend National Park

2012-01-16T09:38:00.001-06:00

One of the things we enjoy doing in Big Bend National Park is exploring the old ruins and contemplating the life of early settlers and ranchers in the area. One of the neatest places to do this--and there's shade!--is at the Sam Nail Ranch site off Ross Maxwell Drive. Here's what the park's website says about the area:

"One of the many homesteads that once dotted the Big Bend, the Sam Nail Ranch now provides shade and water for desert wildlife. A windmill still pumps water and attracts a great variety of birdlife. Sit quietly on the benches and listen for javelina, painted buntings, and hummingbirds."

The 0.5 mile trail there is easy to navigate and is well maintained. It leads through the old homestead of Sam and Nena Nail, where remnants of an adobe structure and two windmills remain.

Click here to learn more about the sights on Ross Maxwell Drive!

view of the mountains near Marathon from Amtrak's Sunset Limited

2012-01-15T16:06:00.000-06:00

The trail above Fort Davis in winter

2012-01-14T06:59:00.001-06:00

Flying into El Paso?

2012-01-13T07:06:00.000-06:00

Flying into El Paso for your adventure? Stop by the information booth to pick up great travel information! Staffed by the wonderful folks at El Paso's CVB. WWW.visitelpaso.com

Tom Lea at the Gage Hotel

2012-01-12T05:42:00.000-06:00

click on the images to read!

Coming up on February 23, a great opportunity to learn more Tom Lea and other important El Paso artists, and enjoy the hospitality of Marathon's historic Gage Hotel! Click on the images to get a closer read!

The Gage Hotel is the starting and ending point of our Texas Mountain Trail heritage bike route, called the Ride to the Post. Click here to read about this easy, family friendly 10 mile ride, and see photos!

The Gage Gardens is a site on our Far West Texas Wildlife Trail, Click here to see information on the Marathon-Alpine loop on the trail map, and read more about the Gage Gardens!

Are you planning a bike trip?

2012-01-11T09:02:00.000-06:00

Touring cyclists on the road from Alpine to Marfa

Check out our Marathon to Fort Davis to Marfa to Alpine itinerary on Adventure Cycling Association's Bike Overnights blog.

Or our heritage bike routes:
El Capitan to El Capitan...to the base of Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Ride to the Post starting in Marathon
Fort Davis' Scenic Loop

Check out our cycling page with more info, including a list of our participating cycle-friendly hotels, B&Bs, historic tourist courts, etc.!

A few spots got snow yesterday, but it melted right away!

2012-01-10T15:52:00.000-06:00

Fort Davis National Historic Site in front of Sleeping Lion Mountain

2012-01-09T11:46:00.003-06:00

Read more about Fort Davis National Historic Site, here!

Williams Ranch Road in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, on the historic Butterfield Overland Mail Stage Route

2012-01-08T08:52:00.000-06:00

1908 Williams Ranch house, center of a cattle operation in what is now Guadalupe Mountains National Park

The road to the ranch is marked as the original route of the 1859 Butterfield Overland Mail stagecoach route

The western section of Guadalupe Mountains National Park isn't visited as frequently as the eastern section, but it does not lack in charm nor adventure potential. Williams Ranch road is restricted (you need to get a key from the rangers at Pine Springs Visitor Center) and limited to two vehicles at a time. A rolicking 4x4 road, it also provides a good mountain biking adventure.

Sections of the road are part of the original route of the first transcontinental mail delivery by stagecoach, the coaches rumbled over wild terrain carrying cargo, people and mail. The historic meeting of the first eastern-bound and western-bound stages met near this spot in 1859. Read more about the Butterfield route in the park.

At the end of the road, is the 1908 wooden frame ranch house, built as the center of a ranching operation. You can sit on the porch and ponder life in that era. Click here to read the history of Williams Ranch.

Once you get to the house, there are several options for hiking...up the boulders towards the mountains via Bone Canyon, or on a trail a little north, to Shumard Canyon and connecting to the El Capitan Trail.

One of our favorite River Road companions

2012-01-07T08:09:00.000-06:00


The teepees on the River Road, Hwy 170 between Presidio and Terlingua

One of the most scenic drives in the state is Hwy 170, from Presidio to Terlingua/Study Butte, and if you're a geology buff, one of the best ways to explore the road is with William MacLeod's River Road Vistas. Mile by mile, the text, photos and diagrams tell how the landscape formed, by volcanic action, erosion and other factors.

Click here to learn more about this book.

Mount Livermore, 1914.

2012-01-06T05:00:00.000-06:00

More from the 1914 journal of UT Botany instructor, Mary Sophie Young.
From August 14, 1914:

"We finally lost the trail and, as we had no idea which was Mt. Livermore, aimed for the most attractive looking mountain. We certainly did some climbing, and Carey with the two canteens must have had a hard time. We went up a very steep long slope, then around the top of that small mountain, only to find ourselves cut off from the next mountain, the one with high rock bluffs topping it, by deep ravines. We made our way partly around the canyons them where they were not so very deep."

"Of course, there are no trails in these mountains, but what makes them so hard to climb is the fact that long grass and shrubby plants cover the rocks and loose stones in many places so that one is very much impeded.."

Young's journal selection comes from this book, published by Texas A&M Press.

Visit Mount Livermore in The Nature Conservancy's Davis Mountains Preserve during Open Days and Open Weekends. We'll post the 2012 schedule as soon as we receive it on our events calendar.

Mount Livermore, 1914

2012-01-05T05:00:00.000-06:00

Lunch on Mount Livermore

This week we're featuring current photos of Mount Livermore with the 1914 journal entries of Mary Sophie Young.

August 21, 1914

"Friday I started shortly after eight o'clock for another tramp to Livermore. The only available lunch was one huge pancake and some bacon. It was not an attractive lunch and I did not in the least enjoy eating it. Cold pancake is not, at best, very appetizing, nor could bacon either. O, for one grocery store!"

"I went up the canyon by way of the bed of the stream and found it much better than our first climb. There are many rock falls that help one out, like staircases. It was on one of these slopes that I found my rattlesnake. He was lying in a crack between two rocks, taking a nap with his head and upper part of his body sticking out. I thought, from the cross stripes on his body, that he might be a rattler. I thought at first of shooting him, but decided that, as rocks were bigger than bullets, the chances of hitting him were greater with rocks, so I gathered an armful and opened fire."

Quotes from American Women Afield by Marcia Myers Bonta and Texas A&M Press.

Today we let snakes be and give them a wide berth if they aren't threatening!

Mount Livermore is held by The Nature Conservancy and its Davis Mountains Preserve.

Mount Livermore, 1914

2012-01-04T10:12:00.000-06:00

In the next few days, we're sharing photos of Mount Livermore in the Davis Mountains, with selections of a 1914 journal by University of Texas botany professor, Mary Sophie Young (1872-1919).

From the entry for August 18, 1914:

"It was a fine morning and we started on our trip at about 9 o'clock, with one canteen, two napsacks, and the botany can. The first part was in the level through the canyon, but soon we began to climb and there the road changed to a trail. It was a good deal like the Montana trails, except that they were through the open, or oak woods, instead of pine, fir, and spruce, and there was no mud."

"The mountains and canyons are very pretty--of course everything is on a small scale. The mountains are pretty well wooded--oak on the summits and pretty well down. A sprinkling of cedar and pine beginning on the high slopes and increasing toward the bottoms of the canyons where, in the high, moist valleys, they form the dominant part of the tree vegetation. The trail is cut out of the side of the mountain, so one gets a good view. In places it zigzags back and forth and once or twice goes down for some distance, then up, but most of the time it was a steady climb."

"We were homesick for our house that night. If it had not been so late we would have come on home, but when I thought of leading Nebuchadnezzar (a mule) through the creek fifty-seven times in the dark, my courage gve out. So we stayed another night. It threatened rain some, but the morning was fair......"

