Texas Mountain Trail Classics Week: Hiking Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park

All this week, entry to National Parks is FREE through April 24, thanks to National Parks Week celebrations!  We decided to feature one of the signature hikes in Big Bend National Park, the 1.7 mile roundtrip hike through Santa Elena Canyon.  The park's website has this to say about the hike:

"This trail begins at the end of the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. Although a short trail, it is one of the grandest spectacles in the park. After crossing Terlingua Creek, the trail climbs several short switchbacks and then gradually descends along the banks of the Rio Grande. Hikers are surrounded by lush riparian vegetation and 1,500-foot towering vertical cliffs of solid limestone. The trail ends where canyon walls meet the river. Take a lunch and enjoy the scene.
Note: Following rains, flash floods, or periods of high water, Terlingua creek can be impassable, effectively closing the trail."

You can plan a rivertrip through the Canyon as well, visit this link for more information.  Plan to add this adventure to your trip to the Texas Mountain Trail region!  For more hiking information, visit www.texasmountaintrail.com/hike!

Open and Free this Week!

The Dog Canyon area of Guadalupe Mountains National Park has fewer visitors and therefore a more private wilderness experience.

Through Sunday, April 24, the park will be celebrating National Park Week, and all entry will be FREE!  The area offers hiking, birding, camping, backpacking and horseback riding! 

Dog Canyon is also a location on the new Far West Texas Wildlife Trail map, read more about it here, and link through to purchase a map for yourself! 

Open!!

Fort Davis National Historic Site is celebrating National Parks Week with free admission today through April 24!

Saved and Open!

Fort Davis National Historic Site

Life is getting back to normal in Fort Davis and nearly every place you love about that community is ready and open for your visit.

An exception is Davis Mountains State Park and Indian Lodge.  Though the Park had some burning, most of it was unscathed--and that includes Indian Lodge, which was completely untouched!--it is being used as a staging area for the firefighters.  It is scheduled to reopen by May 1, so plan to come back and support them!!!  The entire town can use YOUR support by scheduling a road trip and patronizing their restaurants, shops, hotels, B&Bs, campgrounds and the other businesses in town!  A town cannot survive without its businesses, and a business cannot survive without customers.  Help out by being a customer in Fort Davis soon!

Our Gratitude

Our thanks to Mike Micallef for use of this terrific photo of the brave firefighters

As many lives get back to normal, we cannot thank enough the many firefighters working diligently to extinguish the blazes this week.  Neither gratitude, nor thanks are strong enough words for our feelings about your dedication, energy or expertise.  You saved lives and livelihoods, and the many beloved places (see our earlier posts) that grace our region.  You're the best!

Read more about life getting back to normal in Fort Davis, here from Big Bend Now.

A special opportunity for hikers: witnessing regrowth

An area of Smith Spring trail in Guadalupe Mountains National Park following prescribed burn

If there is any silver lining in this week's events, it may be the opportunity for us all to learn more about the natural world, and how fire can work to stimulate growth and the reproduction of plants.  Hikers will have this opportunity in the coming weeks in Fort Davis, so we wanted to give this early report on places you'll be able to see that regrowth.  (And since fire deposits extra nitrogen in the soil, with one or two rains, you'll see a vivid contrast between the unburned portions and the regrowth, which will be green, green, green very soon!)

The community of Fort Davis is working hard to get ready for visitors, as so much of what folks love about it remains unscathed.  As we've mentioned before, the Fort, Observatory, charming downtown and lovely hotels (including the Indian Lodge) and B&Bs remain untouched.  Most places are open NOW, and more will be open soon and ready for your visit.

We wanted to give you an early assessment of the status of places you'll be able to witness the regrowth for yourself....please know this is an EARLY report, and as time goes on there will be better information...

Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center
Cathryn Hoyt, Executive Director of the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center, "I just wanted to let you know that as of today (Wednesday) the CDRI is open for business. Our main visitor attractions remain beautiful and green while the blackened grasslands offer a perfect "teaching moment."  The view of the burned areas from Clayton's Overlook and the new geology exhibit is amazing. The scale of the burn is something that has to be seen to be believed."

