I could have easily spent several more days in Big Bend National Park exploring other trails, but I gave myself three nights camping. On my last morning, I went to check out the hot spring trail. There is a hot spring along the Rio Grande and at one time there was a resort in what is now the national park. To get there, you can hike a few miles from the Rio Grande Village camping area or take a dirt road, that splits into two narrow, one-way, windy roads to a parking lot. I would say that an SUV or crossover should be able to make it without too much trouble, but I would worry about a small car as it is a very bumpy road.

The abandoned resort structures are still there along with some non-native palm trees near one of the main buildings.

A short trail takes you past some ancient aboriginal cliff wall art, down to the river. At the river is the remains of a pool built at the hot spring. It was a morning that started below freezing and the water in this pool was as hot as a good bath. You can get in the water if you like, but I did not. Below is a picture of the hot spring pool with the Rio Grande and Mexico in the background.

The hot spring hiking trail continues on and you have the option of hiking along the river back to the Rio Grande village camping area, or climbing a small bluff overlooking the river and looping back to the parking lot at the resort. I chose the loop and climbed to the overlook. There is some sort of abandoned structure at the overlook. I guess, human constructions take a long time to de-compose in the desert.

Another view looking down the river on this clear cold morning.

Before I left, I went up to an old building, overlooking the rest of the abandoned resort. I decided to make a frame of the old windows with the palm trees and desert in the distance. I really like the way this one turned out.

I actually had to go out back of the building and shoot this through a back window, through the building, through the front window. It was a small building that no longer has a roof.

I then had to get on the road for my long drive back home. While leaving the park, I stopped for a few shots of interesting things along the road. There were some cliffs that I spotted with a wavy contour in the distance. I had to stop and take these in and shoot a photo. I thought that the cliffs had a very unique shape about them

I also spotted some deer (I guess) in a field behind a fence. They didn’t seem to mind me shooting pictures.

On the highway north of the park, before you get to Marathon Texas, there is a border patrol inspection station. These are common along the border roads. The officer just wanted to look through the window into my vehicle and then I was quickly on my way.

After a lot of driving, I made it back home and so ended my trip to Big Bend National Park. It is a beautiful place and I would like to go back in the spring when perhaps the wildflowers and cactus are in bloom. I really hope they don’t build that stupid wall here.

• Hiking the South Rim at Big Bend
• More Big Bend Hiking and Boquillas

Thanks for reading.