Mine and Evan’s first day began with my alarm clock at 5:00am. The last bit of preparation and packing. And over six hours on the road. To get to our glampsite (The Summit at Big Bend in Terlingua) by 1:30. We unpacked right into our amazing lotus tent, caught a nap for just a few minutes. And then Ben and Lea arrived. We all drove up to the summit, to enjoy the gorgeous views. And we settled into our campsite, to watch the incredible sunset and stars. Ben and Lea cooked up a unique pasta dinner. {After too much driving in dense fog, the rest of the trip was nice and sunny. And the 70’s were perfect, as we explored our campsite and the ranch.}
Day two included all of us at Big Bend National Park. We checked out the Hot Springs Trail, with lots of history and the spring. And then Ben drove us way out one bumpy and lonely road, until we finally got to the Ernst Tinaja Trail. Despite the 80+ degree day, the canyon wall gave us enough shade, that it felt like a/c. And the pools of water, various cacti and plants, and all the cool rock formations gave us a beautiful hike and exploring time. But one of us was tired enough to want to leave, so we missed getting in one more hike that day. We headed back to the tent. I whipped up sausages and rice. And had time to snap some great star pics. {This day was bright blue skies, high of 84. Gorgeous!}
On day three, Ben and Lea explored Fort Davis. And Evan and I drove back to Big Bend. Our first hike was to Balanced Rock, on the Grapevine Hills Trail. This time, I had to drive a bumpy and rocky road out into the middle of nowhere. But the hike was worth it. Lots of great uphill mountain climbing, right up to some incredible rock formations and views. Then we tried the Lower Burro Mesa Pouroff Trail. The pouroff spot is huge and impressive, but hike was in full sun. So then we headed to the shaded Santa Elena Canyon Trail. A beautiful and cool hike along the canyon and Rio Grande. And then we were exhausted! So back to the tent. And I cooked up an enchilada casserole for dinner. Then quickly showered and went to bed. {Cloudless skies again. High got up into upper 80’s. So things got warm!}
We packed to leave on day four. Ben and Lea went back to Fort Davis. Evan and I said good-bye to the national park and stopped to pose with the local Statue of Liberty. 😉 Then took a detour to Marfa. Parked on Highland Street, right in the center of everything. We toured the courthouse, and got to see the beautiful 360 degree view from the very top floor. We found murals around town and enjoyed the courtyard of The Hotel Paisano. Then six hours back to Boerne. {Another gorgeous day. But now, back to the 70’s. God seriously ordered up some amazing weather for us, while we were there!}
My big complaint about the trip? It wasn’t long enough! We needed one more day, for a drive out to the state park. I had two beautiful hikes I wanted to do there. Boo….
Our accommodations:
The Summit at Big Bend
Felt like we were out in the middle of nowhere. Secluded from main roads, but with close friendly neighbors. The lotus tents were roomy. Evan and I shared the comfy queen bed. Ben and Lea got the foldout couch. There was a/c and heat. They provided a coutertop with sink and a mini fridge. And our tent had all the lights, linens, and towels we needed. Plus, we had a fire pit and adirondack chairs, for relaxing each night. We had no cell service out there. But with wifi, we were able to keep in touch with friends and family. Even our pet sitter was able to send us cute pics of our feathered and furry friends we had to leave behind for this trip.
The bathroom situation is what had worried me for over a month. If it had been super hot or cold, I would have been miserable. But! With the evenings only getting down to the 50’s, and the days hitting mid-80’s, it was great. There were four individual toilets. The two sinks and mirrors were around the corner, outdoors. Hand soap provided. There were two outdoor showers, for just rinsing off. And there were two enclosed showers. With lots of space, a stool and towel hook, plus shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.
Honestly, it was wonderful glamping!
Costs:
gas- three stops that totalled $160
food- was actually just our normal grocery charges
Big Bend National Park entry fee- $30 for the whole car, for a week
three nights at The Summit- right at $700 for the stay, cleaning fee, and taxes
How I prepared:
Hiking Big Bend– where I earmarked pages and circled important info
Lots of friends gave recommendations
So….
Because I’ve been working to give my boys experiences (not gifts) over the last several years, this vacation was their Christmas gift from me. And silly socks from Under the Fig Tree. 😉
Have you been? What did we miss, and need to go back to see? Have questions for me about our trip? Feel free to leave comments or inquiries below!
Amy,
The experiences you are sharing with your boys are irreplaceable. I still remember the trips I took with my family. You inspire me.