Davy Jones is our guest writer and he is also my dad! He still calls Texas “home” but has been living in an RV traveling for the last year. We share a love for the outdoors and he has been lucky enough to go to some places that I have not visited. So I asked him to get out of his comfort zone and write a few posts for the blog. Enjoy his tales from Big Bend Ranch State Park in Texas!
We had to change it up on our trip out to West Texas. So instead of going to Big Bend National Park, we headed the Big Bend Ranch State Park. From our campsite in Terlingua it was about 15 miles farther west. Even though it is so close to the national park and even shares a name with it, I assure you it is massively different! We checked in at the Barton Warnock Visitors Center and were off to explore several different trails from the West Contrabando Trailhead.
Hiking Big Bend Ranch State Park
The first stop after the visitors center was the Fresno Creek Overlook. This is also where the trailhead parking was located for the West Contrabando Trail in Big Bend Ranch State Park. The overlook provides panoramic views of Fresno Creek and Contrabando Creek valley as well as the Chihuahuan Desert.
Our hike started out on West Main Trail generally flat. The trail quickly transitioned to gently rolling hills with views toward the Bofecillos Mountians and Fresno Canyon. Eventually West Main Trail meets with Dome Trail, a 4 mile loop around Contrabando Dome. Along the loop there are Cinnabar Prospect and Cinnabar Mine. History Fact: The towns of Terlingua and Shafter were initially founded because of silver and cinnabar that were found in the area and mined. Cinnabar was used to create mercury, which was in high demand during WWII. The mines that remain in the park are closed, but are still a part of the history of the area.
Overall the hike we did was mostly open, dry desert with rolling hills. Make sure to bring plenty of water and prepare for long treks within Big Bend Ranch State Park! We ended up totaling 8 miles through the desert. I got the feeling that even through Big Bend National park just to the east is the crown jewel of Texas, Big Bend Ranch State Park has more hidden treasures up in them there hills for us to explore another time.
~Davy Jones
Before you go
Big Bend Ranch State Park is a small 500 square mile area with 240 miles of multi-use trails. It is the largest state park in Texas and therefore has a few different rules and regulations than some of the smaller parks due to its remote nature. This includes more strict dog regulations as well as backcountry permitting. More information can be found on the TPWD webpage!
Don’t let that discourage you from going to Big Bend Ranch State Park. There is plenty to do within the 500 square mile state park and outside the park. The park is listed an international dark sky park, so come prepared to look for constellations at night. Nearby is the town of Fort Davis and the University of Texas McDonald Observatory.
Check out some more tales from Davy Jones on his dedicated page. Also see all the placed Emily has been traveling on the archives page.