#30DaysofBiking: An Easy Ride in Big Bend National Park

 An easy ride in Big Bend National Park offers terrific vistas and around this time of year, some views of blooming cacti.  Mostly gently downhill, about 20 miles, the ride begins at Panther Junction Visitor Center and continues to the small visitor center past the turnoff to Hot Springs.  The road is paved and smooth, and while there is vehicular traffic  (but not much!) the speed limit is 45 miles per hour so it is easy for everyone to "share the road."

Here's the park map.

An easy way to ride this route in a group is to shuttle cars.  Drive one car down to the Visitor Center between Rio Grande Village and the Hot Springs, and then drive back to Panther Junction to start the ride.

The elevation drop is gentle, making for an easy ride.  Panther Junction's elevation is 3750 ft., and your destination is 1850 ft.  Enjoy zipping downhill! Once you arrive at your parked car, consider a little detour to visit the Hot Springs for a soak!


Travel Spotlight!
What's blooming at Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center just outside Fort Davis?  The Texas Mountain Laurel!

Walk a little farther....Big Bend National Park's Hot Springs Trail

The view in Hot Springs
Big Bend National Park

Many travelers head to the great Hot Springs Historic District in Big Bend National Park for the 105 degree water, and for a warm soak.  But if you walk just a little bit farther, you'll see more spectacular views.  Follow the trail beyond the ruin of the hot springs and as the trail forks to the left and hairpins back and up, you'll climb a bit as you hike to even more spectacular views.

Texas Highways recently included a trip to Hot Springs in their article about visiting the Big Bend in the winter months...read about it here!

Hot Springs Canyon Trail, Big Bend National Park

 

Most folks heading to Hot Springs in Big Bend National Park are focused on the water, but there are some great hiking trails and some vistas in that area that are well worth the effort!  Head past the historic area of the trail, and soon it will fork.  Straight ahead is the trail to Rio Grande Village, to the left is the trail leading above Hot Springs to the site of the J.O. Langford homesite.

View just above the Rio Grande near Hot Springs

View from the J.O. Langford homesite above Hot Springs

Reed by the Rio Grande

Even today, reed grows by the Rio Grande.  We took this photo along the trail at Hot Springs in Big Bend National Park.  Why is the reed important?

Consider this snippet from yesterday's post about Homer Wilson Ranch house in Big Bend:

"The double roof is supported separately by large poles.

The ceiling is made of reeds in the pattern that has been used for centuries by the inhabitants of the river. The story goes that Mrs. Wilson wanted the reed ceiling with the adobe mud on top, to-which Mr. Wilson agreed. However, since such a roof would leak, he used a 2-inch concrete mixture in place of the adobe mud and above that a sheet metal roof, thus making the house leak-proof. 

This arrangement not only accomplished its purpose but in addition made the house much cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, as it created an air space between the metal roof and the ceiling. It was a very satisfactory means of insulation"

There may be invasive non-native species along the banks of the Rio Grande, but even they can tell us something about the plants' relationship with human life in such a remote place. What do you think?

Rock Art in the Hot Springs Historic District of Big Bend

Ancient rock art left on limestone cliffs in the Hot Springs Historic District of Big Bend National Park.  See yesterday's post about this wonderful place to visit!

Hot Springs in Big Bend National Park

Big Bend National Park's David Elkowitz
(and a member of our Texas Mountain Trail board!)
gives a tour of Hot Springs

Hot Springs motel structure

View of current day visitors paddling to the Hot Spring
to enjoy a soak

One of the neatest places to visit in Big Bend National Park is the Hot Springs Historic District, which has evidence of ancient human history (in the form of rock art) and more recent history in the remnants of a Hot Springs resort, started by J.O. Langford when he moved to the Big Bend in 1909.  Read Langford's story:   Langford, J.O., with Fred Gipson. Big Bend: A Homesteader’s Story. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1973.

Read more about the historic district on the park's website.
Learn about taking a soak on your next visit!

Imagine farms of corn, beans, and squash in the river's floodplain

We took this photo on Saturday, at Big Bend National Park's Hot Springs Historic District.  This is the view from the remains of the historic Hot Springs resort motel.  Stay tuned for the next few days for images of this special place.

Along the banks of the Rio Grande, farmers on both sides of the river carved out a living growing beans, corns and squash in the sandy soil.

Learn about taking a soak yourself, just as tourists did in the 1920s through the 50s.

Take a look at the rock art left by ancient people.

Plan a visit yourself!

Big Bend's Hot Springs

There's a place in Big Bend National Park where you can seek the same curative waters J.O. Langford sought in 1909 when he came to the area to establish a place to regain health with the 105 degree water that bubbles up from a hole in the ground, right by the Rio Grande. 

What better way to learn about geothermic energy than by putting one leg in the hot spring water and the other in cool river water? 

From the park's website:

"The Hot Springs Historic District preserves the rich history of human occupation from thousands of years past to the not-so-distant past. Visitors can study rock art left behind on the limestone cliffs, picture farms of corn, squash and beans along the river’s floodplain, or imagine what it would have been like to meet at the Hot Springs Post Office in the early 1900s to collect your mail each Monday. By exploring this area all of these stories from the past can come to life."

Click here to read more about Big Bend's Hot Springs Historic District!

Remnants of Early Life in Big Bend National Park

Before Big Bend was a national park, it was home to many hardy souls who worked to carve out a life in this isolated and beautiful part of Texas.  If you keep your eyes open, you'll see remants of buildings, homes, businesses, and graves belonging to those pioneers.  Want to read more? 

Links to more information on the park's website:

Original Settlers of Big Bend
Castolon
Hot Springs Historic District
Other History and Culture pages

The Road to Rio Grande Village, Big Bend National Park

Big Bend National Park offers many driving adventures, including the scenic drive from Panther Junction to Rio Grande Village.  We traveled this road by bicycle on our Big Bend Hiking and Biking Girlfriend Getaway, and it is an easy downhill ride.  Near the end of the road, you can take a mini-detour to the Hot Springs, and then to Rio Grande Village for a well-deserved shower!