If anyone is in the Texas area and looking for a little time away from home, check out this 320 mile road trip from El Paso, TX to Big Bend. This trip guides drivers through where Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico meet and provides ample opportunities to take advantage of a bit of culture.
On this trip, vacationers will be able to ride through the arts community in Marfa, Texas on Route 67, where the famous Marfa Ghost Lights will be waiting for your viewing pleasure. These lights are known as a paranormal phenomenon, but some people with a little less flair for the dramatic believe they are just atmospheric reflections of auto headlights and campfires. Others even say they are just static electricity or the more eccentric, swamp gas. Whatever they are, they draw many visitors every year, so take a trip and decide for yourself.
Map of Big Bend National Park
Another big feature for this particular road trip is the Big Bend National Park where about 364,876 people visit every year (number taken from 2008 figures) for hiking, camping, and rafting. There are picnic areas, front country and back country camping, and about 201 miles of hiking trails. On a more educational note, there are 287,342 catalogued museum objects and about 2,340 sites for archeological resources to date.
Big Bend National Park
Animal lovers will also have their fair share of critters to check out. Big Bend is home to many different animals, including the more interesting mountain lions, snakes, scorpions, spiders, and centipedes. Visitors are instructed to check their shoes, sleeping bags, and bedding before sticking any one of your body parts in them, and always carry a flashlight at night. This all sounds a bit scary, but the warning is there so people can travel safely. Only three mountain lion attacks have been reported in the last decade, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Big Bend National Park
Another thing to look out for is sunburn and dehydration. Big Bend encourages everyone to stay hydrated with at least one gallon of water per person/ per day of their trip. It is also important to apply sunscreen and, although it may be tempting, don’t swim in the Rio Grande. If swimming is important to add to your agenda then a three hour drive north to the Balmorhea State Park is in order. If more driving is not on the agenda, then take a soak in Big Bend’s hot springs.
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