Daniel Baeza's Landscapes, Day 3

El Capitan of the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, by Daniel Baeza.  Take a look at his photography blog, http://ulyssesbaeza.blogspot.com/ to see more of his images!

Daniel Baeza Week: Day 2

Another lovely panorama landscape from Van Horn native, Daniel Baeza.  We're featuring his work all week; come back and see all his images of Far West Texas!

Landscapes of Far West Texas by Daniel Baeza

Starting today, we're featuring the work of Van Horn native, Daniel Baeza.  Daniel is a photography major at Texas A&M University-Commerce, and a 2007 graduate of Van Horn High School.  Says Daniel, "I just love being in West Texas, especially the Van Horn area.  Most of my work has been influenced by the scenery that I grew up around."

We invite you to take a look at Daniel's photography blog:  http://ulyssesbaeza.blogspot.com/

Davis Mountains

This lovely photo was submitted by Larry Francell of Fort Davis.  Thanks, Larry!

Beauty

Another pretty shot from Chuck Nowland, July 2010!  Thanks, Chuck!

Big Bend Hoodoos!

Hoodoos (also sometimes called tent rocks or fairy chimneys) are spires of rock protruding from an arid drainage basin or badland. They're formed where soft sedimentary rock is topped by harder, less easily-eroded stone, protecting each column from the elements.

This neat shot was taken by Chuck Nowland, in July 2010...thanks, Chuck!

Sunset over the Sierra Diablos

Taken north of Van Horn on Hwy 54 along the El Cap to El Cap heritage bike ride and the road to Guadalupe Mountains National Park!

More Scenes from the Hummingbird and Butterfly Trail

Just outside Fort Davis is the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and its Hummingbird and Butterfly Trail--which is beautiful this time of year!

Scenes from the Hummingbird and Butterfly Trail

Visit this beautiful place yourself, at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center of Fort Davis--the Hummingbird and Butterfly Trail!  The trail is just a third of a mile, but it offers so much beauty, especially this time of year!

Summer Rain brings Green!

Plentiful summer rain turns the desert into a green oasis.  This lovely ocotillo lives at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens in Fort Davis near their Hummingbird and Butterfly Trail!

National Border Patrol Museum in El Paso

Visitors can can journey through the history of the U.S. Border Patrol from the beginning in the Old West, through Prohibition, World War II, into the high-tech Patrol of today at the National Border Patrol Museum in El Paso. The museum exhibits uniforms, equipment, photographs, guns, vehicles, airplanes, boats and documents depicting historical and current date sector operations throughout the United States.

To learn more, visit their website!
The Museum is located next to the El Paso Museum of Archaeology on Transmountain Road...making it easy to visit both great places on the same trip!
Thanks to Randy Mallory and the Texas Historical Museum for this photograph!

Pronghorn Antelope

Thanks to Randy Mallory and the Texas Historical Commission for this wonderful photograph!

Motoring the Texas Mountain Trail

Our seldom traveled and wildly scenic roads are perfect for taking off on a motorcycle.  Here's a scene from Big Bend National Park, but there are great motorcycling roads all over the region.  Suggestions for routes?  Try our Texas Mountain Trail motorcycling page:  www.texasmountaintrail.com/motorcycle

Shafter Cemetery

Shafter is an old mining town on the road from Marfa to Presidio, and while few people live there today, the signs of the old mining community are everywhere in town.  One of the interesting places to visit is the cemetery which has a small museum and tells the story of the area.

Thanks to Randy Mallory and the Texas Historical Commission for use of this photo!

El Paso Museum of Archaeology

Located on scenic Transmountain Road in El Paso is that city's Museum of Archaeology.

The Museum tells the story of the first inhabitants of the El Paso area, the greater Southwest and northern Mexico. Exhibits like this one, reveal Native American lives from Paleoindian hunters of the Ice Age to their modern Indian descendants. The museum grounds include nature trails with native plant gardens and outdoor exhibits, and is next door to the National Border Patrol Museum.  

Thanks to Randy Mallory and the Texas Historical Commission for use of this photo!

River Trips in Big Bend

One of the favorite adventures open to Big Bend visitors is a river trip.  With the summer rains, the river is often READY for river-runners this time of year. The National Park has a comprehensive webpage with links to pages with outfitter contacts and important safety information.

We like to recommend two places to Big Bend visitors:  Museum of the Big Bend in Alpine and Barton Warnock Environmental Education Center on the River Road.  Combined, they give you a great introduction to the region:  history, culture, and natural history.

Thanks to Randy Mallory and the Texas Historical Commission for this photo!

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!

Let's Go! Adventure on Pinto Canyon Road

One of the best drives in the region is Pinto Canyon Road, which connects Marfa to Ruidosa.  Traveling south out of Marfa, the road is smooth and paved (and scenic), but after awhile it gets rugged and definitely only for the best prepared drivers and high profile automobiles.  The road gets increasingly scenic and spectacular and adventureous as you travel south...driving it is an epic experience!

The paved portion of the road is the location of two events this fall, the Marfa 100 bike ride (a Metric Century) and the Blackwell School Races.

Please note that on long stretches of the drive, the road cuts through private property and your travels should be restricted to the road only.  Detours onto private land are not permitted by the landowners, so stay on the main road, stay in the car and enjoy the bumpy drive!

Thanks to Randy Mallory and the Texas Historical Commission for the use of this photograph!

Bunk at Fort Davis National Historic Site

One of our favorite parts of the tour of Fort Davis National Historic Site is seeing the bunks used by the soldiers.  Here's a shot of one of them, courtesy of Randy Mallory and the Texas Historical Commission.  The Fort's website says,"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."  The Fort is one of our favorite places in the region, because it takes very little imagination to FEEL you're back in the 1800s with the Buffalo Soldiers.

River Road by Big Bend Ranch State Park

A lovely shot of the River Road (FM-170) by Randy Mallory for the Texas Historical Commission.  Routinely named one of the most scenic drives in the state, the River Road connects Presidio to Terlingua and Big Bend National Park.  For much of the route, the road bisects Big Bend Ranch State Park.