From, American Women Afield, Writings by Pioneering Women Naturalists, by Marcia Myers Bonta

Would you like to visit Mount Livermore? We're waiting for The Nature Conservancy to post their Open Days for 2012 when the Davis Mountains Preserve (and Mount Livermore) is open to visitors. Check our Texas Mountain Trail web calendar for events in the region!

A gracious way to travel...step off the train...and the best of the city is steps away

2012-01-03T08:13:00.000-06:00

One of the loveliest and gracious ways to travel to the region is by train, through El Paso's Union Station. Built in 1905 and renovated in 1982 (and on the National Register of Historic Places), the station was the first passenger station built in the United States specifically for international travel. The county's website outlines the renovation work that was done to bring the station back to its original glory:

"The original tile floor was installed, the white paint on the outside bricks was removed, most of the original woodwork was preserved as much as possible, marble was imported from Italy to replace the damaged marble on the inside columns, and the tower and steeple were restored to their former place on top of the Depot." To read more, click here.

Today, Amtrak's Sunset Limited runs through our region on its route from New Orleans to Los Angeles. El Paso is a fully supported stop (meaning you can check luggage and bicycles!) on the route, and one of two stops in our region. (Alpine is the second.) Within walking distance is one of the hotels participating in our Texas Mountain Trail cycle-friendly program is the Holiday Inn Central El Paso.

The station is centered in the historic downtown, near the city's museum campus. Consider visiting the city's Museum of History and Museum of Art. Or the Insights Science Museum, or the Lynx Exhibits. Since you've arrived by train, there's a place of special interest, El Paso's Railroad and Transportation Museum!

Geology of the Big Bend and Mule Ears

2012-01-02T07:31:00.001-06:00

Our focus on geology continues today, with a photo of Big Bend National Park's Mule Ears. We know many travelers like to keep one of William MacLeod's books open while they drive through the region, including:

Big Bend Vistas: A Geologic Exploration of the Big Bend
River Road Vistas
Davis Mountains Vistas

MacLeod's books offer a detailed explanation of the geology of the scenery from the road, making it easy for the traveler to understand (in depth, if the traveler wants) how and why the land looks as it does today. Don't know geological terms? There's a glossary in the back of each book.

Included in Big Bend Vistas: A Geologic Exploration of the Big Bend, is an entire section on Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, where we learn the spiky Mule Ears formation is magma that solidified before it reached the surface, and over time, erosion revealed the "ears." The park's website's page on Ross Maxwell Drive also provides information on where you can stop along the road and proceed on trails to explore by foot.

To learn more, here's Big Bend National Park's website's page on the geology of the park.

Geology Tour of Big Bend Ranch State Park

2012-01-01T07:30:00.002-06:00

Geologist and Interpretive Ranger at Big Bend Ranch State Park, Blaine Hall shows the locations of geologic interest to our group, including the Solitario

Color change in these rocks are due to weathering

Geologist Blaine Hall

More weathering indicated by color

Taking a photo of the white rocks indicating a "mountain building event" taking place 300 million years ago

Hiking in the Solitario

Best way to see it? On foot!

Want to explore the wildest place in Texas' state park system, but want a guide? Want to explore Big Bend Ranch State Park, but don't want to drive in the park? Want to learn about geology from a geologist? One of the best values we've encountered in our region is a personalized tour of Big Bend Ranch State Park by geologist and Interpreter/Ranger Blaine Hall.

We booked a full day with Blaine, who met us at the center of the park at Sauceda Ranch at 9am. We packed the water and lunches we'd brought into a TPWD vehicle, and started our tour. Blaine drove us to several locations to see evidence of geological highlights in the park--and Big Bend Ranch has TREMENDOUS geological highlights! To read more, download this issue of the award-winning El Solitario newsletter and read page 10!

Blaine showed us evidence of four major geological trends in the park:
1) Applachian/Ouachita/Marathon/Solitario Trend
2) Rocky Mountain Trend
3) Trans-Pecos Volcanic Field
4) Basin and Range Trend

We were game for a hike, too, so Blaine led us on a great trail to continue our lesson on geology...we got to see some amazing views of the landscape!

To schedule a tour, call the park's local number, 432-358-4444, and ask to schedule a guided tour. For two of us, we had a full day with Blaine (who is a wealth of information and genial, good-natured teacher and guide) for $150.

Gorgeous View and Delightful Geology Lesson!

2011-12-31T05:00:00.000-06:00

Some of the best kept secrets around are the hiking trails at Fort Davis' Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center. Atop the Clayton's Overlook (a magnificent 1.7 mile moderate/challenging hike) is a great exhibit that tells the geologic history of the entire area. The Center's website says this:

"Opened in 2009, this exhibit is located on the highest point on the Nature Center property. The exhibit focuses on the geology of the Davis Mountains and tells a story of construction and destruction, of how mountains are built and torn down. The exhibit also shows how the culture and history of the region are linked to the geology."

Our favorite part of the experience? The 360 degree view and an explanation of the prominent peaks and how they influenced the settlement of the land. And there are several spots along the trail that offer jaw-dropping views of the land below and beyond.

Recently, Pam LeBlanc of the Austin American Statesman wrote about the Center and this trail in particular. Click here to read that article.

Building the trail and geology exhibit was a major undertaking....click here to download a document that tells the story! One of the key forces in the development of the exhibit is featured in tomorrow's post!

Living Here

2011-12-30T08:20:00.000-06:00

Ruin in Terlingua Ghost town

They can be found nearly everywhere in the region, traces of people's lives who made a place for themselves in our Chihuahuan Desert. Adobe or stone, they represent the dreams, hard work and determination it takes to live in such wild land. The ruins remain for us to ponder, to question if we had the stuff to make a life out here.

There are so many stories, too many to relate here. But consider the story of J.O. Langford, who set out to establish his home and regain his health...he came to Big Bend in 1909. The National Park's website says this about the Langfords:

"During the early 1900s the motto was “Go West Young Man.” In 1909 J.O. Langford heeded this call and headed for West Texas with his family. He came to this area not to find fame or fortune, but to regain his health. As a child living in Mississippi he had contracted malaria and his reoccurring bouts with this disease ravaged his body. In the lobby of a hotel in Alpine, Texas he heard tales of a spring that would cure anything:

“Stomach trouble, rheumatism, all sorts of skin diseases,” the old man vowed.
“I wonder why it is that I’ve never heard of those springs before. It looks like somebody would have tried to develop them like they’ve done at Hot Springs, Arkansas,” the Mississippian replied.
“Nothing down there but rattlesnakes and bandit Mexicans. And it’s too far away---that damned country promises more and gives less than any place I ever saw,” the old man replied.

After verifying the story with other townspeople, without even looking at the land, J.O. knew he had to have that spring. He rushed to the county surveyor’s office and filed his claim under the Homestead Act. Two weeks later the Langford family received word that the claim was theirs.
The Homestead Act stated that one had to have 3 years of continuous occupancy and $300 in improvements to the land in addition to a minimum bid of $1.50 per acre. Others had filed on this land but no one had been able to meet the requirements of the Act.
With his wife, Bessie, an 18 month old daughter and a baby on the way, the family began an eleven day journey to reach their new home. Today the trip from Alpine takes about 2 hours."

Read more about the Langfords and the establishment of the Hot Spring in Big Bend here.
And here, there's a book called, "Big Bend, a Homesteaders Story."

Click here to read other stories about places in Big Bend.

We invite you to explore the region, but with a caveat...please respect private property and don't cross fence lines onto other people's land. That's one of the reasons we champion the stories and the people who have a legacy in what's now state and national parks....they're open for all of us to explore!

Thinking ahead to Spring: Texas Rainbow Hedgehog Cacti

2011-12-29T05:00:00.000-06:00

If the snow we've been getting is enough, and if we've had enough rain, we may see some lovelies like this come April or May. This Texas Rainbow Hedgehog Cactus was photographed in Culberson County, just north of Van Horn a few years ago. The blossoms open at daylight and close in the evening and last about a week. We hope to see some this year!

