Mariscal Canyon Rim trail on the river road. This is the one canyon that few ever see when visiting Big Bend. Most seen are Santa Elena and Boquillas from the river level. Mariscal Canyon is a five mile hike up to the top of the canyon rim. However, you get incredible views from top. Imagine your feet on the edge of a cliff looking straight down 1500 feet to the bottom of the canyon. That's a height of 2 Hemisphere towers end to end! Best part of a recent 4 day camping trip.
I have done the following several times: Hike from the basin up to the rim. The Pinnacles trail is the shortest and steepest, Laguna Meadow is longer and more gradual. Aim for the campsites on the NE, SE or SW rim. (I think I camped at SW3 the last time, I liked that spot, also have camped at NE2 or NE3.) Parts of the south rim are often closed to protect nesting Perigrine falcons. Anyways, camp overnight in whatever of those spots. The next day, day hike to the summit of Emory Peak and return to the campsite. The next day, hike back down into the Basin. It might be nice to camp in Boot Canyon, I haven't done that yet. Be prepared to carry many more pounds of water than you would really like.
Let me also add..... One of the easiest, yet most stunning hikes we did was an "oh by the way" type stop called "Grapevine Hills". The trailhead is about 7 miles north up an unpaved road just west of the Chisos Mountain Road Junction. You get a very big reward for a very non-strenuous hike here.
Tip: if you are doing the Emory peak in one day (doable), you need to be on the trail at the crack of dawn. Days are still short, and you want to budget your time appropriately. Go up Laguana Meadows (right side) and down Pinnacles (left side), at least I think those are the names. Bring a flashflight, ideally the head mounted ones (you can get cheapies at walmart and academy). I've done it in running shoes, but hiking boots are better. Just not a fresh pair. Or at least bring a little baggie with duct tape and moleskin. FWIW, I got married in the basin in March of '06, said our vows on the little handicapped trail just off the basin parking lot. Everyone we dragged out there thanked us for showing it to them. Funny (now) story from that: (1) the JP (Brewster county) who did the wedding is also the county coroner. If someone died, he told us his ceremonial duties would have to wait, the coroner inquest takes precendence. No problem, we got a back up. A gregarious buddy of mine who would do the vows. I think he even had filled out a minister app from the back of a rolling stone. We were all set.One crucial flaw in our plan. My buddy is a great guy. He had stomach stapling surger 8 weeks before. The night before the wedding he was feeling sick. Still felt very sick in the morning. Had to drive himself to Alpine, checked into the hospital. Turns out he had a complication from the stomach surgery, scar tissue in his intestine blocked him all up. He nearly died. In fact, he missed the vows. Can you see the problem? If he had had died, the JP would have had to be the county coroner, and my buddy who nearly died was the backup. For grins:
Boot-licker... If you are going straight to Emory Peak, I don't think you want to go up Laguna Meadow (indeed the right one) instead of Pinnacles, even though is isn't as steep... I am looking at my map now, and LM doesn't head straight to the spur to the Emory Peak summit, it does eventually get there, but it winds around a lot more (passing that boot), while Pinnacles heads straight there. I would agree with the start at the crack of dawn bit though. P.S. One of my favorite bits about Emory Peak is checking out the swifts that buzz by at c. 100 mph, it is pretty cool.
My two cents. You don't need a crack of dawn start for Emory Peak unless you are way out of shape. Even the park service says this is a 5-6 hour hike. If you are in shape and have the time I would recommend the South Rim over Emory Peak. I like going up Laguna Meadows and returning via Pinnacles.
Re: the 5-6 hours. Exactly. You have the time if you are in decent shape, so might as well take the scenic route. Pinnacles is kinda boring, the meadows on the right side are pretty. You also have a better chance of seeing wildlife on Laguana Meadows. In early March Boot Spring will probably be frozen solid, and very pretty. There is a cut over from Laguana to Pinnacles if you don't need to see all of the Rim. Not sure if you pass The Boot (the pic above). BTW, Jan of last year we saw a bear. A real live Texas Bear.
Oh, and Re: the star party. DO IT! If you can get to Ft Davis some saturday (that's the day I think), DO IT! Its amazing. Even if the weather is party cloudy you can usually see Jupiter. If its clear, you can see some very very very cool stuff, like the Sprial Nebula. Getting the UT McDonald's people to open it up prior to the UTEP game is genius. One tip about that: Don't drive from the observatory to the Big Bend after the star party if you can help it. I drove it. I was fried and tired. I had to drive like 40 mph, I think every mammal in west texas tried to jump in front of my car. I've drive up snowy passes, and taken the Road to the Sun in a giant SUV, but nothing was white knuckle as dodging mule deer every goddum mile from Ft Davis to Study Butte.
