Rio Grande Big Bend Exploration

[Markwell]

I assume the Mexican border station in Boquillas is still not functioning.

We chowed down at the school benefit barbecue one year. Barbecued goat (over an open fire and served from a galvanized wash tub), rice, tortillas and frijoles, with a Coke, for a $1.00 (actually, the Coke was an additional dime). The goat was outstanding!

 

[Foy]

I assume the Mexican border station in Boquillas is still not functioning.

We chowed down at the school benefit barbecue one year. Barbecued goat (over an open fire and served from a galvanized wash tub), rice, tortillas and frijoles, with a Coke, for a $1.00 (actually, the Coke was an additional dime). The goat was outstanding!

I believe the village, Jose Falcons, or both have a Facebook page. Either there or somewhere else specific I read mention of visitors first checking in at the Mexican station.

Foy

 

[DVD]

Hi, there is a MX border station, but it was closed on the day we were there. I forget the clue(s), but it seemed like the normal state is closed.

One of the initiating factors for our trip was a write-up in my alumni mag of a grad who is a ranger at BBNP and which describes a trip to Boquillas. Here's the link, for anyone interested in another article about the area: https://calvin.edu/publication/spark/2016/09/15/borderlands
I sent this link to my wife to get her interested in the trip, and it worked

 

[Markwell]

Getting the wife interested in trips can be difficult. After many Spring trips thru the Lower Canyons, and coming home all tanned up, I finally convinced my wife to come to Big Bend with me for a couple of weeks and a long trip on the Rio. Normal temps in Late March/Early April had always been in the swimsuit range during the day on the river. For her first trip it snowed about half the time and she spent most of the time in a full wetsuit. Not a good thing!

 

[jhalbrooks]

Great trip report, love the photos. BBNP is one of my favorite places on earth.

 

[Markwell]

A question for those with recent Big Bend experience. How crazy is the Park now during March (spring break). One year we landed at the park for a lower canyons trip at the height of spring break (late 80s or early 90s) for the TX schools and it was so crowded you couldn't find a place to lay down much less a campsite. We ended up in the Hot Springs parking lot sleeping in a couple of canoes turned right side up on top of a van. The good news was we were on the river the next day.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

A question for those with recent Big Bend experience. How crazy is the Park now during March (spring break). One year we landed at the park for a lower canyons trip at the height of spring break (late 80s or early 90s) for the TX schools and it was so crowded you couldn't find a place to lay down much less a campsite. We ended up in the Hot Springs parking lot sleeping in a couple of canoes turned right side up on top of a van. The good news was we were on the river the next day.

I would like an answer to this question too because I will be in Big Bend this spring break. I plan to be there March 14th to March 18th, 2018. Just wondering how crowded the place will be. But I have already read that is the busiest time at the park, so I know the place will be very busy.

Also, if you like steak, know that as from 3pm till midnight, the wait at the best steak restaurant which is at Terlingua is about 2 hours to get seated to eat.

 

[DVD]

Hi Markwell and PetitFrere,
for Big Bend info, I found the Big Bend Chat forum (http://www.bigbendchat.com/portal/forum/index.php) very informative. You have to register to start a thread, but it's free and not a big deal. I got some good advice and found lots of folks who are very knowledgeable about the area. Lots of good info from searching on the site too.

Hope the crowds aren't too bad and you have a great time!

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Just came back from my own Big Bend trip during spring Break...

here is a link to my thread for more pics...

http://www.clubarmada.com/forums/218-what-did-you-do-your-nissan-armada-today/24056-2010-nissan-maxima-se-houston-tx-54.html

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

 

[mnwanders]

Great pics. So how busy was it? I'm leaving MN on Friday night to be there next week. Just curious if it is crazy there right now. Thankfully we reserved a campsite months ago, but it looks like everything is full now.

 

[PhulesAU]

Is Kathy's Kosmic Cafe still there??

 

[mnwanders]

Great pics. So how busy was it? I'm leaving MN on Friday night to be there next week. Just curious if it is crazy there right now. Thankfully we reserved a campsite months ago, but it looks like everything is full now.

Never mind, I see your post on the other thread now. Thanks!

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

And some drone pictures...

 

[mass]

Do you have a name/MGRS/Lat/Long for this site? Looks superb.

Keeping with the international theme, our campsite this night was right on the Rio Grande. We arrived early enough to set up camp and explore the area, hiking along the river. The Rio makes a big 270-deg loop here such that the campsite is on the south side of the river, and we look north into Mexico as a peninsula, and then the Chisos Mountains in the US are further beyond.

The Loop campsite is on a little plateau above the Rio Grande--we slept in the back of the vehicle, looking out over the river


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