"Rainbow" in the common name refers to the contrasting colored bands on the stem, each reflecting a year's growth. The cactus grows between 4 1/2" to 9" though some get as tall as 18".

A good place to see a variety of cacti year round is the Cactus Greenhouse at Fort Davis' Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens.

Hallie Stillwell, Rancher and Texas Legend

2011-12-28T05:00:00.000-06:00

Hallie Stillwell's picture is on the "postcard" mural seen near the corner of Holland and 5th Street in downtown Alpine.

Her autobiography, I'll Gather My Geese, starts with,

"It was July 29, 1918. I was a nervous bride-to-be and twenty years old. I should have been excited and elated that the handsomest and most eligible bachelor around had proposed marriage, but instead I could only think of Papa's words: "He's too old for you and he hasn't led a proper life. That man drinks and gambles too much. He's just not suitable for you, daughter!"

Hallie was a woman of determination, independence, spirit, with an unshakable love for our vast and wild lands of the Texas Mountain Trail region. For a treat, do yourself a favor to get a glimpse of the life of this remarkable woman....Click here to read about her life in the New York Times' obituary.

Click here to read about Hallie's Hall of Fame at the Stillwell Store,between the northeast corner of Big Bend National Park and Black Gap State Wildlife Preserve on Ranch Road 2627, just off 385.

You can buy Hallie's books at Front Street Books, in Alpine and Marathon. (The Alpine store is right around the corner from the mural!) Or at the Stillwell Store!

For more women's memoirs from the region, click here!

Snow at Jeff Davis County Courthouse

2011-12-27T05:00:00.000-06:00

A dusting of snow, a madrone tree and the Jeff Davis County Courthouse, by Carolyn Nored Miller of Fort Davis. It has been an honor to feature Carolyn's photographs this holiday week. Thank you, Carolyn!

2011-12-26T05:00:00.000-06:00

A rare snow graces one of our favorite historic sites, and one of the best preserved frontier forts in the West...Fort Davis National Historic Site! Our thanks to Carolyn Nored Miller of Fort Davis for this rare snowy photo of the Fort!

Horses

2011-12-25T05:00:00.000-06:00

It is our honor to share this image from a Fort Davis area ranch, courtesy of Carolyn Nored Miller. Merry Christmas everyone, from the Texas Mountain Trail!

Sleeping Lion Mountain

2011-12-24T05:00:00.000-06:00

The quaint town of Fort Davis, as seen by Carolyn Nored Miller. This week we're featuring her photographs, thank you, Carolyn!

Snowy Fort Davis

2011-12-23T05:00:00.000-06:00

We'd like to thank Carol Nored Miller of Fort Davis for this wintertime image of the Fort Davis bank, across from the historic Jeff Davis County Courthouse. Thanks, Carolyn!

Chihuahuan Desert Animals at the El Paso Zoo (and some other ones too!)

2011-12-22T06:26:00.000-06:00

Javelina

Mexican gray wolf

The El Paso Zoo (open during the holidays, except December 25 and January 1) allows a close-up view of some of the animals of our Chihuahuan Desert ecosystem. Pictured here are the Mexican wolf and javelina. The Zoo is located on 35 acres of open space in El Paso and is a great place to visit with the family; it is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

Want to visit? Click here to go to the Zoo's website, with more information about the animals, exhibits, and details about visiting!

You might have seen them from the road during your travels through the Texas Mountain Trail region...learn more about javelinas here.

The Mexican Gray Wolf used to roam our region, but is now nearly extinct in the lower 48. Learn more about this animal from the US Fish & Wildlife Service, here.

What else can you see at the El Paso Zoo? Take a look!

Morning light illuminates the prickly pear at Big Bend Ranch State Park

2011-12-21T06:30:00.000-06:00

This was taken at the Papalote Llano campsite in Big Bend Ranch State Park in December, a campsite near the location of one of the old ranches in the park. One of the benefits of getting off the main road in the park (remote enough by itself) is getting a deeper understanding of how vast and undisturbed the land is at Big Bend.

Pictured here is a windmill, near a neighboring campsite (and by neighboring, we mean it is a hike and you can't see one campsite from another), so the lesson about life on the land before it was a park is close by.

The park's website says, "By the 1880's several area ranches had been established and cattle, goats and sheep became a common sight on the landscape." Read more about the park's history--from prehistory and the archaeological record to present day--here.

More photos from the campsite:

Let's dream about warmer days, Smith Spring Trail at Guadalupe Mountains National Park

2011-12-20T07:40:00.003-06:00

One of our very favorite hikes ANYTIME of the year, is the Guadalupe Mountains National Park's Smith Spring Trail. Satisfying because of the desert and mountain views, shade, water, and the prospect of seeing wildlife (we've seen elk on this trail!) there's also a considerable presence of history that gives one pause to contemplate the reality of early life on this land.

At the trailhead is the historic Frijole Ranch, now a small museum with exhibits about life in this farm, and early life in the area. The ranch was also a center of life in the area, the site of the area post office, dances and social gatherings and still on the property, the schoolhouse. Click here to learn more about the history of the ranch.

In addition to exploring the ranch, allow an extra 1-2 hours to hike the 2.3 miles loop Smith Spring trail. Bring your binoculars, for you may see wildlife and birds along the trail, especially near the shady oasis of Smith Spring, or open wetland of Manzanita Spring, also along the trail. Read more about the trail.

We've put together a slideshow of what you'll see on the trail...click here!

The Golden Light of Winter's Dusk

2011-12-19T07:31:00.001-06:00

Taken between Marfa and Alpine, along the railroad tracks!

December landscape

2011-12-18T08:39:00.000-06:00

Taken between Van Horn and Marfa!

Next year, harvest your tree at the Davis Mountains Preserve!

2011-12-17T05:00:00.000-06:00

Superintendent of Fort Davis National Historic Site, John Morlock, stands in front of a Christmas tree harvested during Davis Mountains Preserve's Christmas Tree Hunt. The tree stands in the Commanding Officers Quarters at the Fort and is decorated in the style as it would have been during the time the fort was active. Photo: Chris Pipes

227 Pounds of Food Donated and more than100 Trees Cut at The Nature Conservancy’s 12^th Annual Christmas TreeHunt & Food Drive in the Davis Mountains

We received the following from the Nature Conservancy's Davis Mountains Preserve:

Members of the public were invited to bring handsaws, gloves and rope to joinThe Nature Conservancy on Saturday, December 3rd, and Saturday, December 10th,for the 12^th Annual Christmas Tree Hunt at the Davis MountainsPreserve. There was no charge for this popular 'cut-your-own Christmas treeevent, which ran from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on both days. Canned goods anddonations were accepted for the Food Pantry of Jeff Davis County.

Participants were allowed to selecttrees from predetermined areas along the Madera Creek watershed where ponderosapine, piñon pine and alligator juniper commonly occur.. Hikers werealso welcomed to enjoy the preserve on these two open days. A total of 330people visited the preserve and generously donated approximately 227 pounds offood and money for the Food Pantry. Davis Mountains Project Director Chris Pipes estimated that 130 treeswere harvested.

“Regular tree thinning isessential for severe wildfire prevention and for maintaining a healthyecosystem in the Davis Mountains,” said Pipes. “By cutting their own trees, visitorsare actually helping The Nature Conservancy manage this iconic West Texaslandscape.”

Overseeing the event was ConservancyPreserve Technician Greg Crow, who was assisted by volunteers HeatherAinsworth-Dobbins, Gary Freeman, Pam Gaddis, Steve Kennedy, Van Robinson, andLiz Stanford, all of whom contributed its success.

To learn more about the DavisMountains Preserve and other Texas lands the Conservancy works to protect,visit www.nature.org/texas.

To visit Fort Davis National Historic Site, click here.

Civilian Conservation Corps in Big Bend National Park

2011-12-16T06:53:00.004-06:00

CCC Camp, Photograph, November 26, 1937; digital image, (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth39508 : accessed December 16, 2011), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Marfa Public Library, Marfa, Texas.

