18 replies to this topic

[Sleddog]

We found the info in the guide to be accurate as of January 2020. Mileage and locations stay the same regardless of publication date. Otherwise it seems like change comes slowly in Big Bend.

[XJINTX]

If time permits... maybe checkout Big Bend State Park? Not as touristy for sure but pretty remote for all camping areas. Also Teralingua area and especially the Ghost Town are a must if you come through or leave via that side of National Park.

[DavidGraves]

We second Big Bend state park.

 

DG

[Foy]

I can heartily recommend a book by Ross Maxwell, a geologist who became the first Superintendent of Big Bend NP in 1945.  At the time, he was just 9 years out of his PhD program and he took the helm of the new NP unit with 4 employees, an annual budget of $15,000, no electricity, and the nearest telephone was 100 miles away.  Maxwell was Superintendent from 1945 to 1952. He left BBNP for a teaching position at the University of Texas and while there he published "The Big Bend of the Rio Grande: A Guide to the Rocks, Landscape, Geologic History, and Settlers of the area of Big Bend National Park".  (University of Texas Press, 1968).  

 

There is also a publication by the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology (Texas State geological survey) "Geology of Big Bend Ranch State Park" by Christopher Henry.  Published in 1998,  

 

Both books are written for the scientist and the non-scientist, especially Maxwell's tome.  Each has a splendid large fold out geologic map of the subject area.

 

I would also consider Darwin Spearing's updated "Roadside Geology of Texas" to be a valuable reference for the explorers of Texas.

 

Foy

[smlobx]

If time permits... maybe checkout Big Bend State Park? Not as touristy for sure but pretty remote for all camping areas. Also Teralingua area and especially the Ghost Town are a must if you come through or leave via that side of National Park.

We hope to go to the state park as well. Any recommendations?

 

Foy your book recommendation sounds very interesting but as an Aggie my laptop can’t seem to load anything from tu...(j/k!).

[Foy]

That's OK, Eddie.  The UT crowd doesn't expect you Aggies to know much about books................

 

Ha, only I have somewhat closer affinities to T A&M than to UT.  Lived in Bryan, TX for a few months in 1979 drilling lignite prospects at Franklin and Kosse.  Both prospects ultimately became mines.

 

Hope you folks can pull off your trip!

 

Foy

[Foy]

Forgot to mention the Big Bend Chat forum.  When I last visited there regularly, a good 3-4 years ago, it was a pretty collegial group much like WTW and there were a number of sub-forums, including one dedicated to BBRSP.  

[XJINTX]

We hope to go to the state park as well. Any recommendations?

 

 I say just get map at Signup. Road to NoWhere is fun drive and views. All campsites have their own beauty. Campsites down by the Rive are easy access but sometimes a lot of fisherman (from both sides). Entering from south side and passing through La Jitas and Presidio add to the charm. Old fort (forget name) on south side "used" to have park access passes not sure if they still do.

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Edited by XJINTX, 24 January 2021 - 01:01 PM.

[smlobx]

That's OK, Eddie.  The UT crowd doesn't expect you Aggies to know much about books................

 

Ha, only I have somewhat closer affinities to T A&M than to UT.  Lived in Bryan, TX for a few months in 1979 drilling lignite prospects at Franklin and Kosse.  Both prospects ultimately became mines.

 

Hope you folks can pull off your trip!

 

Foy

 

 

Small world Foy. I started my graduate work on January of 1979 in College Station...