Mileage: 56,540 Rio Grand Village RV Park Big Bend National Park

At first glance, Big Bend appears to be a barren desert. It is actually more ecologically diverse than any of the other national parks with “more species of birds, plants, butterflies, bats, reptiles, and ants.”

We parked the RV and disconnected the Jeep. Because of the government shutdown, the park is much less crowded than it would usually be at this time of year. The Boquillas Crossing was closed.

The Boquillas Crossing is a pedestrian crossing into “old Mexico.” When the park is fully functioning, you can take your passport, get in a rowboat, and cross the Rio Grand into Boquillas. The small town has a restaurant. It subsists on earnings from the tourist who cross the river. The residents of Boquillas sell trinkets…beaded wire sculptures of scorpions and roadrunners, decorated walking sticks and embroidered bags. The border is closed as long as the park is closed. The Mexican people of Boquillas tried to meet with the park authorities to no avail. The craftsmen are being allowed to set up small trinket stands in the park that operate on the honor system. We took an easy hike to the Boquillas Canyon with overlooks of the Rio Grand and a path down to the river plain.

This is where we met Eduardo. He was using his rowboat to cross the river with a bag full of crafts that his wife had made. He explained that they were desperate to sell things in order for his family to survive. Tim bought a bag with a burro on it. Eduardo appeared uneasy and quickly rowed back to the other side of the river. Other craftsmen had traveled across the river on horseback to sell their wares.

Old Ore Road was an isolated spot for our picnic lunch.

Exploring the park with the Jeep on 4WD dirt and gravel roads allows us to be immersed in the desert. Truly off the beaten path or the main park road…we are seeing things that others who just pass through do not get to experience.

At the hot springs, there was a short walk along the canyon walls to the water where people were soaking in the 104 degree springs.

We took the River Road East for more than 10 miles and never actually found the river. As we traveled through here, I cannot help but wonder what force and how much time has passed to create this rugged landscape.

On a clear day, you can see 242 miles…not any further because of the curvature of the earth. Unfortunately, most days there is a haze due to pollutants that corrupts the view.

We were lucky to get a camping spot at Rio Grand Village RV Park…really just a big parking lot, but good enough for tonight….the only place to camp within 60 miles.