From Big Bend National Park's website, "If you have driven, hiked, or slept in the Chisos Mountains, you have experienced CCC history. In May 1933, Texas Canyons State Park was established; it was later renamed Big Bend State Park. Roads and trails were needed for the new park, and the CCC provided an ideal workforce. A year after the park was established, 200 young men, 80 percent of whom were Hispanic, arrived to work in the Chisos Mountains. The CCC's first job was to set up camp and develop a reliable water supply. The CCC boys faced many challenges, living in tents 85 miles from the nearest town, and facing extreme temperatures and weather. Eventually barracks replaced tents in the area of today’s Basin Campground.

In the early 1930s, the CCC built an all-weather access road into the Chisos Mountains Basin. They surveyed and built the seven-mile road using only picks, shovels, rakes, and a dump truck, which they loaded by hand. They scraped, dug, and blasted 10,000 truck loads of earth and rock and constructed 17 stone culverts, still in use today along the Basin road."

Thanks to our friends at the Portal To Texas History and Marfa Public Library, this image has been saved for all to enjoy! The Portal also has an entire section for educators on the CCC in their Resources 4 Educators section. Click here!

To learn more about the CCC in Big Bend National Park, click here.

To see more photographs of the CCC working in Big Bend National Park, on the park's website

Dorothea Lange shoots El Paso, 1937

2011-12-15T07:30:00.002-06:00

"State border plant inspection maintained by the United States Department of Agriculture between Mexico and the United States. Shoppers returning from Mexico (Juarez) to the United States (El Paso) over the bridge which carries all the traffic are required to open their packages for inspection" by Dorothea Lange, May 1937
Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, LC-USF34-016898-C

"Plant quarantine inspectors examining packages brought over the bridge between Juarez, Mexico and El Paso, Texas. Families and housewives returning to their homes in El Paso after their Saturday marketing in Juarez, where they benefit by the present rate of exchange" by Dorothea Lange, May 1937
Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, LC-USF34-016686-C

There's a large collection of photos of our region in the Library of Congress, many by Dorothea Lange and other photographers at the Farm Security Administration. (Click here to read about this wonderful collection.)

The El Paso photographs range include many of Lange's photographs of the border crossings, of smelter processes, of buildings in the city, of former slaves.

2011-12-14T05:00:00.000-06:00


Tank wagon of cattle ranch on the highway near Marfa, Texas Russell Lee, May 1939 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, LC-USF33-012206-M2

We love browsing through the online archives of the Library of Congress for historical photographs from our region. Here's an interesting image by Russell Lee from May of 1939 of a tank wagon on the highway near Marfa....thoughts on exactly where this was taken? On the road to Marfa? Or Fort Davis?

Holiday "Posada" at Fort Leaton!

2011-12-13T07:59:00.004-06:00

The beautiful sky framed by the adobe walls of Fort Leaton

One of the loveliest "undiscovered" places in the region is holding a unique holiday event, Fort Leaton (just east of Presidio) is sharing a Holiday "Posada" with visitors, one of the oldest Mexican holiday traditions. From their website, "Thetraditional “posada” is a celebration in true Mexican fashion commemoratingMary and Joseph’s search for lodging in anticipation of their child’s birth.Traditional treats and entertainment will be provided in this “must see” borderevent."

When	Dec 15, 2011 from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Where	Fort Leaton State Historic Site
Contact Phone	432-229-3613

Presidio Chapel of San Elizario

2011-12-12T05:00:00.000-06:00

Ready for the holidays with luminaria, is the Presidio Chapel of San Elizario. Nearby is the Los Portales Tourist Museum and Information Center.

The history of this beautiful building starts with earlier structures from 1789. The present-day church was built on or near the original site of the old presidial chapel. "Presidio" in Spanish means "fort". The presidio, Spanish settlement and the missions were the building blocks of Spanish imperialism in the New World. Read more of the history, here.

The National Park Service has a page for the Presidio Chapel of San Elizario, here.
A great resource for visiting the Mission Trail is here.
Visit the website for the El Paso Mission Trail Association here.
El Paso County has a wonderful history of the Mission Trail here.

Colorado Canyon River Access

2011-12-11T07:45:00.000-06:00

Along the River Road, between Lajitas and Presidio, there's a lovely place to stop and view the Rio Grande. A popular "put in" place for river trips, there's few places as beautiful as this.

Big Bend Ranch State Park's website says this about the area:

"The Rio Grande/Rio Bravo corridor is an easily accessible area of the park for day use, including rafting, canoeing and free bank fishing. Several river access points are found within the park along FM-170. Colorado Canyon includes Class II and Class III rapids. This section of the river is not considered dangerous under normal flow conditions. The walls of Colorado Canyon, unlike the limestone canyons of Big Bend National Park and the Lower Canyons, are entirely of igneous rock."

For a list of outfitters working on the river, click here.

Lincoln?

2011-12-10T05:00:00.000-06:00

Look west on Hwy 67 between Marfa and Presidio, and yes, you'll see the profile of Abraham Lincoln!

2011-12-09T05:00:00.000-06:00

On the River Road between Lajitas and Presidio, along Big Bend Ranch State Park

Many folks ask us, "So, what exactly IS the Texas Mountain Trail?"

They see the road signs all over the region, but wonder what they mean....

Well, the signs mark a historic figure 8 driving route established by Governor Connally in an effort to showcase the best of Texas in anticipation of HemisFair '68. The Texas Mountain Trail is one of 10 original driving routes across the state. Read more about it here.

"The Texas Heritage Trails Program (THTP) is based around 10 scenic driving trails created in 1968 by Gov. John Connally and the Texas Highway Department as a marketing tool. The trails were established in conjunction with the HemisFair, an international exposition that commemorated the 250th anniversary of the founding of San Antonio."

Later, the state legislature saw the need to boost economic growth through tourism promotion and heritage preservation, and charged the Texas Historical Commission for building a program to benefit the state.

"In 1997, the Texas Historical Commission (THC) was charged by the State Legislature to create a statewide heritage tourism program. The THC based their program on the original driving trails, creating ten heritage regions: Brazos Trail Region, Forest Trail Region, Forts Trail Region, Hill Country Trail Region, Lakes Trail Region, Independence Trail Region, Mountain Trail Region, Pecos Trail Region, Plains Trail Region and Tropical Trail Region."

You can read more about the Texas Historical Commission's Heritage Tourism efforts here.

The Texas Mountain Trail is a regionally-based independent 501 c 3 organization dedicated to serving Far West Texas, our communities and the travelers who visit us. We serve all of our region, not just the communities along the original 1960s route. We help communities preserve their heritage so future generations can appreciate and enjoy what makes us uniquely Texan. We bring the Texas Mountain Trail region to all, through our Daily Photo blog, our website, our Facebook page, our Twitter posts, and other venues...so you can enjoy the mountains wherever you are! Come visit us!

Trail Run above Fort Davis National Historic Site (and yes, you can hike it too!)

2011-12-08T05:00:00.000-06:00

We got up to a chilly, foggy morning on Sunday and headed to Fort Davis National Historic Site with the intention to tackle Hospital Canyon Trail with a trail run. We've hiked this lovely trail many times and have also tried to run it, but that morning it just felt "right."

This is a trail steeped in history, for it provides a perfect vantage point to survey the land leading up to Fort Davis, perfect as a scouting and defensive position. From the Fort's website:

"A key post in the defense system of western Texas, Fort Davis played a major role in the history of the Southwest. From 1854 until 1891, troops stationed at the post protected emigrants, freighters, mail coaches, and travelers on the San Antonio-El Paso Road. Today, Fort Davis is considered one of the best remaining examples of a frontier military post in the American Southwest."

"Fort Davis’s primary role of safeguarding the west Texas frontier against the Comanches and Apaches continued until 1881. Although the Comanches were defeated in the mid-1870s, the Apaches continued to make travel on the San Antonio-El Paso road dangerous. Soldiers from the post regularly patrolled the road and provided protection for wagon trains and mail coaches. The last major military campaign involving troops from Fort Davis occurred in 1880."

