Baby Short-horned Lizard

Horned lizards (also known as horny toads, horned frogs, and horned toads) are not as common as they once were, with habitat destruction being the major factor in the decline of the population. This little guy is a short-horned lizard--the species has a range from Southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, all the way south to Sonora, Chihuahua and Durango, Mexico. 

The species lives in short-grass communities of the the northern Great Plains, in sagebrush and greasewood of the Great Basin, and on mountain hillsides and valleys with pinyon-juniper (which is where we found this wee one), aspen and coniferous forests throughout the range.  This short-horned lizard was found at the Davis Mountains Preserve, part of The Nature Conservancy's preservation area in our region, north of Fort Davis.

The lizards are so cute, many folks are tempted to keep them as pets.  Howver the Horned Lizard Conservation Society warns that they're very difficult to keep in captivity, and taking one home will likely lead to the animal dying a slow death.  We put this one back in the grass where we found him on the side of the mountain, so others may enjoy him and his offspring.

Want to learn more?  Check out http://www.hornedlizards.org/ and consider becoming a member of the Horned Lizard Conservation Society, based in Austin.

Our thanks to the Tierra Grande chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist program, the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center, and the Davis Mountains Preserve!

View of the Davis Mountains, Hiking down from Mt Livermore

High in the Davis Mountains, hiking down from the summit of Mt Livermore we're treated to some of the best views anywhere.  Owned by The Nature Conservancy, this unique place is protected for us to enjoy.  From their website:  "Rising above the Chihuahuan desert, the range forms a unique “sky island” surrounded by the lowland desert. Animals and plants living above 5,000 feet are isolated from other similar mountain ranges by vast distances. These are true ecological islands, preserving living remnants that occur otherwise nowhere else in Texas."

Open public access is available on special days set aside by The Nature Conservancy.  Next on the schedule may be a few months away, but it is a special one....so plan ahead.  Why not come out to the mountains to select and cut your own Christmas Tree, December 3 or 10?

Alpine's Kokernot Lodge, The Lost Colony exhibition at Museum of the Big Bend

Kokernot Lodge, Oil, ca. 1930s, 36 X 48, Julius Woeltz, Museum of the Big Bend

If you've ever been to Alpine's Kokernot Lodge, you'll recognize it in this lovely painting now showing at the Museum of the Big Bend.  Exhibition curator, Mary Bones writes us:

"Opening on September 10th at the Museum of the Big Bend is a major retrospective of early Texas artists and their students who were at Sul Ross State University. The Lost Colony: Texas Regionalist Paintings surveys the first 30 years of the Art Department and the establishment of an Art Colony at the school. This Art Colony was active from 1932 to 1950.

The Art Colony began in 1932 when San Antonio native, Julius Woeltz was hired to head the Art Department. He immediately started an Art Colony and chose his former art instructor, Xavier Gonzalez, as the instructor. That first Art Colony was based out of Kokernot Lodge in Alpine, Texas.

The Museum of the Big Bend is located on the campus of Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas.  Operating hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9am to 5pm and Sunday, 1 to 5pm.  Admission is free. Donations are gratefully accepted. Free parking."


This is just one of many lovely image from the exhibition...make a point to visit!  The exhibition opens tomorrow and runs through January 29, 2012!

Look at that sky! You can't see this at home....

Double-click on this image to get a closer view...amazing!

Our friend, Steve Kennedy, captured one of our region's best assets...our unspoiled night sky.  Here are two particularly wonderful images Steve took in the center of Big Bend National Park in Chisos Basin.   (See Casa Grande in the first image?)  Double-click on either image to get a closer view...and be AMAZED.  Yes, it does look like this in person...come and take a look for yourself!  To learn more about the night sky, consider visiting Fort Davis' McDonald Observatory.

Many travelers visit several communities on their trip to the mountains, and our hoteliers are often some of our best guides to the region.  Steve, and his wife Carla, who run the Old Schoolhouse B&B and Hope's Ranch Guest House in Fort Davis are thoroughly knowledgable about the region and can offer suggestions for travelers.  Both of their properties participate in our Texas Mountain Trail cycle-friendly program.  Steve's an avid cyclist, knows all the roads and routes and even has simple biking tools and supplies available. 

Sneak Peek from our Saddle/Paddle trip in Big Bend

We wanted to share this preview photo from our trip on horseback and by canoe recently in Big Bend.  Stay tuned for more information about our one day adventure from Lajitas Stables and Big Bend River Tours!

A worker!

Some dung beetles, from the scarab family, are known as "rollers," as they'll roll dung into balls to use as a food source or a brooding chamber.  We recently found him working at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center, on the grounds of the Botanical Garden.  About halfway through this 15 second video, the beetle will stop, walk on top of the ball and get to work again.

Fort Davis National Historic Site

Open today and ready for your visit....and mark October 13 on your calendar..the Texas Mountain Trail and Fort Davis National Historic Site are doing something special that day on Facebook and Twitter.  We're reenacting in real time a day at the Fort from the 1870s and 1880s!

Follow the fun on Facebook, on the Texas Mountain Trail page.   Or on the Trail's Twitter page!  www.twitter.com/trailgirl

Blooming now: Trumpetflower

blooming in full glory at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Garden on Saturday

Near the burn edge on the Hospital Canyon Trail at Fort Davis National Historic Site on Saturday

In bloom on the mountainside, Hospital Canyon Trail at Fort Davis National Historic Site (Double-click to see the flowers in the upper left section of the mountain)


Seen yesterday in Fort Davis, at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens and at Fort Davis National Historic Site's Hospital Canyon trail, the Trumpetflower (Techoma stans) adds a brilliant color to the landscape.  In full bloom now, even on the burn edge of the Hospital Canyon Trail, which is recovering nicely from April's wildfire!  Come see it for yourself!

