Backcountry Adventure in Big Bend Inspires Thoughts on Conservation

In a divided political climate, I think one thing all Texans can agree upon is the unique and special nature of the Big Bend region and the need for its continued and expanded protection. This past summer Rep. Will Hurd (R-23) introduced the Big Bend National Park Boundary Adjustment Act H.R. 8093. This would allow the National Park Service to acquire land from willing private property owners via sale or donation to expand Big Bend National Park by up to 6,100 acres, having the potential to bring its total size up to 807,380 acres. 

Compare Big Bend National Park at its current 801,280 acres to the 1,020,000 acres protected throughout Texas by conservation easements. Conservation easements allow private landowners to maintain ownership of their property after placing permanent development restrictions on the land; this conservation tool can be used throughout Texas. Land protected via the National Park system adds a public use component to land protection; while ensuring a large, single piece of land provides connected habitat for our native wildlife, it also welcomes the public to experience and enjoy this landscape—a piece of our environmental heritage protected for generations to come. 

In a state that is 95% privately owned, we need both private protection and public protection to make sure there are natural spaces for future Texans to enjoy. Allowing willing landowners to donate or sell their land adjacent to Big Bend to expand the park ensures more land in Texas is permanently protected! We applaud Rep. Hurd for introducing this important legislation. 

“Big Bend National Park is an iconic piece of America that shows our country’s beauty, history and incredible environmental value. With H.R. 8093, the National Park Service would be allowed to expand this awe-inspiring park an additional 6,100 acres. Not only would this provide protection for this land, but it would also give Americans even more area to respect and appreciate. This boundary change would protect the very rare and unique Terlingua Watershed, some of the most important fossil bearing rocks in Big Bend and ruins of pioneer homesteads of both Anglos and Hispanics. I hope my colleagues will support this legislation that will preserve some of America’s most beautiful land for future generations to appreciate.”  

Along with TLC Board Member Gena McKinley, I had the unique privilege of embarking on a socially distanced Thanksgiving in the Big Bend backcountry. Prior to the trip, we agreed to follow strenuous COVID-19 precautions and after our negative COVID-19 tests came through, we were ready to go! 

While no trip to Big Bend is complete without a stop off at Santa Elena Canyon or the Chisos Basin, we were looking for a more remote and rugged experience, and we found it on the Outer Mountain Loop. The Big Bend National Park website describes the Outer Mountain Loop as follows:  

• “Strenuous; significant elevation changes and primitive trail, no water” 
• “The route is highly strenuous and is not recommended for inexperienced hikers” 
• “This route is not appropriate for first-time Big Bend hikers” 
• “Each year, park rangers are called to respond to medical emergencies along this route.” 
• “A surprising percentage of hikers do not actually finish this entire route. There are many reasons, but most of them relate to being unprepared and underestimating the difficulty of the terrain. . . The elevation gain/loss and the intense desert climate wears people down and they choose to end their trip at the Homer Wilson Ranch after crossing the Dodson when they face the 2500′ climb back up into the Chisos at Blue Creek Canyon.” 

Never ones to turn back from a challenge, Gena and I knew this was the hike for us! For this backcountry desert hike, the trip logistics began the day before. 

T minus 1 / Prep Day 

• Getting permits. There’s a limited number of permits issued no more than 24 hours in advance, and we made sure we were first in line!
• Caching water at two locations. Six liters for each of us for each day is too much to carry for a three-day hike through the desert. 
• And getting a little sight-seeing in at some of Big Bend’s iconic spots! 

Day 1 of the Outer Mountain Loop: 

• Chisos Basin – Pinnacles Trail – Boot Canyon – Juniper Canyon – Dodson Trail. From the Basin, we headed up into the Chisos on the Pinnacles Trail. Packs full of a days worth of water weren’t light but not so heavy as to dampen our excitement! 
• We ran into a mama and her cub in Boot Canyon resting about 8 feet from the trail. Mama watched us as we made a very wide detour around the trail, but she didn’t seem too concerned with our presence. Baby was too busy running up and down the tree behind Mama to give us a second thought. 
• Hiking down 3,000′ following Juniper Canyon Trail was beautiful and landed us in the desert grasslands of lower Juniper Canyon. 
• The best part about backpacking is seemingly having the whole world to yourselves! We found a lovely camping spot and were rewarded with beautiful views, including a star-filled dark sky and a sunrise that took my breath away! 

Day 2 of the Outer Mountain Loop: 

• Day 2/Thanksgiving Day was spent almost entirely on the Dodson Trail, the hottest and most exposed section of the loop. I was very excited to put my newest backpacking toy to use. I would recommend looking into a hiking umbrella to anyone hiking in the desert! The temps go down by 10-15° in the shade even if your cool factor goes down as well! 
• While the terrain keeps you on your toes, I was surprised that this section was one of the most beautiful parts of the loop. I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t the rolling desert landscape with a new and different view around every corner. As part of a loop or just as a day hike, if you get the chance, don’t miss out on hiking the Dodson Trail!  
• After picking up our water cache at Homer Wilson, we headed up Blue Creek Canyon to find the perfect Thanksgiving camping spot for our dehydrated feast! Gena cut the bottoms off two of our empty water jugs to make bowls for Thanksgiving dinner. #reuse 
• A dehydrated feast of mashed potatoes, stuffing, chicken in gravy, cranberries—all topped with French fried onions and followed with cheesecake! Not as good as Grandma makes it, but a well-earned, backcountry Thanksgiving feast!  

Day 3 The Blue Creek Canyon – Laguna Meadows – Chisos Basin:

• The climb up Blue Creek Canyon took my breath away in more ways than one. The walk up the creek wash was surrounded by steep rock walls and hoodoos, then turned into a pinyon-oak woodland unlike anything we’d seen so far. 
• Three days, 32 miles later—celebrating with one of our favorite local Austin brews! 
• And seeing a couple TLC members, Adeline Fox and Justin Bosler, in the Chisos Basin parking lot as they started their own adventure!