The trail head is at the back of the Fort, behind the historic hospital building, the scene of much preservation work today. We ran up the 0.7 miles of the Hospital Canyon Trail, and then ran along the 0.3 miles of the North Canyon Trail where we stopped to take most of our photos. From the top of the North Canyon Trail, it is easy to see the remains of that historic road, as well as the rest of the fort property. The elevation gain is about 300 feet.

Most of the trail is rocky, while some of the trail surface is soft earth. Portions of the trail saw fire this April, but the view and the experience isn't hampered. There had been plenty of rain this summer to start the regrowth.

So we basically ran a mile up and a mile down on terrain that soldiers had traversed generations ago, making it more than just a challenging workout. (And yes, it is a great hiking trail too!)

Beautiful sky!

2011-12-07T06:52:00.001-06:00

A glorious Far West Texas sunset, sent to us by Texas Mountain Trail board member from Marathon, Wilma Schindeler. Thanks, Wilma!

The Best of Holiday Charm: Van Horn's Lighted Christmas Parade

2011-12-06T08:39:00.001-06:00

Every year, Van Horn holds an utterly charming holiday event, their Lighted Christmas Parade. If you haven't experienced this very special community event, do yourself a favor and head to town on Saturday, December 10 this year. The parade starts at 6:30 pm, but that's not all there is to experience in town:

Pecan Dessert Contest, 2:00 pm, at the historic Hotel El Capitan
Show and Sell, El Mercado Farmers Market, 209 W. Broadway 4-9pm (food, arts, crafts, baked goods and products)

and then, yes, the 18th Annual Lighted Christmas Parade down Broadways Street, starting at 6:30 pm!

12 Days of Christmas: UTEP's Centennial Museum

2011-12-05T10:29:00.001-06:00

On the campus of University of Texas El Paso, there's a great museum with exhibits on the natural and cultural history of the Chihuahuan Desert region. The Centennial Museum is a great place to visit, and while you're there, duck into their lovely store...lots of good shopping inside!

12 Days of Christmas: Joining the Work of Good People

2011-12-04T07:33:00.001-06:00

Friends of Big Bend National Park hold a trail run (as well as many other efforts) to raise money to benefit the park

There are many ways to get involved in the good works of the region, including joining a members group (or giving a gift membership to someone you love!) or a support organization for your favorite park or museum!

Consider these suggestions!

Friends of Big Bend National Park
Carlsbad Caverns Guadalupe Mountains Association
Friends of Fort Davis National Historic Site
Compadres del Rancho Grande (Friends of Big Bend Ranch State Park)
Other state parks across Texas
Keystone Heritage Park
Museum of the Big Bend
Friends of McDonald Observatory
Casa Magoffin Compañeros

12 Days of Christmas: Guided Vacations

2011-12-03T08:12:00.000-06:00

Canoeing down the Rio Grande with Big Bend River Trips

From Lajitas Stables

Sometimes the best gift is the gift of experience, discovery and travel.

From Visit Big Bend, explore the river, or go horseback riding or mountain biking. Guided opportunities are possible with interpretive guides, or personalized tours. Big Bend Ranch State Park also offers the opportunity for guided adventures.

Perhaps Elderhostel (now called Road Scholar) trips are more your thing...

Any way you travel to the region...get ready for adventure and fun!

12 Days of Christmas: Big Bend Coffee Roasters

2011-12-02T06:17:00.004-06:00

Today we salute folks who were among the first to step up during this spring's wildfires and offer a product for sale that would benefit the wildfire relief fund....Big Bend Coffee Roasters. Within days of the fires, they offered a special Wildfire blend with proceeds going to area relief funds.

Based in Marfa, their beans can be purchased all over the region (and other places as well, click here!) and online too. Click here for their online store. Southern Living magazine rated their coffee as "Best of the South 2011!" Yes, they ship!

And if you're in the region and want to visit their facility and learn more about roasting coffee, they offer tours as well!

And how about a sunrise to accompany that coffee? From Big Bend Ranch State Park...

12 Days of Christmas: Cinco Puntos Press

2011-12-01T07:03:00.000-06:00

One of our favorite books on the Mexican Revolution; a moving book. We use it as a reference for our exploration of El Paso.

This one is also a favorite of ours...the photographs are very moving.


There's a youngster on our list who will love this one!

We're big readers, we admit it. And we love reading about the history and culture of our region...and for that, there's a great El Paso publisher that offers a terrific selection of books, Cinco Puntos Press. For more thank 25 years, they've consistently published volumes of quality with a focus on our culture. Want to learn a little bit about them? Click here.

And yes, you can order online! Visit their website, here.

Interested in books in Spanish? Their bilingual catalog is here.
Interested in books for young people? Their YA catalog is here.

Click on these links to learn more about the books above!
MAXIMILIAN & THE MYSTERY OF THE GUARDIAN ANGEL, A Bilingual Lucha Libre Thriller
LAS SOLDADERAS, Women of the Mexican Revolution
RINGSIDE SEAT TO A REVOLUTION, An Underground Cultural History of El Paso and Juarez: 1893-1923

12 Days of Christmas: Museum of the Big Bend

2011-11-30T07:44:00.000-06:00

The Museum of the Big Bend supports traditional cowboy art through its annual Trappings of Texas exhibition each spring

One of our favorite hidden away shopping experiences in the region, isn't really hidden away at all...

Tucked into Alpine's Museum of the Big Bend on the campus of Sul Ross State University, is a great selection of heritage-related holiday gift ideas. Follow this link to a coupon for a discount!

The Museum tells terrific stories about the entire Big Bend area--prehistory (ancient peoples and animal life!), archaeology, Spanish explorers, early ranching history, railroads, the Mexican Revolution, and much more.

Interested in giving a membership to the Museum this holiday season?
Click here to download a membership brochure!


The Museum's permanent exhibits offer interactive experiences all related to the heritage of the Big Bend region

12 Days of Christmas: Historic Kern Place Neighborhood

2011-11-29T07:45:00.000-06:00


Kern Place Gate, 1916 Photo courtesy of the El Paso Public Library.

El Paso has to be among the most surprisingly charming cities in the state...get off the interstate and explore and you'll see it for yourself. There are neighborhoods bursting with personality and history, and are worth your time. Take, for instance, the Kern Place neighborhood, bordering UTEP, the University of Texas El Paso.

Plans for this neighborhood began in 1914, and Peter Kern's plan for a gracious neighborhood was in full swing with 40 homes by 1917. Kern had this gate built at the corner of Kansas and Robinson, to help boost sales.

Today, lovely and interesting homes still grace the neighborhood, and it is filled with interesting shops for you to explore too. A good place for holiday shopping, it is also terrific for dining, too! The neighborhood is home to what Texas Monthly has deemed the #4 burger in the state, at Toro Burger...one of our favorites. And just this month, Texas Monthly named Crave, one of the top breakfast places in the state! Nearby is Crazy Cat Cyclery, a great bike shop and community center for cyclists.

Take a look at this slideshow with history about the area, by Laura Cruz-Acosta.
Read more about this wonderful area of the largest city in the Texas Mountain Trail region, here.

12 Days of Christmas: Many Days of Adventure and Fun with the Texas State Parks Pass

2011-11-28T07:18:00.000-06:00

Want room all to yourself? View from a campsite at Big Bend Ranch State Park


The lovely interior of Fort Davis State Park's Indian Lodge, a CCC-built facility

Spring bloom of poppies at Franklin Mountains State Park

Another TERRIFIC buy for your holiday shopping that reaps benefit all year long...a Texas State Parks Pass, so you can enjoy visiting our wonderful Texas Mountain Trail region state parks!

Here's a link to information and instructions for purchasing your pass!

