Mid-March Planning - Need Help

[tjavery]

Howdy all,

I'm in need of some advice for an upcoming trip. My wife and I are planning on arriving Monday, March 12 and staying until Friday, March 16. However, this block of time may have to shift one way or the other. My crazy work schedule won't allow me to make any firm plans.

What I'm looking to do is make a list of overnight hikes and zone camping spots. This list should be flexible and allow us to shift things around depending on availability in the park (yes, it will be ripe with spring breakers!; based on our experience at x-giving '05 - not a single camping site was available anywhere including ALL of the backcountry - we just shifted to zone camping to get a spot).

Anyway, I'd like to put together two lists: 1) overnight hikes, and 2) good zone camping spots.

1. Overnight Hikes. Nothing terribly difficult or long, and we'll just skip the high Chisos area because of the crowds. I was thinking Mule Ears Spring might be good. What else? At X-giving '05, we hiked up to the little canyon below Elephant Tusk (about 4 miles from the ET trailhead), and that was a nice medium-length overnight hike for us (and probably a short day hike for others :D ).

2. Zone Camping (i.e. a "mini" overnight hike). In particular, I was thinking of maximizing our chances of camping near masses of wildflowers :D Something in the area around Cerro Castellan, and also south-east of Dugout Wells. Can anyone advise? Where's a good and safe place to park and where to make camp? Something on the west side of the park (west of Ross Maxwell drive) might be good since my wife hasn't seen any of it yet and I'd love to see more.

In general, I don't mind zone camping. I think it will provide an opportunity to see more of the park and see areas rarely visited. Plus it might get us away from the crowds. I'm posting here in case you have a nice area in mind that isn't well known and you want to keep it that way (and I'll keep a secret! :D ).

Thanks!

[Boot Canyon 1 Cougar]

T.J.,

I have a recent posting in the Best Hikes, etc. Forum, for a similar request covering some of the area you describe.

There are some great responses from folks who are real familiar with that area.

I'm also going to keep a watch on your post, in case there are some places that members prefer to not describe on the Best Hikes forum--I hadn't thought about that when I made my post.

[Roy]

Dagger Flat via Dog Canyon would be a good overnight/zone camping trip.  It's pretty much flat until the last part, and you probably wouldn't see anyone on the other side of the canyon.

[tjavery]

I have a recent posting in the Best Hikes, etc. Forum, for a similar request covering some of the area you describe.

There are some great responses from folks who are real familiar with that area...

Yeah, thanks. I've been checking that one out. I'd love to do an overnight hike to Dominguez Springs someday. That looks really neat. Could be a contender for this upcoming trip :D

Dagger Flat via Dog Canyon would be a good overnight/zone camping trip.  It's pretty much flat until the last part, and you probably wouldn't see anyone on the other side of the canyon.

Oh yes, I remember our discussions in my other posts about wildflowers. Thanks! I must also consider that one.

[okiehiker]

The Mule Ears Zone (S01) may be the most difficult in the entire park to get at busy times.  It has a limit of 18, and is a very popular area.  If you want to camp in there one night, look for a day late in your itinerary.  The overwhelming probability is that it will be full on the day you get there, but is likely to open up at some point later.  Find out what night you can camp in S01 and build your itinierary around that.  Be aware that there will be lots of people on the trails around Mule Ears at spring break.

The Dominguez Spring hike (S04) mentioned on Boot Canyon's thread is a nice one.  Easy terrain and takes you up into a wonderful canyon.  That zone has a capacity of 40 and will be less busy than the ET or MEP zones at that time.  There is a backcountry roadside campsite near the trailhead.

Other good overnights would be C06... although the smallest zone capacity in the park (10), it is rarely visited and the dikes at Ward Spring are the best in the park.  Easy hike in and there should be good water at the spring this year.  I love sunset on the Chisos from this area.

The Dagger Mountain zone (E02) has a capacity of 40 and gives you Dog Canyon, Devils Den, Dagger Flat.

S02 and S03 get you near Mule Ears, but with less crowding than S01.  There are two routes up towards the Sierra Quemada from there, and a dayhike into the Punta de la Sierra is remarkable.  

West of Ross Maxwell you can find good info on the Tule Spring/tule Mountain/Burro Mesa area and the Chimneys area on other threads.  

Bruja Canyon is a wonderful easy dayhike and you can camp in W05, parking at Terlingua Abaja.  Hikes up on the mesa generally are fairly strenuous.  

Have a great trip and take lots of pictures!

[tjavery]

Thanks John! That definitely helps. I'll be studying the zones map carefully:
http://www.nps.gov/bibe/parknews/upload/BC_Zones.pdf

[01ACRViper]

i reserved a permit for Ward spring the day after christmas and i was the only one in the zone. beautiful spot with lots to see. cattail falls are a short hike away, as well as lots of volcanic goodies. so it's easily possible to get away from the crowds even in the times of peak visitation.