Trails of Arkansas (& now California): Big Bend National Park

I've been to Big Bend three times now and hope to go again soon. For Arkansans, this is one of the closer big National Parks. Spring Break is a great time to visit since the big parks out west are still buried in snow and the Texas desert can be miserable in the summer.

The first time I went, I went on a memorable backpacking trip with my dad around the Chisos to the Southwest Rim. We spent the first night in Boot Canyon where there is a seasonal spring that is popular with the local mountain lions and then made our way to the rim the next day. The sheer dropoff and bleak desert scenery below make for an incredible view.

The park has many other interesting features including deep canyons, the Rio Grande, springs, old mines, numerous species of cacti, and tinajas. I have yet to see the famous javelinas but hope you get to!