Our Texas Mountain Trail regional state parks! Visit one soon!
Franklin Mountains State Park
Wyler Aerial Tramway
Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site
Fort Leaton State Historic Site
Barton Warnock Environmental Education Center
Big Bend Ranch State Park
Davis Mountain State Park (with Indian Lodge)
and just outside our region, but we'll claim it! Balmorhea State Park

Give the gift of adventure and fun this holiday season with a state parks pass!

Not one, not two, not three, but FOUR! The 12 Days of Christmas: National Parks Pass

2011-11-27T07:59:00.000-06:00

Mule Ears in Big Bend National Park

El Capitan in Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Fort Davis National Historic Site


Chamizal National Memorial

Our region is blessed with FOUR National Parks facilities, so a wonderful holiday gift for your family and friends would be a National Parks Pass...so they can visit them all!

Big Bend National Park--Sometimes considered "three parks in one," Big Bend includes mountain, desert, and river environments. An hour’s drive can take you from the banks of the Rio Grande to a mountain basin nearly a mile high. Here, you can explore one of the last remaining wild corners of the United States, and experience unmatched sights, sounds, and solitude.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park--From the low desert brush, inhabited by javelinas and desert reptiles, to the high, lush mountain evergreens with nesting golden eagles and amphibians, Guadalupe Mountains is a refuge for plant and animal species of all types.

Fort Davis National Historic Site--Fort Davis is one of the best surviving examples of an Indian Wars' frontier military post in the Southwest. From 1854 to 1891, Fort Davis was strategically located to protect emigrants, mail coaches, and freight wagons on the Trans-Pecos portion of the San Antonio-El Paso Road and on the Chihuahua Trail.

Chamizal National Memorial--The Chamizal Convention of 1963 was a milestone in diplomatic relations between Mexico and the United States. Chamizal National Memorial was established to commemorate this treaty, which resulted in the peaceful settlement of a century-long boundary dispute. The Memorial provides visitors with an opportunity to better understand the culture of our borderland.

Considering the value of the experiences offered at our National Parks, they're a bargain...but want to know the surprise best buy of them all? A Senior (age 62 and over) pass is only $10 for a lifetime!
Click here to learn more about all the passes, and to purchase online!

12 Days of Christmas AND Small Business Saturday, Celebrating and Patronizing our Far West Texas business people!

2011-11-26T07:36:00.000-06:00

Inside Alpine's Front Street Books

Included in Front Street's holiday catalog!

We're continuing our feature called the 12 Days of Christmas to highlight the special places you can do holiday shopping in the region. Today is also Small Business Saturday, and so we thought a business with TWO regional locations, with great holiday shopping was the perfect choice.

Front Street Books, with shops in both Alpine and Marathon, hosts events and readings and promotes books and authors with a regional connection. We love their Texana section, as well as their travel/adventure/map section to help us plan all our outings. On December 3, they're hosting a holiday event at their Marathon store, La Fiesta de Nochebuena.

Their holiday catalog makes the case for shopping with local retailers:

"When you spend $100 with your local retailer, $68 stays in your community, compared with $43 per $100 spent at a national chain, and $0 when you buy online."

Front Street is holding a 30% off special during the holidays....all the books in their 2011 Winter Catalog qualify for this offer! We were happy to see that one of our favorite bloggers, Lisa Fain, of the Homesick Texan's cookbook, is in the catalog...so onto our holiday list goes the Homesick Texan Cookbook!)

Don't live in the region, or can't get to one of their stores? Just give them a call (432-837-3360), and do your holiday shopping over the phone! They welcome that!

Most places don't even have independent bookstores anymore, but we're blessed with several GREAT ones...in addition to Front Street two locations, consider shopping at:

Marfa Book Company, Marfa (They also host WONDERFUL events, exhibits and readings!)
The Bookery on El Paso's Mission Trail

Patronize small businesses today!

TThanksgiving Open House and The 12 Days of Christmas: Day 1, Leapin Lizards Nature Shop at Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center!

2011-11-25T07:54:00.000-06:00

A group hikes Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center's Clayton Overlook Trail

Don't miss a visit to the Cactus Greenhouse!

Thanksgiving Open House (Friday, November 25 and Saturday, November 26)

To celebrate the holiday season, Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center just outside Fort Davis, invites you to their Thanksgiving Open House. Admission is free, so bring friends, family, and neighbors! They'll have guided hikes into Modesta Canyon at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on both days. On Friday, November 25 come meet artists Willis and Maria LeJeune. They’ll be at the Visitors’ Center between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to show you their beautiful wood sculptures and wire-wrapped natural stone jewelery.

12 Days of Christmas!
During the holiday season, we'll be featuring fun shopping spots in the region! First up?

Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center's Leapin' Lizards Nature Shop is one of the best places in the region to find nature-related gifts, from hummingbird feeders to field guides to Christmas tree ornaments to children's gifts. All proceeds support the Nature Center's programs!

Happy Turkey Day!

2011-11-24T05:00:00.000-06:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING from the Texas Mountain Trail and one of Marfa's famous wild turkeys! We're thankful for your enthusiasm for Far West Texas and support for our little non-profit organization! THANK YOU!

Water and Cottonwoods at Big Bend Ranch State Park

2011-11-23T07:14:00.001-06:00

Big Bend Ranch State Park is blessed with water, little spots of oasis that get just enough to support the growth of cottonwoods and other plants. This was taken on Sunday, just off the main road to Sauceda Ranch. Even in this challenging year without much water, there's water here, and the cottonwoods are making their beautiful winter transition from green to yellow. Another spot accessible from the main Sauceda road and a satisfying hike to water, is the Ojito Adentro trail. Look for the trailhead on the main road, park, and look for the cottonwoods in the distance...that's where the water is!

Check out our slide show of images from another November at Big Bend Ranch State Park...lots of water that year!

Mountain Biking at Big Bend Ranch

2011-11-22T08:14:00.000-06:00

Wonderful desert vistas on the Horsetrap Trail

Our bike leans against the min-maze on the Horsetrap Trail, allowing us a rest from our ride

Big Bend Ranch State Park's mountains in the distance...lovely views everywhere!

Confession time: we're complete novices when it comes to real mountain biking. Sure, we've taken the bikes out on urban pathways marked as mountain biking trails and rough ranch roads, but our first singletrack experience came this weekend at Big Bend Ranch State Park's Sauceda-Horsetrap Trail Loop Ride. And it was a SO MUCH FUN!

Never have we hollered, "Wahoo!" and "I did it!" more than we did on this trail, heading out from the historic Sauceda Ranch in the center of the park. Rated "easy/moderate" we found it plenty challenging AND satisfying as we tackled rock and sand, getting a few minor cactus scrapes along the way. We took the 5 mile trail clockwise, getting the sandy road out of the way at the beginning, and then a gradual uphill climb and then a challenging rocky descent. We were surprised, frankly, at how quickly we caught onto the challenges of the trail, and felt we were building skills every minute we were on our bikes.

Our route is the first ride in the park's Big Bend Ranch Biking Guide, which you can download here, or purchase a hard copy at the park's headquarters at Sauceda Ranch. Take a look, it will conjure up dreams of future adventures!

We can't wait to get back to the park to tackle a few more trails and build up our skills. The description of 12 mile Sauceda-Chilicote Springs-Sauceda Loop ride in the park's biking guide is inspiring us!

The Cottonwoods of Shafter

2011-11-21T07:14:00.001-06:00

All around Shafter yesterday, the color was YELLOW. The community's runoff areas and little streams are home to cottonwood trees, and they're in glorious fall color.

The Shafter Mining District was active from 1883 to 1952, taking silver and related ores from the area, and once again, Shafter's seeing mining again. Drive into town and visit the cemetery and cemetery museum to learn more about the history of this small and proud community, on Hwy 67 between Marfa and Presidio.

And unrelated to cottonwoods or mining, but still pretty interesting.....

