Old Ore Road, inside Big Bend National Park, is a spectacular back country road for off-road enthusiasts. The National Park service has a page dedicated to this 26 mile long road and gives details on the type of vehicle needed to traverse it. We were driving a 2024 Ford F350 4×4 and felt comfortable attempting the drive. However, once we began this journey, there were a couple of times that we wished we had a narrower and more agile vehicle, like a Jeep. That said, we made the trip and escaped with minor scratches from the bushes to our paint and a couple of rough spots on the tires.
The Old Ore Road is 26 miles long and was used in the early 1900s to transport ore. It stretches from about Rio Grande Village to Dagger Road, and while it’s advertised as a 3-4 hour trip, it took us nearly 6 hours due to the slow crawl we used to insure our personal and vehicle safety. I would recommend planning at least 5 plus hours, especially if you plan to stop much or even have lunch mid trip. Also be prepared to make room for other vehicles. We only saw a couple of other vehicles during our journey, but the road is almost always narrow and at each meeting, we had to decide who was backing up to find a good place to pull off.
Exciting and Thrilling Off-Road Trip
From our observations, the Old Ore Road has distinct sections to it. It has a very rugged and even dangerous section, that has huge trenches in the road and washout holes, as it goes up and down hills and through old creek beds. It has a very rough section that is completely littered with large rocks that cover the landscape and were obviously formed by lava and cast out during the many eruptions millions of years ago. There is a somewhat sandy section that follows the lower flats and has many twists and turns as it negotiates all the creek beds and old extinct farms. Then there is a section that rides along the tops of the mountains, and often has very vertical drops directly on the edge of the road. At one point, you are riding across the narrow horizontal ridge at the top with steep drops on both sides of your vehicle. We definitely felt like the first 8 miles of the road, starting at the Rio Grande Valley, was the roughest and most treacherous.
The various types of travel on this trip offered each their own unique excitement, danger, and thrills. We found areas that were seriously concerned about how to negotiate without damaging our vehicle. The last thing you want to happen on this extremely remote road, is to be broken down with engine or tire issues. We found areas that, if you weren’t paying attention, could actually be dangerous. Imagine losing brakes on a winding road and going over the edge or having the loose gravel slip from under you and send you rolling downward. There are also areas that no matter how slow you drive, it’s just a rough and bumpy drive. It’s not gently on tires, suspension, and even your body as you get tossed around inside your vehicle. Throughout the entire trip, the threat of cutting a tire on a sharp rock exists. Its just part of the risk and you need to be prepared with a good spare and tools.
With all the risks mentioned above, comes so much excitement and thrill in a single road trip. It will be a story that we will tell for the rest of our lives. We spent an entire day on a backcountry road in the desert and mountains, seeing fantastic views and exploring a sometimes-lunar landscape. The trip gave us frequents rushes of adrenaline and also overwhelming peace. Would I drive this road again? Probably not, because I’ve seen it and done it. But it has given me a new lust for adventure and wherever we go from this point on, I’ll be looking for more off-road experiences.
Remnants of History
As mentioned before, Old Ore Road was once used to transport ore across this landscape to the Marathon train station. It follows the ancient mule trails and pack roads from over a century ago. Along the way, you can find old rock foundations from homes and buildings of the past. You can see that this hot and empty place, was once a common place for people in the area. People lived and worked along this trail and used it for primitive commerce and trade.
There is an old, marked grave along the road. It’s marked with Juan De Leon, Nacio Junio 24 1906. A little research shows that this gentleman lost his life to a gunshot while riding his mule. His body was discovered a few days later and he was buried where he fell. Nobody really knows why he was shot and aside from unprovable stories, his death remains a mystery. However, his grave tells a story all of its own. The story of how dangerous this area was all those years ago. The area was steeped in trade and along with trade and commerce, comes crime. Was he killed due to mistaken identity or was he targeted due to being involved in something dangerous? Regardless of the reason, danger was present and working or living in the area carried a risk. The remote area offered criminals opportunity to commit their acts anonymously and without fear of their crime being discovered for days. Juan De Leon wasn’t discovered for days, along a trail used for trade. That itself tells how risky the route was.
Also along the route are remnants of old houses, old wells, and if you watch closely, you can even find pieces of iron from the old equipment used the make their way across the trail.
A Hikers Paradise
The Old Ore Road isn’t all about driving. Along this long ride are many options to step out of the vehicle to camp or even hike. There are several primitive campsites that offer a place to pitch a tent. Nearby you will almost always find a hiking trail to explore. The campsites don’t offer much, except a place off the road to park and a somewhat even patch of rocky ground to place a tent on.
We didn’t take advantage of any of the hiking opportunities. But the landscape is perfect for hikers and explorers. There is a mix of mountains, rocks, creeks, and desert to explore. Ernst Tinaja is one such trail to hike. It’s a half mile hike to a limestone canyon and rare desert water holes. Since it is an easy and short walk, Ernst Tinaja is perfect for anyone looking to get out during the rough ride and stretch your legs, while seeing some desert beauty.
Hikers along Old Ore will get to traverse various types of terrain. Whether its volcanic rock, dried up creek beds, or sandy desert with spiny vegetation, hiking along Old Ore is definitely a place to start. Stop by the park office to obtain your camping permit and trail maps. Bring plenty of food and water to last and always plan for obstacles.
