We headed out on a two week road trip through Texas and Arkansas as part of an eclipse adventure. Big Bend National Park had been on the list list for quite some time, and the solar eclipse was passing through Hot Springs Arkansas - (more to come on that later). The first stop was Guadalupe Mountains National Park, which was our second time visiting. The whole family managed to hike to Guadalupe Peak this time, which is the highest point in Texas at 8,751' above sea level. Views were fantastic, but due to heavily overcast skies and very high winds, photo opportunities were limited at the peak.
Big Bend is a large park with fantastic diversity. It boasts desert floors, river valleys, canyons, and mountain peaks. During our four days there, we covered every paved road in the park and several of the dirt trails. The Suburban is not equipped for the rougher back country roads, so a return trip will be needed some day. Hiking highlights included Lost Mine Trail, Grapevine Hills, and Santa Elena Canyon. We witnessed many bird species, and several species of cacti were blooming throughout the park.
Check out the West Texas Gallery for many new images and then come back next week for highlights from Arkansas and the Eclipse.