The town was also featured in the opening scenes of the 1971 science fiction film, The Andromeda Strain, where it played a small town in New Mexico. Shafter's lovely church, pictured in our last photo above, can be seen (if you watch for it--glimpses of it near 0:35, 0:55 and 1:05!) in the film's trailer, above.

Brilliant Blue Sky

2011-11-20T06:29:00.000-06:00

Since many folks head north to Thanksgiving and have to endure cold gray skies, we thought we'd share a brilliant blue Far West Texas and Texas Mountain Trail sky with y'all!

Big Bend National Park: Castolon

2011-11-19T07:57:00.000-06:00

Near Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park, the Castolon area's history is of farming, military activity during the Mexican Revolution, and frontier trading post. The park's website has a brief interesting history online, here.

Today the park's Cottonwood Campground sits in land that used to be a farmer's field, the La Harmonia Compnay Store is still open (though it caters to visitors, not ranchers or farmers), and there are exhibits and frequently interpretive activities in the area that help tell the area's story.

Most visitors to the park visit Santa Elena Canyon for the short, spectacular hike. While you're there, plan extra time to poke around and explore the history of this important trading post, too!

One of our favorite wintertime landscapes, on a road mostly locals know

2011-11-18T07:19:00.000-06:00

There's a road heading south from Marathon you really need to take...either by bicycle, motorcycle or car. A 10 mile round trip offers a great adventure--history, geology, wildlife and nature--all packed into a short trip. On a brisk winter day, we took this photo, looking north on our way back to town. Lovely, right?

The road is known as the "Ride to the Post Heritage Bike Ride," on our website, but is ready for anyone (even non-cyclists!) to enjoy. Consider all it offers:
The Road to the Post extends south on Avenue D in Marathon from US Highway 90 and the Union Pacific Railroad, and has an amazing history!

Your route follows one fork of the Comanche War or Indian Trails into Mexico—there was a skirmish on the ridge above Post Park in 1855 between Buffalo Soldiers, Texas Rangers and Indians in 1855!
It also generally follows the original Ore Roads to haul the ores (lead, zinc and silver) from the smelter at Boquillas in Mexico in 1895-1906, as well as quicksilver from the Terlingua, Study Butte and the Mariscal mines in south Brewster County to the railroad in Marathon as late as 1937!
The route takes you near the historic cemetery and the site of an influenza tent hospital from the 1918 epidemic!
The area known as Post Park was the site of a military encampment, farms, and ranches. Today it is the place for county-wide dance parties, fishing and birdwatching!
The Gage Gardens and Post Park are both sites on the new Far West Texas Wildlife Trail.

Want to learn more? Visit our "Ride to the Post" webpage for a link to a complete history, by Marathon resident Travis Roberts, PLUS a slideshow of the route!

Outer Loop Trail in Big Bend Ranch State Park

2011-11-17T08:16:00.000-06:00

Big Bend Ranch State Park's Outer Loop trail is in the Solitario section of the park with a complex and fascinating geological history. Read more about the Solitario here.

This hiking trail is on several mountain biking routes in the park's biking guide.

View along the Guadalupe Peak Trail, hike to the Top of Texas

2011-11-16T05:57:00.000-06:00

One of the premier hikes in the region is to the Top of Texas, to the highest point in the state (8,749 feet), at Guadalupe Peak in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The trail is a long day hike to the summit, and WELL worth the effort. The park's trail guide is here!

Most pictures you see of the trail were taken at the very top...today we wanted to show you views from the hike along the way!

Recently a park volunteer, Rob Junell, made his 100th hike to the summit! Read about it here.

The Stained Glass Dome by Louis Comfort Tiffany

2011-11-15T07:28:00.000-06:00

One of the many (nearly) hidden charms of El Paso is in the heart of downtown....the stained glass dome by Tiffany at the Camino Real Hotel, across from the Museum of Art. Originally, the Paso del Norte Hotel, the building was designed by renowned El Paso architect Henry Trost. It cost about $1.5 million to construct and opened on Nov. 24, 1912. The Tiffany dome is 25 feet wide and two stories above the floor. It is now the central meeting point at the hotel's bar.

During the revolution Pancho Villa, New York radical journalist John Reed, Gen. Alvaro Obregón and General John Pershing either stayed at or attended conferences here. In 1914, former Chihuahuan Gov. Luis Terrazas and his family, along with their 27 servants, rented the entire top floor.

You can learn more about the hotel and its role in the Mexican Revolution here, where the hotel appears on a wonderful historical walking tour. We like the audio features about each of the walking tour's stops!

The View from Pinto Canyon Road

2011-11-14T06:27:00.000-06:00

Head southwest from Marfa on FM2810, and you're in for a rugged treat....after 30 miles or so of smooth road and scenic beauty, the pavement abruptly stops and the road becomes a 4x4 adventure into spectacular scenery! You'll drive through remote and rocky canyons of the Chinati Mountain range, pass the entrance for Chinati Hot Springs, and eventually make your way to Ruidosa.

Poke around in Ruidosa a bit and you'll soon see a stunning 1914 adobe Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, now a just a shell. The Texas Historical Commission and others have provided resources for the stabilization of the structure, but there's still need for restoration of this beautiful church. You can read about it here. The Texas Historical Commission also wrote a wonderful article about off-the-beaten-path locations in our region, and included Pinto Canyon Road and the Sacred Heart Church in their adventure..read it here.

Fall Color: McKittrick Canyon to the Grotto, Guadalupe Mountains National Park

2011-11-13T07:16:00.000-06:00

Fall color is still very much present at Guadalupe Mountains National Park this weekend! The current report on the park's website is: "Devil's Hall -Extensive. McKittrick Canyon - Extensive between Pratt Cabin and the Grotto."

Our friends at GeoBetty.com took the McKittrick Canyon trail to the Grotto on Friday and mapped the route on their website, here. GeoBetty.com is a new (and wonderful!) resource for hikers and mountain bikers, starting with El Paso's Franklin Mountains and expanding to cover other locations as well. Check them out on http://www.geobetty.com/ !!!

James H. Evans at Front Street Books for Alpine's ArtWalk!

2011-11-12T07:04:00.000-06:00

Join the folks at Alpine's Front Street Books on Friday, November 18 at 8:30 pm as they welcome featured photographer James H. Evans, with an audiovisual presentation spanning two decades of his work in the Big Bend.

"There will be images from both my books," says Evans, "but some will be old and new photographs not included in them."

Copies of Evans's Big Bend Pictures and Crazy from the Heat will be available for perusal and sale.
For a complete FSB ArtWalk schedule click here!

Complimentary refreshments available to Front Street friends & customers.
No admission, no purchases required--but latter are MUCH appreciated!

ArtWalk takes place Friday and Saturday, November 18-19....visit the Alpine ArtWalk website for more information about this great event!

99th Climb to Guadalupe Peak! The 100th is planned for TODAY!

2011-11-11T05:00:00.025-06:00

This is such a special story, we're going to share Guadalupe Mountains National Park's release with you:

National Park Service Volunteer Rob Junell made his 99th ascent of Guadalupe Peak, the highest peak in the State of Texas at 8,749 feet above sea level, this past Saturday, and plans on reaching the centennial mark on Veterans Day, November 11, 2011.

Junell, of Midland, TX, has been a Volunteer-In-Parks (VIP) at Guadalupe Mountains National Park since August 2009. As a park volunteer, Junell assists park staff, patrolling park trails, assisting park visitors, answering questions, providing first aid when needed, and being eyes and ears of park rangers on the trail.

One of the things that Junell enjoys most about his volunteer service at Guadalupe Mountains National Park is meeting park visitors from all around the world. Junell, a federal judge in the West District of Texas and a former Texas State Representative, first climbed to the summit of Guadalupe Peak in 2003 while training for a climb in the Andes Mountains, and continues to use the hike as part of his training regimen. However, Junell says he did not start out with the idea of climbing Guadalupe Peak 100 times. It was during the last year with fires closing the Lincoln National Forest and other areas that Junell used to train, that he found himself hiking the Guadalupe Peak Trail with greater frequency and the idea was born. An avid mountain climber, skier and outdoorsman, Junell has scaled mountains in North and South America, Asia and Africa. Junell also puts his conditioning and medical skills to use as a member of the Ski Apache ski patrol. It is believed that Junell will be the first person to ascend to the top of Guadalupe Peak 100 times.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park Superintendent Dennis A. Vásquez said, “This is truly an amazing accomplishment. We do not know of anyone else who has ascended Guadalupe Peak as many times and it is unlikely that anyone will match this feat.”

