Big Bend National Park in the Winter Season
Embarking on my first journey to Big Bend National Park, I find myself reminiscing driving through the Chihuahuan Desert while I was visiting Guadalupe Mountains National Park, you can view that blog here:
- Backpacking the Highest Peak in Texas: Guadalupe Mountains
You can also check out this blog post where I share my many other experiences in Big Bend NP and West Texas:
My first adult visit to Big Bend NP in December 2016 remains vivid in my memory. Equipped with a few backpacking expeditions under my belt now, I invited my good friend Josh along for his inaugural backpacking excursion. This was my first winter trek, and we began our adventure by lodging in an earth house in Terlingua, TX, a stone’s throw away from the national park. Although we didn’t explore the town extensively, our time at the earth house was magical. We danced, prepared a hearty stew, and gathered around a crackling fire under the awe-inspiring Milky Way galaxy—a sight that left us speechless. I have stayed in over 100 Airbnbs, and this is definitely my Top 10 favorites, I have a whole separate post on the Airbnbs I’ve stayed at, you can find that here:
- My Top Airbnb Stays and Experiences
You can find the link to this Airbnb HERE
Big Bend, nestled in the Chihuahuan Desert, awaited our exploration, particularly the scenic Chisos Basin—a mountainous sanctuary amidst the desert landscape. The ascent was challenging yet exhilarating, with daytime “heat” (not comparable to the summer heat) giving way to bone-chilling nights. The absence of water sources necessitated carrying our own supply. Unexpectedly, we endured a harrowing thunderstorm on our first night, engulfed by swirling winds and dense fog that obscured everything beyond our outstretched hands. What we anticipated as a sweeping desert vista transformed into an intimate dance with nature’s veiled beauty—the allure of the fog and the profound absence of starlight left an indelible impression.
As the night draped its velvety cloak over our campsite, enveloping us in an otherworldly stillness, we nestled into our sleeping bags, lulled by the desert brisk breeze. But our peaceful repose was shattered by a cacophony of footsteps, ominous and haunting, encircling our tent like spectral dancers in the moonlit shadows.
With hearts pounding in synchrony with the rhythm of the unseen intruder’s approach, an electric charge permeated the air, a palpable force that seemed to emanate from the very fabric of the night itself. It was as if the desert held its breath, the silence pregnant with an unspoken warning, a primal instinct urging us to remain ensconced within the safety of our flimsy shelter.
A torrent of thoughts cascaded through my mind, an inexplicable telepathic connection weaving through the darkness, urging restraint, caution, an unspoken command not to venture beyond the confines of our tent. Paralyzed by fear and disbelief, I summoned every ounce of courage to pierce the oppressive silence with a trembling voice, calling out to my friend in the other tent through the darkness, seeking solace in shared apprehension.
“Josh, do you feel that!? Do you hear it!?”
My words hung heavy in the air, a desperate plea for confirmation, for validation of the surreal symphony unfolding around us. His response, a tremulous echo of my own unease, reverberated through the night—a fearful acknowledgment of the unseen presence that stalked our encampment.
In the eerie stillness that followed, I sensed a ghostly touch, a fleeting caress against the thin veil of our tent, accompanied by the rhythmic cadence of bipedal footfalls fading into the desert mountain’s vast expanse. And then, as swiftly as it had descended upon us, the oppressive energy dissipated, leaving behind a wake of adrenaline-fueled exhaustion that weighed heavy upon my weary limbs.
As sleep claimed me once more, I couldn’t shake the lingering sense of unease that lingered like a specter in the recesses of my consciousness. And though dawn eventually broke, casting its golden light upon the desert landscape, illuminating the truth of our nocturnal encounter, the memory of that fateful night would forever haunt the depths of my soul—a testament to the enigmatic mysteries that dwell within the heart of Big Bend.
Descending from the heights, we discovered a flourishing ecosystem—mushrooms and cocoons adorning the landscape, transforming the arid terrain into a semblance of a rainforest within the mountain desert’s embrace. Upon reaching the ranger station, our inquiry about another fellow wilderness permits uncovered our solitary sojourn atop the mountain during the tempestuous storm—a decision deemed daring by the incredulous ranger.
Our return journey to Austin was punctuated by reflective silence, thoughts consumed by the enigmatic energy that had temporarily subdued us. It was an expedition that blended nature’s unpredictability with shared moments of wonder and apprehension—a journey through the heart of Big Bend that continues to resonate with a sense of awe and intrigue.
