This park is so big, and the views change every time you move your head, so today we’re going to show you some of the famous views on the western side of the park: the Chisos Mountains, Santa Elena Canyon, Mule Ears, The Window, and Chisos Basin. Then we’ll show you some other views we found interesting. Ready to go hiking? Be sure to have your water and a hat. Here’s one of the most famous views in the park, but we’ll be seeing more.
The Rio Grande flowing through the Santa Elena Canyon looking upriver
Chisos Mountains
what they are
and here they are
the line of the fins of fire
and here they are
other views of Chisos Mountains
Santa Elena Canyon
Santa Elena Canyon info
first view from a distance
tricky time on the river
The problem isn’t the distance, it’s the gain in elevation. No, we didn’t go all the way to the end of the trail, just hiked most of it.
Started at the parking (P in a circle), walked to the river, crossed the creek on a dry bed, and then started up the canyon trail.
ready to walk?
Barn takes the lead
But somehow I get in front; yes, that’s the Rio Grande with people at the edge of the river.
view upstream, the walls are 5 football fields tall (!) and go on forever on the Mexico side of the Rio Grande
view downstream with the rafters
view from the creek emptying out into the river
We checked off 2 of the 3 okay; finished the hike at 3:30. Oops.
view upstream as we’re hiking up (time to catch my breath!)
view downstream as we’re hiking up
everywhere we go in this arid country we see flowers blooming
These are the cement steps we climbed. Can’t imagine how they got the material in to make the steps or how they made them. Somebody knew what he was doing.
Mule Ears view
We could see this view in so many places in the park, but this is the closest we got to it.
The Window
The dip in the middle of the picture is the view–just like a window. We’re at Chisos Basin (campsite for campers under 20′ because of the drive to get there, a store, a ranger station, and a lodge with a dining room).
Our view from the dining room patio at Chisos Basin while we sat outside and drank iced tea. What a life.
Other views we loved
We kept seeing this white “rock” and didn’t know what it was.
It’s ash layers that have turned to rock. They make such a beautiful contrast to the other colors.
This field has dark boulders more like what we think of as volcanic rock.
The CCC was busy here in the 1930s helping to create what we enjoy today. Thank you!
some of the “boys”
They dug out the roads by hand. Hard work, but these young men could do it.
And then we saw trees. So different from the rest of the park, but the elevation was higher too.
types of trees
We stopped by the Cottonwood campground just outside of Castolon and saw this picture of a campsite with the lock box for food in case of bears. Oh my. Pretty place, but no hook-ups.
When we got back to our RV, we were greeted by this beautiful view of the almost-full moon.
