New Mexico/Big Bend 2018

Roswell, Alamogordo, Carlsbad areas in New Mexico, and Big Bend National Park, Texas

Sunday, August 19 through Monday, September 3, 2018

Stu and I traveled to southeast New Mexico and southwest Texas on a two-week vacation. The highlights of the trip were visits to three national parks/monuments (White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns, and Big Bend), plus many other points of interest.

I tracked the trip with a Bad Elf GPS Pro+ GPSr (GPS receiver), using my iPhone 8 (Gaia and Navigon apps) as a backup . I neglected to start the Bad Elf Pro+ twice on the trip, so Navigon tracks are substituted there.

NOTE: the downloadable GPX tracks are the full, unedited, GPX files, while those shown on the provided "view map" links are simplified (with minimal effect on geographic accuracy) for much faster viewing.

Topographic maps are denoted by a "(Topo)" link. Bright pink/magenta lines represent manually-powered transportation (e.g., hiking, walking).

Businesses are named below for reference only. No endorsement should be inferred. If you wish to see my opinion of the places mentioned, see TripAdvisor (for those that I have actually rated).

Overview

Overview map—This is a composite map of all the GPS tracks on a blank US/Canada map.
All GPS tracks / view map—The whole trip, including walking, driving, etc.

Sunday, August 19

GPX / view map —Driving from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Roswell, New Mexico. We returned to our starting point after driving about 10 minutes, then departed again. We stopped at the Cherokee Trading Post (near Geary, Oklahoma) and had to take a self-imposed detour in Amarillo, Texas, after confusing directions caused us to miss the exit for I-27 from I-40 there.
GPX / view map —Driving from the hotel to dinner and back in Roswell, New Mexico.

Monday, August 20

GPX / view map —Driving from the hotel in Roswell, New Mexico to the International UFO Museum And Research Center.
GPX / view map —Driving from the International UFO Museum And Research Center in Roswell, New Mexico to our hotel in Alamogordo, New Mexico.
GPX / view map —Driving from the hotel in Alamogordo, New Mexico to a nearby restaurant for dinner.
GPX / view map —Driving from (the restaurant in) Alamogordo to White Sands National Monument (just before sunset), including a spur to Holloman Lake, which is located in a public access area that is partially surrounded by Holloman Air Force Base.
GPX / view map —Walking from the car onto the neighboring sand dune. We took sunset photos in various places atop the dune.
GPX / view map —Driving across White Sands National Monument to another (night, in this case) photo spot.
GPX / view map —Driving from White Sands National Monument back to our hotel in Alamogordo, New Mexico.

Tuesday, August 21

GPX / view map —Driving from the hotel in Alamogordo, New Mexico to the trailhead for the Salado Canyon Trail near Cloudcroft, New Mexico. The road that goes steeply downhill into the valley downstream from Salado Canyon (which contains the trail) was called, "Steep Hill Road"!
GPX / view map —Hiking the Salado Canyon Trail (on some maps, this is labeled "Grand View Trail", but the signs at the site label it as Salado Canyon Trail). This trail includes a view of Bridal Veil Falls, which is as far as we went. This canyon is apparently a branch of the larger Fresnal Canyon. (Topo)
GPX / view map —Driving from Salado Canyon to the mining-era trestle just northwest of Cloudcroft, New Mexico.
GPX / view map —Driving from the historic trestle south toward Sunspot, New Mexico, atop Sacramento Peak. Sunspot is a small community associated with the solar observatory there.
GPX / view map —Walking from the parking area to the visitor center at Sunspot, then in a clockwise loop around the grounds, and back to the car in the parking lot.
GPX / view map —Driving from Sunspot, New Mexico to Bluff Springs National Recreation Area to the north and east. The eastbound road (Upper Pensasco Road [which presumably should be Upper Peñasco Road]) was gravel for about the last 3 km.
GPX / view map —Hiking for a short distance in the Bluff Springs NRA, to the spring that feeds the waterfall there. (Topo)
GPX / view map —Driving from Bluff Springs NRA back to the hotel in Alamogordo, New Mexico.
GPX / view map —Driving from our hotel to a restaurant for dinner in Alamogordo, New Mexico.
GPX / view map —Driving back from the restaurant to the hotel in Alamogordo, New Mexico.

