Big Bend National Park - 3/14

You could spend a month exploring the 5+ distinct areas of Big Bend.

We were going to skip the park altogether but found we had a spare day and were less than an hour away, so we took the opportunity to introduce ourselves to the park just to get a taste.
We pulled in last night and the stars were amazing. (I have no pictures.) We were reading about how the skies here are "Scale 1 on the Bortle Light Pollution Scale". They say that means it's as dark as it gets without going to space! And it was incredible.

The big attraction in Big Bend is hiking and March is their busiest month, so this morning we chose to hike the 5-mile Dog Canyon trail. 

At the ranger's suggestion, we drove down a 4wd dirt road (with the trailer) to park because the trailhead parking lots were full. That was an adventure in itself, but successful.

This was a desert hike. Watching out for cacti, snakes, etc. and making our way through desert terrain into a wash that led into a beautiful canyon. 

The boys practiced their first aid/survival skills by carrying their brother with various holds.

Weather today was in the mid-80s, so although we thoroughly enjoyed our hike, we also enjoyed having ice cream when we got back to the camper! (Sometimes there are advantages to having your whole house with you!)