Tag Archives: mexican border

Lajitas

Teardrop Trail Log: March 27, 2016

My first trip to the Big Bend area came when I had been hired to work on the marketing team for Lajitas. The name is Spanish for “little flat rocks” and refers to the Boquillas limestone of the region. The office was located in Austin, but we would fly into the far West Texas resort for meetings. Sadly, we were working and not sight seeing. The only view I had of Santa Elena Canyon was a marketing photograph. This trip was my chance to see the Big Bend country.

Lajitas, twelve miles west of the Terlingua Ghost Town, had consisted of a trading post and an old cavalry post that was used as a hunting lodge. It had been bought by Houston business man, Walter Mischer in 1977. The scruffy, Old West-style resort was best known for its beer-swilling mayor, a goat named Clay Henry. Mischer had turned the town, into a modest resort with an Old West boardwalk, cheap hotel rooms, a nine hole golf course, and an RV park anchored by the 65-year old trading post became known locally as the Courthouse of South County.

Lobby at Lajitas

In 2000, Austin-telecommunications tycoon Steve Smith bought the town at public auction. Smith’s vision was to transform Lajitas into the Palm Springs of Texas and it was christened The Ultimate Hideout. Fast forward to 2007, the property was sold again.

We stopped General Store that has moved down the highway from the resort and is now home to the new mayor Clay Henry. The postcards I found that seemed familiar. They were from the time I had worked there.

Wildflowers in the Big Bend

Teardrop Trail Log: March 27, 2016

We were a little early for the big flush of wildflowers, but there were quite a few blooms — especially cactus — anyway. These are a few of the beauties we encountered in the Big Bend area.

: Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens)

: Greenstem Paperflower (Psilostrophe sparsiflora (A. Gray))

: Buttercup (Ranunculus macranthus)

: Strawberry Pitaya Cactus (Echinocereus enneacanthus)

: Purple Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia macrocentra)

: Creosote Bush (Larrea tridentata)

Big Bend Ranch State Park

Hiking the Santa Elena Canyon

Teardrop Trail Log: March 26, 2016

After a lunch break at Castolon, we drove on to the Santa Elena Canyon entrance. The park ranger in Castolon mentioned that parking might be a problem, and we could see why as we approached the canyon. It’s a very popular attraction in the Big Bend, and a modest amount of parking. Cars were parked on either side of the entrance road for quite a distance. Luckily, someone had just left, creating a space, and we slipped right in. Another advantage of a smaller vehicle! A short walk on the road, and we entered the trail.

Switchbacks!

It starts out with a longish beach “paved” with boards which really help with the deep sand. A turn or two and you get the first unobstructed view of the canyon. Amazing. With walls up to 1500 feet directly bordering the river, the views are really dramatic. After crossing Terlinqua Creek, you begin climbing the improved trail on the U.S. side of the river. A series of switchbacks consisting of paving and stairs, form the first part of the trail.

The view from the top

With a vertical rise of several hundred feet, the 1.7 mile trail provides a decent workout, but a walking stick is helpful as the trail is on the edge of cliff faces at several points along the trail. Great views, but a little challenging for those who aren’t as sure-footed or suffer from vertigo. The paving ends once you reach the highest point of the trail.

The trail near the river

Later, the trail descends back down to the river level with sandy, grass and plant-lined paths that end up at the river. It’s very shallow here, and in places you can walk across the river to the Mexican side — many hikers do. In all, we spent 2-3 hours enjoying the canyon and taking photos. One of the most spectacular experiences I have had on the Teardrop Trail yet!

Near the end of the trail

Exploring Castolon En Route to Santa Elena Canyon

Teardrop Trail Log: March 26, 2016

We entered Big Bend National Park and drove down the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, a 30-mile paved road to the Castolon Historic District on the banks of the Rio Grande. The views were amazing. Santa Elena Canyon came into view as we drove toward the river.

Alvino House, Castolon, Texas

In the early years of the Twentieth Century, people began to farm and ranch in the area. In 1901, Cipriano Hernandez irrigated the bottomland, grew crops and operated the first store in the area out of his home. The building, known as the Alvino House, was named for Alvino Ybarra who lived there with his family from 1918 to 1957. It is the oldest known adobe structure in Big Bend National Park.

The Mexican Revolution raged in Mexico and many families fled across the border until around 1920. The violence brought the U.S. military to defend the border. Numerous camps were established by the National Guard and the Air Corps established a landing field at a nearby ranch. Originally known as Camp Santa Helena, construction of a permanent post at Costolon began in 1919 but by 1920, the Revolution was over and the buildings were never occupied.

La Harmonia, Castolon, Texas

In 1921, the La Harmonia Company Store moved into the new barracks building and served as a store and post office. In 1961, the National Park Service acquired the store and a park concessioner continues to operate it. The visitors center is also located in the historic building. It is still the center of activity in this part of the park.

The parking lot of La Harmonia overlooks the Alvino House below while Santa Elena Canyon beckons in the distance. Even so, this view doesn’t prepare us for the Canyon.

Alvino House with view of Santa Elena Canyon

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