Rainbow Cliffs

South of Marathon, there's a rock formation called Rainbow Cliffs, which has served as a landmark for centuries.  The striated rock gave protection to Camp Pena Colorado, a Buffalo Soldier encampment as well as the native peoples gathering at the nearby spring and its water.  To read more about history and geology of the spot, click here.

You can see Rainbow Cliffs and visit nearby WPA project, Post Park on our heritage bike route (an easy 10 miles total, out-and-back) which can also be driven.  Post Park is also a site on our Far West Texas Wildlife Trail map on the Marathon-Alpine loop!  Check it out!

Sunset over the Davis Mountains

Taken at the Davis Mountains Preserve outside of Fort Davis!

Kitchen and Bar of the Clark Hotel, now Van Horn's museum

 

Van Horn's history is about people stopping overnight for water, and then passing through.  Native peoples stopped south of town at a place now called Van Horn Wells, the Butterfield Overland Mail stage stopped there, and there was a railroad stop in town too.  Today, it is I-10 that takes travelers through Van Horn, as they cross the southern tier of the United States.
What better place to tell the history of the area, then a former hotel?  The Clark Hotel building was an overnight stay for travelers from around 1919 when travelers came by train, until the mid-century.  In 1979, it was purchased by the Museum Association.  Now it displays artifacts telling the history of the area.

Read more about it here!

360 degree view of the Davis Mountains, Clayton's Overlook Trail

Mitre Peak in the background, with an intrepetive panel showing the history and geology of the view

Did you know that the road through Wild Rose Pass is not quite the historic route taken by travelers?  This exhibit shows both routes.

Lovely view

Explanation of the geology of the area

There's a great trail outside Fort Davis, at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center that offers an interpeted 360 degree view of the Davis Mountains.  It is rated moderate to difficult, and 2.25 miles takes you to the highest point on the property, where Our Dynamic Landscape exhibit shows the geology, geography and history of the area

Colorado Canyon access to the Rio Grande, Big Bend Ranch State Park

Easy to get to from from the River Road, Hwy 170.....for your river fun is the Colorado Canyon river access in Big Bend Ranch State Park.  The park's website says this:

"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."

We'll report on our own canoe trip with an outfitter in the coming days...stay tuned!

Ysleta Mission--made of adobe, clay, straw and Spanish vigas

Ysleta Mission, established 1680, is the oldest continuously active parish in the state of Texas, and the community of Ysleta is the oldest in Texas, dating back to 1682.  The Rio Grande flooded in 1744 and again in 1829, and the current mission building was built in 1851.  Today it is one of the jewels of the Rio Grande, a beautiful and proud landmark in the Mission Valley of El Paso.

Read more about the Mission Valley here. 
Want a guided tour?  Click here for more information!

Cycle-friendly Big Bend Resorts and ADVENTURES!

Quaint bridge on the scenic golf course behind the Resort headquarters!





View of one of the target golf greens, a rugged, scenic place to launch some balls!

 

This is a cycle-friendly property!   Park your bike in your room; on-site cafe for easy, early breakfasts; lots of grab and go snacks! 

 Big Bend Resorts and Adventures is in Terlingua close to the entrance of Big Bend National Park, making it a perfect launching spot for all kinds of fun.  Behind their motel rooms, tent camping and RV sites, they have a target golf course set in view of some pretty terrific mountains.  They have a stable and offer horseback riding; a party barn and "Big House" for groups; and if you want to guided experience, they have a rugged, comfortable vehicle and a friendly "life-long Terlinguan" to take you on any adventure or 4x4 road you want!

They also participate in our cycle-friendly program, and offer the following to individual touring cyclists or groups:  "Cycle-friendly features include: convenient location to Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park and on-site trails; clean, comfortable rooms; on-site café for breakfast, lots of grab and go snacks for rides plus box lunches to go; on-site parking for bikes and towed vehicles; and more. Laundry, public showers, custom guided tours,party barn for groups, target golf course tent/RV sites."

Sunrise on the River Road

One of the loveliest drives anywhere is the River Road, Hwy 170 that connects Terlingua to Presidio.  The land is rugged and spectacular, but you miss an experience if you don't look up into the sky, too.  We recently took this shot on a morning drive to the Lajitas Stables.  We'll post about our saddle/paddle experience with them soon!

A Turkey Story

One of the funniest, quirkiest things to happen to Marfa is the appearance of our new unofficial town mascosts.  Look closely in the shaded street behind this truck for a look at one of them...and when you visit Marfa, keep an eye out for them!  Three turkeys usually explore the street in their own little pack of ne'er-do-wells...or so it would seem!

For laugh and an explanation, read this discussion on Marfalist.org.  Come to think of it, if you're coming to Marfa and you want to know what's new in town, Marfalist.org is a great resource!  Check it out! 

Starlight Theatre

Taken on a recent Thursday night, just as dinner service was starting

A perennial favorite in Terlingua Ghost Town is the Starlight Theatre, with a full dining and bar menu...and good news for many visitors...it is smoke free!  Still a great place to enjoy live music and entertainment, people watch, and the view from the front porch is magnificent!  It is one of our favorite places to see Mule Ears! 

Here's a link to their Facebook page! 

Think we're burned up? Heck, no!

This was taken on Saturday, August 20 on Hwy 17 heading to Fort Davis from Marfa....the burned areas are greening up nicely and the entire landscape is covered with regrowth!

Velvetpod Mimosa

Just one of the plants flowering at the Botanical Gardens at Fort Davis' Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center last Saturday!