Scenic Loop

Almost ALL of the land around the Scenic Loop remains unburned.  The area around the intersection of Hwy 17 and Hwy 166 was burned, and in the coming weeks should offer an interesting view of regrowth.  John Morlock, of Fort Davis National Historic Site reports from the Scenic Loop, "it is possible to see burned areas in Limpia Canyon, near Fort Davis and burned areas in the Davis Mountains State Park.  I do not believe any other burned areas are visible from the Scenic Loop, unless from on top near McDonald's, looking off in the distance."


Fort Davis National Historic Site
The Fort and the majority of land around the fort buildings were unburned.  John Morlock, Superintendent of Fort Davis National Historic Site, reports some fire on trails around the fort itself, "We have an opportunity for fire education here at the fort on the Tallgrass and Hospital Canyon Trails."

Davis Mountains State Park

For a good reason, it will take just a little longer for the Davis Mountains State Park and Indian Lodge to open, according to Linda Hedges of TPWD:  "Davis Mountains State Park and Indian Lodge are not taking reservations until May 1 and have cancelled all existing reservations through that date.  Will probably be open before then, but as of now the park is a major staging area for the remaining fire crews and it's not yet known when they will be pulling out.  In the meantime, the park is closed to all visitation.  DPS and Border Patrol are stationed at the gate and not letting the public through.  Several folks have wanted to access Skyline Drive for a vista of the burned area but that's not possible just yet."

Open for Business in Fort Davis! (Photos taken yesterday)

Davis Mountains Lodge and Expeditions, the birds were swooping around the feeders yesterday, lots of hummingbirds enjoying this place.  Cycle-friendly, the Lodge coordinates group trips and has cabins for individual rentals.

Stone Village Tourist Camp, 1935 restored cycle-friendly tourist court

Old Schoohouse Bed and Breakfast, 1904 fully restored (and lovely!) adobe structure, once housing the local elementary school.  Cycle-friendly!

The fully restored (and lovely!) Veranda Inn, the oldest hotel in West Texas (1883) is also open!

Fort Davis' Chamber of Commerce reports all hotels and B&Bs are open in town, including the Harvard Hotel, Hotel Limpia.  Prude Ranch is open.  The McDonald Observatory is scheduled to open today;  Fort Davis National Historic Site hopes to reopen tomorrow.

Ready for your visit.....Free Fee Week in National Parks, April 16-24

A note about support for Fort Davis wildfire relief:  From Marfa Public Radio--
Individuals wanting to assist those devastated by the wildfires may send donations to the Permian Basin Area Foundation Emergency Relief Fund and to the Jeff Davis County Relief Fund.

Permian Basin Area Foundation Emergency Relief Fund
200 N. Loraine, Suite 500
Midland, TX 79701

Jeff Davis County Relief Fund
c/o Permian Basin Area Foundation
200 N. Loraine, Suite 500
Midland, TX 79701
Guy McCrary, CEO of Permian Basin Area Foundation,  said, “The Foundation maintains the PBAF Emergency Relief Fund that allows emergency grants to be made to agencies that are equipped to manage critical relief services.  This ensures that the monies are used in a manner that best meets the needs of those affected.”

ALSO via Fort Davis State Bank
Jeff Davis County Relief Fund
P.O. Box 1809
Fort Davis TX 79734
Account #321028 (needs to be included)

Plans are also underway for a benefit concert in the region...we'll update you as information is available! 

El Capitan at Guadalupe Mountains National Park



Mule Ears at Big Bend National Park



 Our hearts go out to the folks of Fort Davis as they clean up from wildfires affecting their community, and they'll be ready for visitors soon. (Check yesterday's entry for a rollcall of your favorite places that survived the fire.)

However, MOST of the Texas Mountain Trail region was completely unaffected by fire, and we're ready for YOUR visit.  That includes our two spectacular national parks, Big Bend  and Guadalupe Mountains...they'll be participating in National Parks Week with no-fee entry days April 16-24!  So come on out!