Wednesday, August 22

GPX / view map —Driving from the hotel in Alamogordo, New Mexico to a trailhead for the Osha Trail near Cloudcroft, New Mexico.
GPX / view map —Hiking a short distance on a connector trail to the Osha Trail. We turned around after hiking only a few minutes because storms were forming and moving toward us. Heavy rain and small (less than 5 mm diameter) hail started just moments after we arrived back at the car.
GPX / view map —After getting rained out of the Osha Trail, we headed (drove) south to the Schofield Canyon Trail.
GPX / view map —We took a short hike on the Schofield Canyon Trail before once again having to abort the hike because of threatening weather. (Topo)
GPX / view map —We returned (by car) to Sunspot and the solar observatory there.
GPX / view map —Much like the previous day, we toured the grounds of the Sunspot solar observatory. This time, the loop walk was a guided tour, rather than self-guided. We also got to go into one of the buildings which had been closed the previous day.
GPX / view map —We drove back to Bluff Springs NRA by the same route as the previous day.
GPX / view map —Hiking at Bluff Springs NRA. This time, we only went as far as a cluster of flowers that housed a group of hummingbirds.
GPX / view map —Driving from Bluff Springs NRA to the hotel in Alamogordo, New Mexico.
GPX / view map —Driving from the hotel in Alamogordo, New Mexico to a nearby restaurant for dinner.
GPX / view map —Driving from the restaurant in Alamogordo, New Mexico to White Sands NM just before sunset.
GPX / view map —A very short walk at White Sands NM.
GPX / view map —Driving farther into White Sands NM.
GPX / view map —Another very short walk at White Sands NM.
GPX / view map —Driving to our sunset photo spot.
GPX / view map —Climbing onto a dune for sunset/night storm photography...and back to the car.
GPX / view map —Driving back to the hotel in Alamogordo, New Mexico.

Thursday, August 23

GPX / view map —Driving from the hotel in Alamogordo, New Mexico to McGinn's PistachioLand (also in Alamogordo).
GPX / view map —Walking and riding (an electric tour "train") in/around McGinn's PistachioLand in Alamogordo, New Mexico.
GPX / view map —Driving from Alamogordo to near Cloudcroft, New Mexico (a trailhead for the Osha Trail).
GPX / view map —Hiking the Osha Trail and the spur from/to the parking area near Cloudcroft, New Mexico. (Topo)
GPX / view map —Driving from Cloudcroft, New Mexico to our hotel in Carlsbad, New Mexico. The end of the track includes a turnaround near the hotel because the driveway to the hotel was obscured by a parked semi-trailer truck, and we took the wrong driveway initially.
GPX / view map —Driving from the hotel to a restaurant for dinner. The erratic path occurred because a critical road was closed, along with access roads, making it very difficult to get to the restaurant.
GPX / view map —Driving from the restaurant back to the hotel.

Friday, August 24

GPX / view map —Driving from the hotel in Calsbad to Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
GPX / view map —Walking from the car (in the parking lot) to the visitor center...back to the car...and back to the visitor center, then to the natural entrance of Carlsbad Cavern.
GPX / view map —Walking from the visitor center to the car (in the parking lot) to the natural entrance (to view the bat flight in the evening). There are no tracks from here to the parking lot because we were instructed to turn off all electronic items during the bat flight.
GPX / view map —Driving from Carlsbad Caverns back to Carlsbad for dinner.
GPX / view map —Driving from the restaurant to the hotel in Carlsbad.

Saturday, August 25

GPX / view map —Driving from the hotel in Carlsbad to the Living Desert State Park.
GPX / view map —Walking (roughly clockwise) through the Living Desert State Park in Carlsbad, New Mexico. (Topo)
GPX / view map —Driving from the Living Desert State Park to Sitting Bull Falls, near Carlsbad, New Mexico.
GPX / view map —Hiking in the Sitting Bull Falls area, plus driving to Richardson Draw (labeled "Hamm Draw" on some maps), then back to Carlsbad for dinner.
GPX / view map —Driving back to the hotel from the restaurant in Carlsbad, New Mexico.

Sunday, August 26

GPX / view map —Driving from the hotel (to a nearby gas station, then) to Carlsbad Caverns National Monument.
GPX / view map —Driving from Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico to Fort Davis, Texas, where we stayed at the historic Indian Lodge. The secondary road we took in New Mexico was very rough, making for relatively slow going, then we encountered about 60 km of road construction beginning at the Texas state line! We stopped in Balmorhea, Texas for dinner.

Monday, August 27

GPX / view map —Driving from the lodge into Fort Davis, Texas for breakfast/lunch/dinner. We also drove through part of the city along the way.
GPX / view map —Driving from the restaurant in Fort Davis, Texas to the nearby Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute.
GPX / view map —Walking through the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute. We started at the southwest end, then walked in a roughly counter-clockwise track through the grounds. (Topo)
GPX / view map —Driving from the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute northwest to McDonald Observatory.
GPX / view map —The brief walk from the parking lot to the visitor center at the McDonald Observatory.
GPX / view map —Driving from the visitor center (McDonald Observatory) to the George T. Abell Gallery, associated with the Hobby-Eberly Telescope.
GPX / view map —Driving to Mount Locke, and the telescopes atop that mountain.
GPX / view map —Walking around the telescopes atop Mount Locke. It was about closing time, so we didn't spend much time here. (Topo)
GPX / view map —Driving (in a generally counter-clockwise pattern) from Mount Locke/McDonald Observatory to the lodge near Fort Davis. We also took the scenic road back to the east (and back west) within the park that the lodge is in.

