Last weekend in March?

[Merriwether]

Our current plan is to be in Big Bend for four days/three nights, arriving around noon on Friday the 28th and heading back to Houston after lunch on the 31st. We want to do short day hikes somewhere on the 28th and 31st. The 29th/30th we want to do a long backpacking loop, probably along the South Rim.

Are there many Spring Breakers left in Big Bend that late in March? Also, suggestions for the short hikes are greatly apprciated. I'm working my way through "Hiking Big Bend" from Falcon for ideas, but it sounds like everything is absolutely wonderful which makes it hard to decide.

Thanks!
-Merriwether

[jeffblaylock]

Spring Breakers are gone by then.

Great short hikes include the Chimneys, Tuff Canyon, Santa Elena Canyon, Mule Ears Spring, Grapevine Hills, Hot Springs Canyon, and Dog Canyon/Devil's Den.

Wildflowers may be blooming in many washes and along roadsides in the lower elevations.

[xseption]

Wildflowers may be blooming in many washes and along roadsides in the lower elevations.

What treks would best facilitate wildflower viewing? Lower elevations of the park would be near the Rio Grande?

~ edd

[jeffblaylock]

I think of lower elevations as generally anything below 3,750 feet (elev. of Panther Junction), though the biologists and geologists may have another view), so it encompasses a much wider area of the park than the river bottom.

Here is a photo of some bluebonnets taken on the rim of Tuff Canyon, which is reached from a parking area on the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive:



Generally, you can expect to find greater numbers of wildflowers in areas where there's more water -- so roadsides and washes are ideal places to look. Some of the best flowers will be found off trail in side washes, such as those criss-crossing the first couple of miles of the River Road West.

[jamesb]

This past march there was a ton of blue bonnets along the road side and in most of the lower elevation hikes i did (in the washes). Saw several cactus blooming with different types of blooms and some really colorful trees in both boquillas canyon and Upper Buro Mesa pour off.

James

[badknees]

Tornillo Creek by the bridge is also good most years


http://www.mirrormagic.com/Bigbend/slides/DSCN5389%20copy%202.html

[xseption]

Generally, you can expect to find greater numbers of wildflowers in areas where there's more water -- so roadsides and washes are ideal places to look. Some of the best flowers will be found off trail in side washes, such as those criss-crossing the first couple of miles of the River Road West.

What is a "side wash?"

thanks!

~ edd

PS I was there last March (spring break) and I took hundreds of flower photos along the roadside and along some trails (i.e. Pine Canyon, Estufa Canyon, etc.).

[chisos_muse]

What is a "side wash?"

A little arroyo.....a wash that isn't prominent.

[RichardM]

What is a "side wash?"

A little arroyo.....a wash that isn't prominent.

I was gonna go with "a wash off to the side" of a trail/road, but I guess that doesn't add much description. 

[Hoodoo]

What is a "side wash?"

A little arroyo.....a wash that isn't prominent.

I was gonna go with "a wash off to the side" of a trail/road, but I guess that doesn't add much description. 

I was thinkin "bar ditch", but I guess that is a little of my grandfather's son in me.

[chisos_muse]

I was gonna go with "a wash off to the side" of a trail/road

Ya should have left it like that.....

[xseption]

Tornillo Creek by the bridge is also good most years

Nice color on the bluebonnets. Where exactly is that?

[jamesb]

Tornillo Creek by the bridge is also good most years

Nice color on the bluebonnets. Where exactly is that?

its headed south towards Rio Grand Village. there is a pretty long bridge and this is over the creek. If you get to the tunnel you have gone to far. also some nice rock formations in the area.

James

[xseption]

I think I know where you are talking about ... the bridge curves sharply to the left and then curves to the right before heading to the tunnel.

~ edd