We are happy to report that Fort Davis National Historic Site survived the fire, and we'll let you know when Fort Davis is again ready to receive visitors...it should be soon! 

To keep up on the fire coverage, two great resources are Marfa Public Radio, http://www.marfapublicradio.org/ and Big Bend Now, http://www.bigbendnow.com/

SURVIVED!!!

Today, we want to feature places in Fort Davis that survived the fire this weekend.  This small community will need a few days to get the power back on and get life organized again, but they'll NEED you to come back and see them.  You've read reports of a blackened landscape, yet it is important to realize ecosystem is very forgiving when it comes to fire.  A rain or two will get some green growing again, and the rebound will be swift and amazing...and Fort Davis will need you to come back and SEE that amazing rebound.  And as is usual with visits to Fort Davis...you'll have a great time.  So here's a rollcall of the intact survivors:

Hotel Limpia



Jeff Davis County Courthouse, in the center of town

Fort Davis National Historic Site

Indian Lodge

McDonald Observatory

Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens

Historic structures like the Old Jail

Davis Mountains Lodge and Expeditions (formerly Davis Mountains Education Center)

The entire downtown area, including the Stone Village Market

Please note, it may be several days before the town is really ready for visitors.  Please visit our facebook page, www.facebook.com/TexasMountainTrail , Marfa Public Radio  http://www.marfapublicradio.org/, or Big Bend Now, http://www.bigbendnow.com/ for updates.





Fort Davis Fire Update

NEW:  8pm.  Marfa Public Radio is on the air broadcasting at 93.5 FM and still online (http://www.marfapublicradio.org/) providing GREAT area fire coverage!

The Indian Lodge in Davis Mountains State Park is safe, but closed.

Want to help?  Big Bend Now has published a good list. 

NEW:  Marfa Public Radio published a list at 7pm of area hotels offering homeless Fort Davis residents shelter.  Next time you plan a vacation to the region, please consider booking a room with these generous hoteliers.  The Paisano in Marfa; Thunderbird in Marfa; El Cosmico in Marfa; Marfa Guest Quarters; Eve’s Garden in Marathon; Antelope Lodge in Alpine; Highland Inn in Alpine.

7:30 pm http://www.marfapublicradio.org/ announcing Hwy 67 N from Alpine to Fort Stockton in closed, along with 17 N From Fort Davis to Balmorhea, 17 S from Fort Davis to Marfa, and Hwy 118 between Alpine and Fort Davis.

NEW:  Marfa Public Radio had an eyewitness account indicated Hwy 118 between Alpine and Fort Davis was closed.  Fire seen near Mitre Peak and the Girl Scout Camp  http://www.marfapublicradio.org/

New:  (4:50 pm:  Hwy 67 between Alpine and Fort Stockton closed due to active fire.  Report on http://www.marfapublicradio.org/  Hwy 17 north between Fort Davis and Balmorhea remains closed.

New:  Authorities are asking non-Fort Davis residents to stay away for now.  They are receiving lots of support from fire control crews and need room to do their work.  We are also hearing Prude Ranch is fine.

New:  NewWest 9 reports that Fort Davis National Historic Site and McDonald Observatory are undamaged by fire.

We wanted to share what we know about fire damage in the Fort Davis area.  Credible, eye-witness reports tell us there will be no power in Fort Davis for 4-5 days and...

The Jeff Davis County Courthouse was untouched.

Davis Mountains State Park did get some fire, but no buildings were affected.

Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute had some burning on their land, but their buildings were not affected.

McDonald Observatory is fine, and housed evacuees last night.

A benefit concert is in the works.  "Like" this page on Facebook for developments.

http://www.bigbendnow.com/ and http://www.marfapublicradio.org/ have been tireless in reporting about the fire.

Our main website, http://www.texasmountaintrail.com/ does not appear to be working correctly this morning.  This is completely unrelated to the fire disaster in the region.

As Day Breaks...

As day breaks this Sunday morning, we're safe in Marfa and awaiting word from the other communities in the region, particularly Fort Davis, to see how they fared last night in the face of wildfire. 