Tuesday, August 28

GPX / view map —Driving from Indian Lodge, near Fort Davis, Texas to the Chisos Basin Lodge (registration/restaurant/gift shop building) in Big Bend National Park, Texas. We also did a brief spur to Panther Junction, a short distance northeast of the Lodge.
GPX / view map —Walking on the Window View Trail, near our room at the Chisos Basin Lodge ("Lodge"). Most of the time, short walks like this in the Lodge area were not recorded. (Topo)

Wednesday, August 29

GPX / view map —Driving from the Lodge to the south end of the Marufo Vega Trail.
GPX / view map —Hiking on the south end of the Marufo Vega Trail. We only went about a kilometer before determining that it was too hot to take a trail of that length (we were originally planning to go to a canyon to the north). (Topo)
GPX / view map —Driving from the south trailhead of the Marufo Vega Trail to the Boquillas Canyon Trail trailhead, then to the Boquillas Canyon Overlook, and back to the Boquillas Canyon Trail trailhead.
GPX / view map —Hiking the Boquillas Canyon Trail. It was extremely hot (and humid) here, with little or no wind and full sun. My handheld weather instrument, protected from direct sunlight, registered about 44.5 °C and a dew point of about 19 °C at the hottest point (which, unfortunately, was during the climb back out of the canyon). The GPS track is somewhat inaccurate in the canyon, suggesting that we crossed into Mexico. We didn't. (Topo)
GPX / view map —Driving from Boquillas Canyon back to the Lodge.

Thursday, August 30

GPX / view map —Driving from the Lodge to the Sam Nail Ranch trailhead.
GPX / view map —Hiking the short Sam Nail Ranch trail. (Topo)
GPX / view map —Driving from the Sam Nail Ranch to the Homer Wilson Ranch.
GPX / view map —Hiking to the Homer Wilson Ranch. Just a few minutes after we began the descent to the ranch (from the highway parking area), a group of firefighters "magically" appeared at the buildings below. They were there to clear brush so that nearby controlled burns would not damage the structures there. (Topo)
GPX / view map —Driving from the Homer Wilson Ranch parking area to the trailhead for the Burro Mesa Pour-off. The Sotol Vista Overlook Road (near the start of this track) was closed because of the recent controlled burn there.
GPX / view map —Hiking the Burro Mesa Pour-off Trail. (Topo)
GPX / view map —Driving from the Burro Mesa Pour-off parking area to near Santa Elena Canyon, including spurs to view the Mule Ears peaks, the village of Castolon, and the boat put-in area for the Rio Grande (we considered renting a canoe and paddling the river, but it was far too hot for that).
GPX / view map —Walking from the parking area for the Santa Elena Canyon Trail to the Rio Grande (known in Mexico as the Río Bravo del Norte). According to the definition of the United States/Mexico border cited in Wikipedia, I did not cross the international border here, since I did not cross any flowing water (just puddles and exposed rocks/mud, since the river was apparently quite low). We didn't take the rest of the trail because it was extremely hot (about 40 °C). (Topo)
GPX / view map —Driving from the Santa Elena Canyon parking area to the Lodge, via the Old Maverick Road, a "washboardy" gravel road.

Friday, August 31

GPX / view map —Driving to the Ernst Tinaja Trail, via the narrow, rough, gravel Old Ore Road (it took about half an hour to drive about 7.5 km).
GPX / view map —Hiking the Ernst Tinaja Trail. (Topo)
GPX / view map —Driving from the Ernst Tinaja Trail to Hot Springs (ghost town), including driving on the narrow, rough, challenging Old Ore Road (see the above, 2 entries up).
GPX / view map —Walking through the Hot Springs ghost town.
GPX / view map —Driving back to the Lodge from Hot Springs.

Saturday, September 1

GPX / view map —Driving to "Dugout Wells".
GPX / view map —Hiking the Chihuahuan Desert nature trail at Dugout Wells. We took the inner loop clockwise (starting in the northeast), then walked southwest down the road to a windmill, then back to the car, then the outer loop in a counter-clockwise direction. (Topo)
GPX / view map —Driving from Dugout Wells to the Fossil Bone Exhibit.
GPX / view map —Walking in and near the Fossil Bone Exhibit. Note that the trail was closed just south of the southernmost point of our walk.
GPX / view map —Driving from the Fossil Bone Exhibit north to the Dagger Flats Auto Trail (east and west on that road, which was much more challenging than one would expect from an "auto trail"), then back to the Lodge.
GPX / view map —Driving from the Lodge to Hot Springs, in a failed attempt to get "golden hour" photos there (there were storms blocking the lowering sun).
GPX / view map —Hiking/walking in the Hot Springs area, including hiking slightly past the actual hot spring. (Topo)
GPX / view map —Driving from Hot Springs back to the Lodge, amid a wild lightning show and periodic heavy rain showers.

Sunday, September 2

GPX / view map —Driving from the Lodge at Big Bend (Chisos Mountains) to Fort Stockton, Texas, via Marathon.
GPX / view map —Walking from the parking spot (east) to, and around, the roadrunner statue in downtown Fort Stockton. Although not currently labeled as such, it has previously been labeled, "Paisano Pete" ("paisano" is Spanish for "roadrunner").
GPX / view map —Driving from Fort Stockton, Texas to Wichita Falls, Texas. We stopped for dinner in Abilene, Texas.

Monday, September 3

GPX / view map —Driving from Wichita Falls, Texas to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.