It is day 3 of our visit in Terlingua Texas, near Big Bend National Park, and the locals have urged us to go visit the state park nearby. So today we visited Big Bend Ranch State Park, and “Wow! What a fantastic experience.”
Big Bend Ranch State Park is over 300,000 acres of land along the Rio Grande River and inside it are numerous cattle ranches that operate under Free Range laws. That means, the cattle on these ranches aren’t contained and any landowners not wanting cattle on their land are responsible for fencing to keep cattle out.
FM 170 is the main thoroughfare through Big Bend Ranch State Park and follows over 27 miles of the Rio Grande River, sometimes within mere feet of the water’s edge. The Park begins in Lajitas, Texas on its Eastern edge and ends just before entering Redford and Presidio on its Western side. Aside from this scenic highway through the park, there are also numerous backroad and trails to travel. The park’s main office is at the Barton Warnock Visitor Center on the park’s Eastern edge.
Barton Warnock Visitor Center
We started out in Terlingua, Texas and drove just under 15 miles through Lajitas and to the Barton Warnock Visitor Center at the park’s eastern edge. As it turns out, it’s a good thing we stopped, because the visitor center is where you pay for entry into the park. There is no guard posted at the park entrance to collect fees, like other parks. At the time of our visit, we paid $5 per person to visit the park for the day. We also found lots of maps and souvenirs at the visitor center, which also boasted an interpretive center, and park store, and loads of park information.
The visitor center is a large rectangular shaped complex, with an open center. In the center was a really nice garden and sitting area that allows access to other parts of the complex, such as the Interpretive center and park store. We could have spent much more time at the visitor center, but the park awaits!
Big Bend Ranch State Park is Beautiful!
For the last two days, locals have told us that the state park is the most beautiful scenery around, and they were right! The park follows the river very closely and even mimics all of the twists and turns of the river. The drive has steep hills that top 15 degrees and switchback turns that give you views in all directions. Over every hill and around every corner, this drive will literally take your breath away. The views ranged from river overlooks to canyons to scaled cliffs to meandering valleys. For several miles, the spectacle continued to amaze us.
Along the way, there are many pull-offs to stop and get pictures. There are also places to find restrooms, and picnic areas along the river. At one point there is the abandoned Contrabando Movie Set, built in 1985 for the movie Uphill All the Way. If you are a fan of the Movies and series of Lonesome Dove, you will want to visit this site, as it was also used in The Streets of Lerado and Dead Man’s Walk. Other areas of interest are river access, where you can actually step into the infamous Rio Grande River.
The drive is filled with opportunities to see amazing views, explore miles of trails, and step back to a time when the west was truly wild. We stopped for a nice long picnic at one of the available picnic areas alongside the river. It was truly a resting place and to be able to sit together, enjoy our lunch, and look up at the towering cliffs above, was breathtaking. Even the restrooms are sparkling clean!
As Beautiful at Night as it is During the Day
Because we were staying close by, we decided to take a night drive into the park. Coming from the east gave us an extraordinary view of the western sky at sunset. Looking up at the warm glow above the mountains, while jamming out to some Bob Seger was just as thrilling as you picture it.
We were really hoping to get some good pictures of the local wildlife, but it just didn’t happen on this drive. We saw several rodents, lizards, and even a group of Javelinas, but everything scurries so fast, we just couldn’t get a camera out in time. We did, however, get a faded picture of a cute little Javelina butt. Look closely!
Don’t miss this park!
The Big Bend Ranch State Park is a must-see adventure. If you’re a hiking enthusiast, you will find the adventure you’ve always wanted. If you are travelers like us, it’s definitely a place to add to your bucket lists. As a writer, it gave me inspiration. I left the park with inspiration and thoughts of new pieces to write and ideas about a historical piece that I want to delve into.
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