Last Day in Big Bend Nat'l Park

Dec 17th, Monday

I have been seeing some beautiful places here in the park! I am just awed by the ever-changing mountains and land forms. I left the Cottonwood campground near Castolon, and headed for Santa Elena Canyon. (long distance photo)

I stopped along the way at the old Grand Canyon farm, own for years by the Sublett family.

It was very interesting to me to find that alot of the area, now grown up in mesquite,  in the early 1900's was once valuable cropland.

These are the main house ruins behind the brush growth.



How many feet walked in and out of these doorways; how many hot meals awaited Mr Sublett, after a long hard days work............. I can picture him coming in tired, sweaty, and hungry.

If these walls could tell us of the happy times and hardships these settlers knew.......

Back on the road to Santa Elena Canyon...

Rules say no dogs on the trail, so I had to leave Izzy and Joe in the RV.

and so I started down the path...

The Canyon walls are gorgeous!

 There are sections of board walk down to the river.

 I went for quite a way ..... snapped the best picture I could,

then remembered I had forgotten to lock the RV, so back I went.

It was interesting but you cannot see much though the opening as it seems to curve, and the law forbids any crossing of the river. Still worth the visit, realizing Mexico was near enough to reach out and touch.

Heading back toward Castolon, and the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive (because vehicles over 24' are not recommended to take the dirt base Old Maverick Road) I stopped to get photos of the Tuff Canyon.

 

I was standing on the edge of a "cliff" in this lower picture , which is quite bold for me :)

Continuing on back to Castolon I spotted these free-ranging horses near the side of the road.

This tri-axle truck came barreling down the road just as they were about to cross. Fortunately they turned and weht back.

I was able to get several photos before I, and they, had to be on out way.

Three beautiful horses!

I felt very blessed to experience all of this in one day!

the beautiful mountains, the vast open spaces, the history of this valley,

 and the spirit of freedom displayed by these horses.

 

I drove  northward and picked up RT 118 at Maverick Junction. leaving the  BBNP. I turned west on RT 170,  and headed for the BB State Park. Iwanted to fo;;ow the border as far as I could.....

But that's another post......