Spring Break 2012 @ RGV

[Flash]

Our family has several sites reserved in the Rio Grand Village campground over Spring Break. Ought to be lots of fun. Gonna be crowded in the campground for sure. Now I am wondering what am I in for?
 
Any you folks been in RGV over Spring Break and have any tales to tell? My experience in BB has mostly been in the Basin, up in the Chisos, and out on the west side of the park along RMSD. Never been to BB, except in July or August, when things are nice and quiet. So spring will be pretty different for me.

Any cool spots recommended on the east side to go explore? Might need to find some long hikes to find some solitude maybe?

Thanks,

Flash 

[Casa Grande]

All I gotta say is Spring Break in the Bend is a sight to see itself.  You are in for a surprise.

[Casa Grande]

Heck, you may not even be able to enter the Basin as it will be restricted due to overcrowding.  That's what happened to me the last time I was there during SB.  That should give you a clue.

[jeffblaylock]

Any cool spots recommended on the east side to go explore? Might need to find some long hikes to find some solitude maybe?

The Ore Terminal Trail is one of the best developed trails in the park for solitude. It's accessed from the road to Boquillas Canyon. It's about 4 miles one-way to the ruins of the ore terminal, which was the end of an aerial tramway into Mexico. Collapsing tram towers and rusting cables and buckets mark the old tramway route, which the trail crosses several times. Great views of the Sierra del Carmen and the Ernst Basin. Lots of exploration possibilities in Ernst Basin. Take a wide-brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirt and LOTS of water, as there is no shade on this trail at all.







Marufo Vega Trail, accessed from the same trailhead, takes you on a longer trek to the rim of Boquillas Canyon. There is a round-trip loop via the North and South Fork trails which will take you to the Rio Grande (2nd photo below is from this cross-trail). A shorter, but still spectacular, trek is to take the South Fork to the rim and back.

[Flash]

Heck, you may not even be able to enter the Basin as it will be restricted due to overcrowding.  <snip>

Do they setup a way to count and restrict cars in the Basin a la Enchanted Rock SNA? 

[Flash]

All I gotta say is Spring Break in the Bend is a sight to see itself.  You are in for a surprise.

Seems like the NPS would have lots of extra personnel around for the spring break period. Any cool/special programs not normally available or are they in crowd control mode? 

[Hoodoo]

All I gotta say is Spring Break in the Bend is a sight to see itself.  You are in for a surprise.

Seems like the NPS would have lots of extra personnel around for the spring break period. Any cool/special programs not normally available or are they in crowd control mode? 

Don't know about any special programs but they are definately in crowd control mode. We were there for Spring Break in 2010. There were people EVERYWHERE, well at least at all of the normal haunts.

Rio Grande Village and Cottonwood campgrounds were full, the Basin probably was too, but we didn’t bother checking. The parking lot at the Boquillas Canyon trailhead was overflowing.

There were 5 cars parked on the road to the Hot Springs where the road becomes one-way on each side of the creek. An NPS volunteer was allowing one car in as one car departed because the parking area at the historic district was full.

We still had fun and I would do it again if that was the only time we could go. Just don’t expect any solitude unless you can get off the beaten path.

Enjoy your trip!

Don

[Casa Grande]

Heck, you may not even be able to enter the Basin as it will be restricted due to overcrowding.  <snip>

Do they setup a way to count and restrict cars in the Basin a la Enchanted Rock SNA? 

Pretty much when parking is
Full and there is gridlock on the road, they will politely ask you not to enter at the basin road entrance.   Of course, you can always hike it in.  Might be more fun that way anyway.

[RWZ]

Our family has been going to Big Bend for the last 5 spring breaks.  2012 for us will be more of a backpacking trip as we will do the outer mountain loop and Elephant Tusk trail.  My two sons are currently 10 and 12 and so it has been the only time we really have to go if you want to explore anything besides the Chisos as the temps are just too hot in during the Summer.  It is all about setting your expectations correctly, then enjoying a great time of year in Big Bend with family.  Nothing better.

I have never found it to be too crowded once you get out of the main areas.  Once you get on the trails, even the more used ones, it is not too bad.  The key is to go early in the day.  Be one of the first ones to the trail head (this goes for trips to the Chisos Basin) if you want a parking spot and to not have too many people on the trail (before 9AM usually works).  If you have access to a high clearance vehicle, try to go on trails reached via the backcountry roads.  That will knock out most of the crowds.  You can go off trail as well where allowed.  Two years ago, we bushwacked up Nugent Mountain.  Never saw a soul and the views were great from the top.

I am not sure what the age of your family members are, but here are the areas that my boys love to go to:
Boquillas Canyon - there is a great big sand dune that is perfect to climb up and tumble down;
Marsical Mine - good exploring and my boys like all the old junk lying around;
Grapevine Hills - climbing over all the boulders;
Tuff Canyon;
Santa Elena Canyon - also a good place to bring some tubes and float around a bit;
Glenn Springs Road just south of Glenn Springs - there is a pull out on the west side of the road and just to the west off the pull out is an area with a few steep slopes consisting mainly of soft ash.   We bring cheap plastic sleds and slide down.  Can be really steep in parts, so take caution;
Ernst Tinaja - always seem to see a snake here which is cool;
and
Hunting for fossils.  You are never allowed to take or dig for fossils (there are plenty just lying around anyway).  Always set them back in the same place. We just take pictures and so have a picture fossil collection of sorts.

I have never stayed at RGV during this time.  Despite the crowds, it is still possible to get backcountry roadside campsites during this time.  Those offer some of the convenience of staying in RGV as you will have a vehicle at the site and can carry tons of coolers and stuff but also give a lot of solitude.  The trick to getting these sites or even sites up in the Chisos if you are backpacking, is to get there early in the day.  We have always been able to get a site (although not the one we may have wanted for the first night).  Just make sure you are there before noon.

Please let me know if you have any questions as I have been on most of the major trails and areas of the park with my kids and will be happy to help.