Where are the best badlands?

[tjavery]

Where are good spots in the park containing badlands? By that, I mean locations that are 99.9% free of any vegetation. I'm looking for badlands that have interesting soil & rock colors and erosion patterns.

As an example, the badlands between Indian Head and Maverick mountains look like this:

http://www.texbrick.com/photo/bb_mar_07/3523.jpg

This is interesting and I'm looking for other spots in the park that are similar.

Thanks!

[Vince T]

Funny...before I got to your second paragraph "as an example..."  I was going to recommend you go to Indian Head.

I also like a spot on the north side of the park road before Maverick Junction that (if you are looking on a map) is almost perfectly south of Slickrock Canyon.  
There are some neat badland spots in there.

Vince

[Vince T]

OK...I thought I would post of few of what I had -
The first 4 are all at that spot south of Slickrock.
Not exactly what you are looking for I am guessing, now that I am looking at them again...

1)

2)


3)


4)


This one is  a few miles north of Tornillo Creek, on the west side of the road heading south toward PJ.

5)


This one is just about 1/4 mile north of Tornillo

6)


This one is in the Indian Head area...and most like what you are looking for, I am guessing...

7)

[tjavery]

Thanks, Vince! Yeh, I'd seen some of the badlands just south of Slickrock while driving. I'd been wanting to wonder around there.

Another area that I've seen, but not yet explored, is along River Road East. About 1 to 2 miles west of the junction of River Road East and the paved highway, there's an area of low, smooth hills (this area is on the north side of the road). The hills are of bare reddish and tan soil. I'm curious about this area, but not sure how far it extends.

[Roy]

The flats just east of Mesa de Anguila have some barren spots;  you'd have to craoss Terlingua Creek at Terlingua Abaja and navigate a couple of washes to get there.

I've never been in there, but Alamo Creek between Maverick Road and Tule Mountain looks pretty "bad".  Might be tough finding a way in and out of there while carrying a load of camera gear.

[Vince T]

Another area that I've seen, but not yet explored, is along River Road East. About 1 to 2 miles west of the junction of River Road East and the paved highway, there's an area of low, smooth hills (this area is on the north side of the road). The hills are of bare reddish and tan soil. I'm curious about this area, but not sure how far it extends.

Yes...I faintly remember what you are describing, but it's been 6 years since I've been down that way.
Good luck.
Vince

[tjavery]

The flats just east of Mesa de Anguila have some barren spots;  you'd have to craoss Terlingua Creek at Terlingua Abaja and navigate a couple of washes to get there.

I've never been in there, but Alamo Creek between Maverick Road and Tule Mountain looks pretty "bad".  Might be tough finding a way in and out of there while carrying a load of camera gear.

That's cool! Thanks!

Did you know that your photo is very similar to one by Ansel Adams? Check it out:

http://www.anseladams.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=164

[Roy]

Did you know that your photo is very similar to one by Ansel Adams? Check it out:

http://www.anseladams.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=164

WHAT??   Can't this Adams character can't find his own place to shoot?  has to copy cat me??

(Actually, I was trying to copy him but couldn't get an interesting sky, so I shot the foreground instead.)

[tjavery]

WHAT??   Can't this Adams character can't find his own place to shoot?  has to copy cat me??

(Actually, I was trying to copy him but couldn't get an interesting sky, so I shot the foreground instead.)

 :lol:

So how far is this spot from the Terlingua Abaja campsites? Is it due west from there?

[Vince T]

Did you know that your photo is very similar to one by Ansel Adams? Check it out:

I like Roy's better, actually!
Vince

[Roy]

Thanks, Vince;  wish it was worth anywhere near one of Adam's prints.

TJ, the flats are along the trail to Bruja Canyon, the pic was from along Maverick Road well north of there.

The Bruja Canyon trial crosses Terlingua Creek below the campsites.  Cross the creek below the camping area and stay just south of the hill on the other side of the creek and  you'll be in the old Terlingua Abaja ruins;  there's a little trail marked with a sign.  Head straight west through a notch in a low ridge;  you'll have to get down in a drainage that runs through there.  You'll come out of the wash in a broad, flat barren area.  South and west will be Mesa de Anguila and some low hills;  another wash a couple of hundred yards ahead will take you to Bruja Canyon which you can see as a deep notch in the Mesa;  I'll try to find a pic to post.  You're on the southern edge of the really barren stuff which extends to a low line of hills north of you.  There's no marked trail, but it's not hard to find.  Round trip to the flats and back would be around 2 miles; add in another mile or so for Bruja Canyon.
There used to be a hand drawn map on the BBNP web site, or ask the Rangers when you get there.

Legend has it that film shot around Bruja could not be developed;  the old witch didn't want anyone photographing her.  Don't think she's figured out digital yet.

[Roy]

Pulled this off WikiMapia;  you can see the drainage cutting through the ridge.

http://www.wikimapia.org/#lat=29.195516&lon=-103.609443&z=15&l=0&m=h&v=2

[Sotol Vista]

TJ, I really liked the area just out side the maverick junction entrance point. I guess its called the Maverick Badlands (?) both sides the road look interesting, but I stuck to the east side of the road. the wife and I spent about 2 hours exploring all around back there. found some neat stuff you may like back there.


http://www.james-benton.com/igallery/viewer.php?albid=200&stage=3&imgid=3250

James

[tjavery]

TJ, I really liked the area just out side the maverick junction entrance point. I guess its called the Maverick Badlands (?) both sides the road look interesting, but I stuck to the east side of the road. the wife and I spent about 2 hours exploring all around back there. found some neat stuff you may like back there.


http://www.james-benton.com/igallery/viewer.php?albid=200&stage=3&imgid=3250

James

Thanks, James! That's perfect.

Where's a good place to park? Should I park inside the park boundaries and hike in there? About how far west of the entrance gate is this area?

[tjavery]

The Bruja Canyon trial crosses Terlingua Creek below the campsites.  Cross the creek below the camping area and stay just south of the hill on the other side of the creek and  you'll be in the old Terlingua Abaja ruins;  there's a little trail marked with a sign.  Head straight west through a notch in a low ridge;  you'll have to get down in a drainage that runs through there.  You'll come out of the wash in a broad, flat barren area.  South and west will be Mesa de Anguila and some low hills;  another wash a couple of hundred yards ahead will take you to Bruja Canyon which you can see as a deep notch in the Mesa;  I'll try to find a pic to post.  You're on the southern edge of the really barren stuff which extends to a low line of hills north of you.  There's no marked trail, but it's not hard to find.  Round trip to the flats and back would be around 2 miles; add in another mile or so for Bruja Canyon.
There used to be a hand drawn map on the BBNP web site, or ask the Rangers when you get there.

Legend has it that film shot around Bruja could not be developed;  the old witch didn't want anyone photographing her.  Don't think she's figured out digital yet.

Thanks for that info! I've been wanting to explore that area of the park, but I didn't know the relation between those points of interest. Looks like if I camp at TA, I'll have easy access to that area.

I remember checking out a website a while back about annual trips to Bruja by a group of pagans, or something. It was a little weird.

If I get down there, I'll be sure to take a load of garlic, or wooden stakes, or silver bullets, or something Whatever repels witches... Maybe some good, strong air-pooties would do the trick