If you were going with the family......

[gmglenn]

Hiking the park will be new to our two families.  We're planning to arrive on the 19th or 20th of March and will have 4 full days before back to reality.  We'll have a couple of 16 year old boys, two 11 yr old boys, two wives and Mark and myself.  A recommended itinerary would be greatly appreciated!!  The boys and wives are all up to full day loop or out and back hikes.  We do love the canyons and vistas as well.  

Mark and his family tow a 19' camper and they've read about the 15 degree roads going to Chisos Basin Campground.  We'll probably stay at Rio Grande Village unless someone has a better recommendation.  

Thanks alot!!

[okiehiker]

What you probably want are some places that some of your group can do shorter hikes while the boys take some longer ones.  

Assuming that you want to avoid rough roads I would say one day at the Basin (not a bad drive as mountain roads go), one day north/east, two days west side

From the basin I would do the Window/Window Pour-off and Lost Mine Trails.

What else makes sense from the Basin depends upon the desire of your group.  This may range from Emory Peak to the South Rim loop or Casa Grande.

North/east I would do Dog Canyon/Devils Den and Grapevine Hills.  Paint Gap and Croton Springs each have their own appeal as well.

West side (along the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive)--

Cattail Falls is a wonderful moderate dayhike

The Mule Ears Complex has a good main trail in and an infinite amount of scrambling that the boys can do over a wild variety of terrain.

The Blue Creek/Homer Wilson Ranch/Red Rock area is another nice varied dayhike

The Burro Mesa/Javelina Wash pour-off area and the Burro Spring/Burro Spring pour-off range from very short and easy to moderate, and are amazing places.

Santa Elena Canyon and Tuff Canyon are short easy dayhikes you can all do together.

Cerro Castellan is wonderful badlands terrain in a wild array of colors.

You can find threads on all of these hikes if you do a search or two ( or twenty!!)  :)

Four days is not enough to do very much in any of these places.  It might just be ideal though to get them a taste of BIBE and make them want to come back!

[Roy]

Sunsets in BIBE are special;  see at least one from the Window View Trail, one from Sotol Vista.  Sunrise over the Sierras is great;  just about anywhere with a wide view will do, but you're too close at RGV;  and I'd recommend a sunrise at Santa Elena Canyon (assuming the teenagers will cooperate).

[gmglenn]

This is great info...I was so drawn to this area when I first visited.  Four days won't be enough, but it's a start.  The experience you guys have with the park is greatly appreciated.  I agree that the RGV is too enclosed to experience what the park is all about.  Born and raised in West TX and missing the wide open spaces but some others haven't had the experience.  This trip will open some eyes for sure!

[RichardM]

One often overlooked feature of RGV is the nature trail.  It has an awesome sunset spot with a view of the Chisos.  I finally got around to checking it out last November, although not at sunset.

[Goldilocks]

Richard, you are right, it is often overlooked but there are some wonderful views in all directions and would be a great trail to do with kids.   8)

Nice picture!  8)

[homerboy2u]

A friend of mine called today and he was asking me if it was a good idea or not to go to Big Bend, and I was looking for a trip report with many pictures of it. I remembered it was yours, RichardM , but i could not remember the title of the thread. Thank you for posting it again.

 Now lets see if he is ready to offer a better one than this. If i go, i realize i have to bring the whole HEB store or something like that..to you know who :roll: ... :lol: .

Saludos

[RichardM]

A friend of mine called today and he was asking me if it was a good idea or not to go to Big Bend, and I was looking for a trip report with many pictures of it. I remembered it was yours, RichardM , but i could not remember the title of the thread. Thank you for posting it again.

Yeah, I pretty much set the record for most pics per days of trip for that report.  Possibly most pics per report, but I'm too lazy to count.