We know homes and many acres of ranchland were consumed in the fast moving fires yesterday and through the night.  We've heard no reports of human injury or death, that's the good news.

The best sources of information through yesterday and last night were Marfa Public Radio and Big Bend Now, the online component of Marfa's newspaper, the Big Bend Sentinel.

Marfa Public Radio (http://www.marfapublicradio.org/) continued their coverage online after they lost broacast capability.  They were also on Facebook and on Twitter, @MarfaPublicRadio.  Big Bend Now, http://www.bigbendnow.com/ also provided excellent coverage of the fires yesterday.  For news, please check with these fine, hard-working folks who've helped keep us informed, and therefore safe.

There are two additional Facebook pages with many posts from the community and even more from folks asking questions about the scope of the fires.   If you're on FB, they are @BigBendFires and @Fort Davis Fires

We'll try to report as soon as we can on the fate of our lovely mountain region, including sharing photos, but our focus will be on helping friends in anyway we can.

This morning's sunrise in Marfa!

Old Van Horn images for browsing!

We love looking at old photographs and images from the region.  Here's a great old postcard of Van Horn, showing cowboys delivering cattle to town.

You can view more images of Van Horn's history at University of North Texas' Portal to Texas History, here.

Marfa Public Library also has a collection at the Portal, available for browsing, as does the El Paso Public Library!

The road to Alpine--beautiful land, beautiful sky!

Hiking in Big Bend National Park

Thanks to Lee Towns, Executive Director of the Texas Independence Trail for sharing this Big Bend hiking photo with us!  
Hiking has always been one of the premier activities in our largest park in the region, Big Bend National Park.  The park's website has a great section on hiking, giving a quick rundown on opportunities across the park.  High elevation woodlands to low elevation desertscapes to historic sites, from paved pathways to backcountry wilderness...all kinds of hiking adventures are available in Big Bend.

For a wider view of hiking opportunities across Far West Texas and the Texas Mountain Trail region, visit: www.texasmountaintrail.com/hike

Can I bring my dog?

Many visitors ask about bringing their pets on vacation to the Texas Mountains.  Since most travelers would like to include a visit to our state or national parks, we thought we'd give you a rundown of policies regarding pets.  In general, the state parks are a better "fit" if you want to bring your pet on vacation.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's website says pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet while on the trail, and should be kept away from swimming facilities, park buildings and restaurants (guide dogs are an exception).  Pets may be kept in vehicles or proper cages.  Owners need to collect pet waste and dispose of it properly.

Big Bend National Park's website says:  Dogs are not allowed on trails or anywhere in the backcountry because of their interference with wildlife and because they may threaten other hikers. Dogs are allowed anywhere vehicles can go, such as roads and primitive roadside campsites. They must be on a leash or otherwise restrained at all times. They may NOT be left unattended in a campsite. We recommend that visitors also not leave their pets unattended in vehicles because of the extreme heat."

Guadalupe Mountain National Park's website says:

Pets are welcome in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, but please consider that bringing your pet to the park could limit your activities, especially hiking and backpacking, because pets are not allowed on most park trails or in the backcountry. In addition, many plants are spiny or poisonous, and many desert animals could pose a threat to your pet. 

• Pets are permitted in developed areas (parking lots, campgrounds, and roadways, but not inside buildings).
• Pets must be under your physical control at all times. Please keep your pet leashed for their safety, as well as the safety of park wildlife.
• Pets may walk with you (on leash) on the short trail between the campground and the Headquarters Visitor Center, or along the Pinery Trail from the visitor center to the Butterfield Station, but pets are not allowed along any of the other park trails or in the backcountry, because they may disturb park wildlife or be harmed themselves by wild animals. There are many rattlesnakes in the park, and park wildlife may carry plague or rabies. Do not allow your pet near animals or their dens or burrows.
• Do not leave pets unattended at campsites or in vehicles; heat kills quickly, and pets are especially vulnerable to predators if left alone. The nearest kennel service (with limited hours) is at Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
• Please clean up after your pet.

