Rio Grande

Big Bend National Park is named for the great curve or bend in the Rio Grande as it winds its way through west Texas. There are 118 miles of river in this area shared by the United States and Mexico. On our recent hike along the Rio Grande, we came across a small tin can weighted with stones and 5 small copper wire/bead sculptures labeled with masking tape price tags. ($6 for scorpions and ocotillo plants) When I asked other park visitors about the art pieces, I found out that the Mexican town of Boquillas, (where many visitors to the park take a row boat ride across the Rio then “rent” a donkey to ride into the small Mexican town for lunch at one of two cafes)....anyway, Boquillas was devastated after the borders closed, following 911, and didn’t reopen until 2013. Copper spools of phone wire coils had been delivered to Boquillas to help advance development of the town but were never used after 9/11. Local artisans now use the copper wire to make these tiny sculptures hoping park visitors will buy/donate and take home as a souvenir of Mexico. I also found it interesting, while asking questions, that along the entire border the Big Bend sector has had the fewest apprehensions of illegal crossers every year for the last 44 years. When you hike in the park and see the beautiful vistas surrounding this incredible river, it’s encouraging to know the unforgiving terrain of this park will hopefully protect it from a “traditional “ border wall. Electronic monitors, underground sensors and camera towers are already in place and seem to be effective.

We finished our hike at a natural Hot Springs and decided it would be nice if all our hikes ended with a soak in 105-degree mineral enriched water!