Resurrecting the thread- I just got back from a 4 day/3 night trip. We stayed 2 nights at the Cottonwood campground (where no generators are allowed). It is set in a grove of Cottonwood trees and provides a lot of shade. There are dumpsters and port-a-potties but that's about it. There are only 30 campsites there and it is generally very quiet. It is on the west side of the park with Santa Elena Canyon and Cerro Castellan in the background. The last night we stayed in the Chisos Basin at the bottom loop where no generators are allowed. It is a lot more crowded than the Cottonwood campground with 60-ish campsites, but it is a lot more central to more hiking and the temperatures were a bit cooler. We hiked the Chimneys, Santa Elena Canyon, Grapevine Hills, Lost Mine, and the Window, as well as photographed Sam Nail Ranch and lots of mountains. The hiking was BEAUTIFUL and I'm sad we couldn't have done more. When we go back we will also do Mule Ears. We did not visit the east side of the park where the Hot Springs and Boquillas Canyon are. It was still very busy; in fact every day we were there the campsites filled up by noon. Here are a few of the better pictures to get you motivated: Cerro Castellan Old windmill at Sam Nail Ranch The Window Along the Chimneys trail Cerro Castellan at sunset Casa Grande in the Chisos
that's from a hike in Big Bend State Park. It ends in a waterfall, but for some reason I can't find that pic. If you've done big bend 3 or 4 times, check out the state park (with a pick up truck). Its pretty awesome, too.
I recommend two trips if you have a high ground clearance vehicle-Ernst Tinaja, and Pine Canyon hike. Pine Canyon is a beautiful hike, and since you have to drive over a high ground clearance road for four or five miles to the parking area, not nearly as many people go on it as the more popular hikes. It is uphill all the way to a small waterfall in a box canyon, great birds. Watch for rattlesnakes, though. Mule ears is a good hike, easily accessible.
Wow, this thread keeps on keeping on. A couple of things, fyi, the final ten feet of the summit on Emory is a bit of a scramble. Some people with a fear of heights and/or exposure will be very unsettled and won't make it. Just to keep in mind... Also, if you like the solitude at Cottonwood you'd love camping at the backcountry car-camping sites. I don't know about march, but in Jan/Feb they are pretty isolated from casual traffic. That's where I've stayed my last few trips; although now I'm going to start going to Big Bend Ranch I think.
Perfect timing to see this thread updated. I'm thinking of taking a week in July. Is it too hot then? Would take my three-man tent and set up base in one of the mentioned camp and possibly do some backcountry camping with a solo tent. Given the 12 mpg I get in my truck, I've been looking at renting a car - unlimited miles for $400 or so. Do they sell beer at the stores in the park, or do I need to bring my own? Also, how is cell phone reception at BB?
Here is a link to climate data for the region. E.g., panther junction is park HQ, but there are lots of sites. Basically it will be hot, especially down in the desert. NOt deadly though. At Panther Junction in July, avg high is about 97. There are two convenience stores in the park, and they sell beer, but I'd get it before or out to Study Butte where there are a few stores. weather linkn
I've stood out in the parking lot in front of PJ many times talking on my cell. There's also a few spots on the road between PJ and the Basin cut off. Nothing on the road to Rio Grande village or up in the Basin. Its too hot for most people in the summer. I wouldn't consider it at all unless I stayed in the Basin. The back country sites are very exposed with no shade so bring something you can set up and sit under to get out of the sun. Plan on doing most of your hikes in early morning or early evening.
I did it last July and am doing it again this July 16th. It's an absolutely amazing park, Take some zip-ties to keep your tent closed at night, or you may find visitors in your tent with you. Skunks are very intellegent, and have now figured out how to open tents. Take it from me, it's not fun when they give you a wake up call.......
On my weather link you'll see the avg July high in Chisos Basin is only 85, but 17 degrees higher (102) down at Castolon, lower and by the river. Regarding skunks; they get into tents by putting their noses on the zipper pull and pressing. If you don't leave a gap in the zipper, or if they can't get to the juncture of the two zipper pulls, I think you'll be ok.
I have never, ever heard that about skunks. We did have a javelna scare once when I was there. Well, they scared us and we scared them, so it was mutual. Suggestions on backcountry packing sites and trails? I've been checking this guide out. I'm definitely basing Chisos Mntn Campsite. Backcountry Trails
I head out Wednesday night, and should get to the park around 8 Thursday morning. I too am looking for any more pointers!