Fort Leaton history set straight

Sometimes our history is mistaken and even mismarked.  One of the markers at Fort Leaton State Historic Site near Presidio reads, "About 1773, the Spanish garrison at Presidio del Norte, present Ojinaga, Mexico, established El Fortin de San Jose in this vicinity to protect local farmers.  The settlement retained the name after the post was abandoned about 1810, after Ben Leaton had acquired extensive property in the area in 1848.  The community came to be called Fort Leaton.  Ben Leaton's fortress is all that remains of the old settlement.  Fort Leaton is neither the site of the original Presidio del Norte nor the Spanish mission Apotal Santiago, as stated erroneously by earlier markers at this location." 

Visit yourself to see all the markers and find the contradictions!

Today's Feature:  Far West Texas Wildlife Trail Map!

Fort Leaton and the Loma Paloma Golf Course and RV Park across the street (just outside of Presidio) are both viewing sites on this new regional map for birders and wildlife enthusiasts!  You can read more about these sites here, and purchase the map for yourself ($2) here!

No better place to check your email...the porch of Chisos Mountain Lodge!

As visitors to Big Bend National Park know, one of the benefits of being in the park is the feeling of being disconnected from the rest of the world.  However, if you MUST get online, there's no more scenic place to do it, than from the porch of Chisos Mountain Lodge in the center of the park!  There's an incredible view of The Window right from the porch's comfortable seating, and you're close to trailheads for hiking.  Next door is the lodge's restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, and they'll even prepare a pack lunch for your hiking or cycling adventures!

Today's Feature: Cycle-friendly Chisos Mountain Lodge

Big Bend National Park's hotel is a participant in our cycle-friendly program.  Here's a view of one of their comfortable, nicely appointed rooms (which also had a great view--we took the moon photo from our room's back porch!), with plenty of room to park your bike inside.  If you like to retire to a comfy bed after a long day on the trail or on you bicycle, consider staying at the Chisos Mountain Lodge!

Van Horn's Hotel History

Van Horn, due to location and proximity to fresh water, has always been a place for travelers to pass through.  There's a place you can get a sense of what it was like to step off the train nearly 100 years ago, and step across the street to a bar, family restaurant and a clean bed...Van Horn's Clark Hotel Museum.  The bar is still intact, and you can tour the sitting room and kitchen, as well as some of the sleeping rooms upstairs as well as view local history artifacts. 

Today's Feature:  Dining in the courtyard of Van Horn's Hotel El Capitan
Across the street and down the block from the Clark Hotel Museum is the newly restored 1930 historic Hotel El Capitan, formerly a cattleman's hotel.  Now open and ready to host you for your Far West Texas adventure (it is the closest Texas hotel to Guadalupe Mountains National Park), it also offers fine dining in the hotel restaurant or the lovely courtyard with fountain!

Chinese Railway Worker Graves at Concordia Cemetery

El Paso's Concordia Cemetery is one of the most diverse and interesting cemeteries you'd find anywhere.  There are graves of gun fighters, Buffalo Soldiers, and early citizens from distinct cultures such as Chinese railway workers. 

Known as El Paso's "Boot Hill," Concordia is designated as a Texas State Historical Cemetery, and has an active volunteer group that helps maintain the cemetery, organizes appreciation and interpretive events and promotes an understanding of El Paso's history.  Other recognition and awards include:  2010 True West magazine's "Best of the West" designation, and 2008 Clara Driscoll Award by Preservation Texas.

Close to the center of the city and the airport, the cemetery is graced by a view of the Franklin  Mountains.  It is a wonderful place to get a sense of the El Paso's past and the Old West!

Today's Feature:  Cycle-friendly Hyatt Place El Paso Airport hotel Conveniently located near the airport and the center of the city (and not far from Concordia Cemetery!) is the Hyatt Place El Paso Airport.  They participate in our Texas Mountain Trail cycle-friendly program, allowing bike parking inside rooms, packed lunches or snacks for a day's adventure, and van transportation to nearby locations including Crazy Cat Cyclery near the airport.