On March 16, 2026, we pointed the Denali west and traded riverside serenity at Parkview for desert drama at Maverick Ranch RV Park, just outside Big Bend National Park. The only site left was a pull-in, which—of course—we had to back into. The catch: every utility hookup was on the wrong side of the trailer.
Dumping tanks required creative hose geometry, water required extra reach, and shore power needed an extension cord that probably deserves its own zip code. Still, we had the gear, and within a short time everything was humming along like we planned it that way. The picnic table sat proudly on the “wrong” side as well, but given our short stay, we decided not to rotate the entire trailer 180 degrees just to eat lunch properly.
That evening we ventured out for dinner and selected a bar-style restaurant with promising reviews. Unfortunately, we arrived during “spring break specials,” which turned out to be a culinary interpretation of lowered expectations. The meal wasn’t good—but in fairness, it was memorable, which is its own kind of success. We retreated to the trailer, watched a bit of TV, and reset for a better showing the next day.
St. Patrick’s Day delivered. We drove into Big Bend and made our first stop at Sotol Vista Overlook. The view opens dramatically into the desert below—layered ridges, distant river, and that vast West Texas scale that makes you feel both small and oddly well-placed. We marked it for sunset and moved on. Along the way we stopped to take a look at the Mule Ears, which have evidently been used by hikers and even pilots for navigation for many decades.
We also stopped and took a look at Tuff Canyon. It was formed by many layers of hot ash with basalt and other rocks thrown into it by volcanic and other geologic activity millions of years ago. Water, wind, and additional geologic activity has worn their way down through the soft Tuff to the basalt at the bottom. It was worth the look and brief geology lesson. We made a few other stops to read signs and enjoy various views of the park.
Next stop: Santa Elena Canyon. This is one of those hikes that delivers immediately and then just keeps getting better. The trail climbs briefly and then drops you into the canyon where the Rio Grande quietly does its long, patient work. Towering limestone walls rise straight up on both sides—Mexico on one side, the U.S. on the other—like two neighbors who built a fence and then forgot why.
Naturally, I waded into the river and made a token attempt at international travel. Progress was halted by a rather persuasive 500-foot vertical wall on the Mexican side. Turns out, geology is still the most effective border control.
From there we headed to the Chisos Basin area for lunch and a quick visit to the facilities. The lodge no longer serves food—an important operational detail—but a food truck had stepped in to fill the void. Expectations were appropriately calibrated to “let’s just not make this worse than last night.” I ordered chicken strips and tater tots; Linda went with a hamburger. Against all odds, my meal was excellent. Crispy, hot, and exactly what you want after a desert hike. The burger was merely average, which, given the trajectory of recent meals, felt like a win.
We made an attempt at the Lost Mine Trail, but the parking situation was completely saturated. No staging area, no overflow, no “just circle once and see what happens.” We made the executive decision to keep moving rather than idle our way into frustration.
So we returned to Sotol Vista early, claiming our sunset spot hours in advance like seasoned professionals. The time was put to good use: a short nap, some reading, and a bit of quiet appreciation for the kind of day that requires no improvement. When sunset finally arrived, it was… fine. Nice. Respectable. But if we’re being honest, we’ve been spoiled. Utah still holds the crown for sunsets. This one didn’t quite rise to that level.
We drove back to the trailer in the dark, had a simple dinner, watched a little TV, and turned in. The next morning we’d be back on the road—this time toward Guadalupe Mountains National Park—ready to trade desert basins for higher peaks and whatever new “wrong side of the hookup” challenges awaited us there.
| Nights | Total Nights | Miles | Total Miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 380 | 397 | 33653 |