Regarding his accomplishment, Junell said, “This isn’t about me. It’s about the park and what a treasure it is for the state of Texas and the United States. There is really something for everyone, from day trips to camping out at Pine Springs or at one of the backcountry campgrounds. I just think it is a great way to get out of the day-to-day routine.”

During fiscal year 2011 (October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011), 83 volunteers donated 13,432 hours of service at Guadalupe Mountains National Park, assisting park staff at the Pine Springs Visitor Center, Frijole Ranch History Museum, the McKittrick Canyon, Dog Canyon and Salt Basin Dunes Visitor Contact Stations, as campground hosts at the Pine Springs and Dog Canyon campgrounds, and presenting interpretation and education programs to visitors. Volunteers assisted with caring for the park’s museum
collection, with inventory and monitoring of natural resources, with historic structure preservation, and assisting park visitors while patrolling trails and trail maintenance. Some, such as Junell, come for a day or two at a time, while others come from across the country and commit for months at a time.

To learn more about the Volunteers-In-Parks Program at Guadalupe Mountains National Park, contact the park Volunteer Coordinator, Craig Tanner at 915-828-3251 x2311 or Craig_E_Tanner@nps.gov, or visit
www.nps.gov/gumo/supportyourpark/volunteer.htm. To learn what volunteer opportunities are currently available at Guadalupe Mountains National Park or to apply, visit www.volunteer.gov/gov/.

Fall View of Fort Davis National Historic Site

2011-11-10T05:00:00.008-06:00

We're seeing yellow all over the region right now...how lovely! This striking image of fall color at Fort Davis National Historic Site was sent to us by Tammy King of Fort Davis. Fort Davis is one of the best preserved frontier forts in the West, and has amazing stories to tell about our region and country....the contribution of the Buffalo Soldiers, the development of medicine in the 1800s frontier, the defense of stagecoach routes and settlement. Now's a great time to visit! (Looks like the animals are enjoying the lovely fall day too!) Thanks to Tammy for sharing this image with us!

Evening View of Movie Set in Van Horn's Red Rock Ranch

2011-11-09T06:32:00.000-06:00

Just north of Van Horn is the privately owned Red Rock Ranch. Tours are available and often a trip can be arranged in this magnificent landscape to an old movie set used in the filming of the prequel to Lonesome Dove, "Dead Man's Walk," starring F. Murray Abraham, David Arquette, Keith Carradine and Edward James Olmos.

The wild landscapes of Big Bend

2011-11-08T07:16:00.001-06:00

Even if you just drive through Big Bend National Park and never get out of the car--though we wonder why you wouldn't want to hike and explore--you can enjoy wild, mind-bending landscapes.

Maple Red by Jill Miller

2011-11-07T04:28:00.000-06:00

Bright red of maples from last year's color, taken by Jill Miller. The maples were planted in the 1940s by Espy Miller in front of the Miller ranch house in Jeff Davis County.

Thanks to Jill for sharing this lovely color with all of us!

Texas Mountain Trail Daily Photo

Dell City Ranching

View from the TOP of Texas!

Guadalupe Mountains at Sunset from Salt Flat

Shumard Peak

Fall Roundup by Dell City

View from Alamo Mountain

Cornudas Mountains

Dell City Roundup

Storms bring GREEN!

View on Pinto Canyon Road

Fort Davis Drug Store by S. Billingsley

View from Boy Scout Road by S. Billingsley

Mitre Peak under beautiful clouds

Sunset by S. Billingsley

Sound, Safe and Secure

Target Practice?

More great hiking attire!

The Ultimate in Hiking Attire

Thanking a couple of invaluable volunteers

1913 Flood in Van Horn

Almost off!

Cold? Pensive? Not ready for a joy ride?

Unknown Riders by Van Horn's Turtleback Mountain

Old Courthouse Portrait in the collection of the Clark Hotel Museum

The View from I-10 Van Horn's Six Mile and Turtleback Mountains

Remembering Judy

Downtown Van Horn, 1940

Get off the freeway and visit Van Horn's El Mercado and Farmers Market

Exploring the old ranches in Big Bend National Park

view of the mountains near Marathon from Amtrak's Sunset Limited

The trail above Fort Davis in winter

Flying into El Paso?

Tom Lea at the Gage Hotel

Are you planning a bike trip?

A few spots got snow yesterday, but it melted right away!

Fort Davis National Historic Site in front of Sleeping Lion Mountain

Williams Ranch Road in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, on the historic Butterfield Overland Mail Stage Route

One of our favorite River Road companions

Mount Livermore, 1914.

Mount Livermore, 1914

Mount Livermore, 1914

A gracious way to travel...step off the train...and the best of the city is steps away

Geology of the Big Bend and Mule Ears

Geology Tour of Big Bend Ranch State Park

Gorgeous View and Delightful Geology Lesson!

Living Here

Thinking ahead to Spring: Texas Rainbow Hedgehog Cacti

Hallie Stillwell, Rancher and Texas Legend

Snow at Jeff Davis County Courthouse

Horses

Sleeping Lion Mountain

Snowy Fort Davis

Chihuahuan Desert Animals at the El Paso Zoo (and some other ones too!)

Morning light illuminates the prickly pear at Big Bend Ranch State Park

Let's dream about warmer days, Smith Spring Trail at Guadalupe Mountains National Park

The Golden Light of Winter's Dusk

December landscape

Next year, harvest your tree at the Davis Mountains Preserve!

Civilian Conservation Corps in Big Bend National Park

Dorothea Lange shoots El Paso, 1937

There's a large collection of photos of our region in the Library of Congress, many by Dorothea Lange and other photographers at the Farm Security Administration. (Click here to read about this wonderful collection.)

The El Paso photographs range include many of Lange's photographs of the border crossings, of smelter processes, of buildings in the city, of former slaves.

Holiday "Posada" at Fort Leaton!

Presidio Chapel of San Elizario

Colorado Canyon River Access

Lincoln?

Trail Run above Fort Davis National Historic Site (and yes, you can hike it too!)

Beautiful sky!

The Best of Holiday Charm: Van Horn's Lighted Christmas Parade

12 Days of Christmas: UTEP's Centennial Museum

12 Days of Christmas: Joining the Work of Good People

12 Days of Christmas: Guided Vacations

12 Days of Christmas: Big Bend Coffee Roasters

12 Days of Christmas: Cinco Puntos Press

And yes, you can order online! Visit their website, here.

Interested in books in Spanish? Their bilingual catalog is here.Interested in books for young people? Their YA catalog is here.

Click on these links to learn more about the books above!MAXIMILIAN & THE MYSTERY OF THE GUARDIAN ANGEL, A Bilingual Lucha Libre ThrillerLAS SOLDADERAS, Women of the Mexican RevolutionRINGSIDE SEAT TO A REVOLUTION, An Underground Cultural History of El Paso and Juarez: 1893-1923

12 Days of Christmas: Museum of the Big Bend

12 Days of Christmas: Historic Kern Place Neighborhood

Interested in books in Spanish? Their bilingual catalog is here.
Interested in books for young people? Their YA catalog is here.

Click on these links to learn more about the books above!
MAXIMILIAN & THE MYSTERY OF THE GUARDIAN ANGEL, A Bilingual Lucha Libre Thriller
LAS SOLDADERAS, Women of the Mexican Revolution
RINGSIDE SEAT TO A REVOLUTION, An Underground Cultural History of El Paso and Juarez: 1893-1923