If you could only be in the park for a few days, the Santa Elena Canyon, in the SW end of the park, would be in the top 2! A short trail, about 2 miles out and back, you get to actually walk into the canyon next to the Rio Grande and experience some of the wonderful scenery:
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| on our way to SEC we saw a couple of vermillion fly catchers! |
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| Our first sighting of the Rio Grande on this trip with the opening to SEC coming into view |
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| there are Texas bluebells everywhere lining the roads! |
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| The shade was so welcome;) The water very slow moving and like a mirror. |
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| reflection of the canyon wall |
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| Standing on a little rock spit, I am about in the middle of the canyon |
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| canyon wren |
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| leaving the canyon we drove by a lot of painted desert..... |
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| and an old ranchers house |
Another in the near the top of the list for scenery is the Pine Canyon Trail. This trail starts in grasslands at the end of a dirt road and takes you up into a forested area, with pinion pine, junipers and oaks, and ending at the base of a 200ft cliff which has a waterfall in the rainy season. It was dripping for us;)
It is also a bear area and we were fortunate enough to hear, and Mike see, the rumps of two juvenile bears running away from us on the opposite side of the canyon!
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| rewarded again with cool shade in the forested area |
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| the "waterfall" and the end of the trail.....at least it was dripping;) |
Bears....wow! Wouldn't have expected them down there. Looks wonderful...but sounds HOT!
ReplyDeleteIt was very warm Lisa, we've been having to get up way too early;)
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