suggestions for good roads & sights

[victor]

hi everybody, I am planning a trip at end of may to do some offroading in big bend, but I have never been able to drive some of these  roads so I was hoping I could get some ideas.

I do know the park a little, when I was a kid my dad lived in presido and we made it down there quite a bit, also on our honeymoon  my wife and I did some hiking, but I would really like to go deeper then I have before. theres about 6 of us going we are taking two vehicles both 4x4 with decent clerence. we are also doing some rafting while we are down. plz help us newbies out lol.

[jeffblaylock]

End of May is the hottest time of the year along the park's back roads. Take along plenty of water in case either vehicle breaks down or overheats.

Other than that caution, what are you interested in seeing or doing? Are you planning on camping? Are you interested in hiking?

[presidio]

hi everybody, I am planning a trip at end of may to do some offroading in big bend, but I have never been able to drive some of these  roads so I was hoping I could get some ideas.

I do know the park a little, when I was a kid my dad lived in presido and we made it down there quite a bit, also on our honeymoon  my wife and I did some hiking, but I would really like to go deeper then I have before. theres about 6 of us going we are taking two vehicles both 4x4 with decent clerence. we are also doing some rafting while we are down. plz help us newbies out lol.

You will pretty much have the place to yourselves. May is on the edge of the hot season and many folks never experience a desert park in its prime climate.

Suggestions for what to do depend on how long you plan to be in the park. Since you have suitable vehicles, I would suggest traveling the River road. Start early, like at predawn and travel east to west, though there are developed campgrounds essentially at both ends so you don't have to travel a long distance to get started from either side. Alternatively, use a backcountry campsite near either end, arrive in the late afternoon and get an early start the next morning.

As you have prior time in the area, I'd also travel the Old Ore Road and Glenn Springs Road...you can explore the paved roads while accessing them, or concentrate on the pavement another time. A lot of folks never see the areas the gravel roads lead to as they lack either a proper vehicle or the confidence/experience to drive the roads. Nothing in the park can really be classified as all that hard to drive,  including the Black Gap Road, where a higher degree of skill is needed but is not all that technically challenging if you have any kind of reasonable 4WD experience in backcountry areas. Generally, adequate body clearance and good tires are more important than 4WD unless it has recently rained/flooded.

[RichardM]

If the heat isn't too oppressive, drive up to Pine Canyon and hike up to the falls. They'll be dry unless you're there immediately after a good rain, but it's still one of the better hikes in the park. High ground clearance and 4WD aren't required to get to it, but it sure helps.

[Undertaker]

Water, Water, Water, leave a trip plan, have fun, be careful, post photos, plan and have fun.

[elhombre]

River road gets pretty old quick.  If you start at the top of glenn springs rd and go out to the mine on river rd (avoiding Black Gap), you will have done a lot.  Pine canyon hike is a great idea for a hike out there.  Unless you work outside most of the time, the heat is going to suck.  If your car has any mileage on it, make sure to get a new fan clutch put on.  This part wears out without any real indication and is the main thing that keeps your engine cool at slow (4x4) speeds. 

I would suggest you buy/take an EZ-up with you.  You know, one of those portable shade things.

If you ever have driven out to Crazifornia on I 10 through the desert, there are signs that tell the drivers to turn off the A/C to keep the engine from over-heating.   

Lastly, the road through the state park to me is much more interesting than river road, if you feel you must drive on dirt.

[Al]

Big Bend is more about the geology than the roads which, thank goodness, let you explore an expansive yet small part of the park.  Think about it. The roads cover a very small percentage of the park, most of which requires a pack and varying amounts of exercise.  Big Bend to me is more about the incredible range of geology exposed at Earth's surface than one's vehicle's abilities.

I wonder what's the best geology book on Big Bend?

Al

[OldJeepr]

We're planning on being in BBNP June 2-11, with a couple of days over at BBRSP tucked in there.  The backroads are a big part of our plans.  We did several about the same time last year, but time limits meant mostly driving and looking instead of stopping to really enjoy, so this trip will be at a much more leisurely pace.  The objective is not primarily the roads, but the ability to visit areas that would otherwise be inaccessible to someone with limited hiking capability.  At the same time, driving the roads is fun.
Old Ore Road is my personal favorite for variety of terrain, some great views, and several short side trips (walking) to different features.  Glenn Springs to Mariscal is a history course on the ground.  Black Gap is a little more challenging North-South (not a rock crawling, in your face challenge, but it does require more attention to driving than other roads).  The River Road, as noted earlier, can get old pretty quickly unless you're really into desert landscape for a big part of the trip, but there is a lot of interesting geology - formations as you get closer to Castolon.  We missed Pine Canyon last year so it is definitely on the agenda.  Old Maverick was closed last year, so it too is on the list.  (We last drove Old Maverick in 1962 in a Ford Falcon, but I'm a lot more cautious now.)
Yes it will be hot, and you may well be the only vehicle(s) on the road.  Just be prepared for the unexpected.  Lots of water, some snacks, a good spare tire and some fix-a-flat at least.  And if you strike out on your own, let someone know where you're headed and about when you expect to be back.   

[victor]

wow thx for the awsome response!

We are for sure going to do some hiking but knowing its going to be very hot and dry this time of year I want to do more short hikes, I really want to get some good pics while we are out there, plus I want to see more of the park than I have before. I am definitly going to be posting some pics when we get back.

[UglyJerry]

If you want a good book on the geology of the Big Bend area the best one I've come across is Big Bend Vistas: A Geological Exploration of the Big Bend by William MacLeod. I'm sure you can buy it at the visitor center at BBNP. The Roadside Geology of Texas book by Darwin Spearing also has a decent description of the geology of the park too. I haven't found better books in print over the geology of the Big Bend areas than those two. Also the author of Big Bend Vistas has written two other books on the geology of the Big Bend area, one is River Road Vistas and the other is Davis Mountain Vistas. If you would like a geologic map of BBNP the classic book by Ross Maxwell - Big Bend of the Rio Grande includes a detail geologic map.  While earning my geology degree I used all of these books as reference materials for projects dealing with the Big Bend area and I use them as guidebooks whenever I make my yearly visit to the park.

[Al]

If you want a good book on the geology of the Big Bend area the best one I've come across is Big Bend Vistas: A Geological Exploration of the Big Bend by William MacLeod. I'm sure you can buy it at the visitor center at BBNP. The Roadside Geology of Texas book by Darwin Spearing also has a decent description of the geology of the park too. I haven't found better books in print over the geology of the Big Bend areas than those two. Also the author of Big Bend Vistas has written two other books on the geology of the Big Bend area, one is River Road Vistas and the other is Davis Mountain Vistas. If you would like a geologic map of BBNP the classic book by Ross Maxwell - Big Bend of the Rio Grande includes a detail geologic map.  While earning my geology degree I used all of these books as reference materials for projects dealing with the Big Bend area and I use them as guidebooks whenever I make my yearly visit to the park.

UJ,  Thanks!  I used the Roadside Geology book before.  I look forward to using Big Bend Vistas,

Al