Our home is where we park it.

West Texas

Page last modified 1/28/2008

West Texas was a common setting for western movies. You will find mountains and deserts with some dry grasslands. When the University of Texas was founded (in Austin in Central Texas), the state had little money but a lot of land. The university was granted large amounts of land in West Texas — land which was not wanted by many people. Of course, that land turned out to be over large amounts of oil. Today the University of Texas is one of the best funded universities in the country. West Texas has been noted for its oil wells more than any other natural resource. It is also noted for the sparse population and isolated sections.

 

The Traveling Morgans have been to one of the more isolated areas, Big Bend National Park and the nearby Big Bend Ranch State Park..

 

Big Bend National Park is 300 road miles from the nearest Super Wal-Mart (El Paso).

The area has mountains and deserts and a “ribbon oasis” called the Rio Grande.

There is not much to see from the roads of the park. The great scenery is from hiking the rugged trails in the Chisos Mountains section or taking a float trip down the Rio Grande.  There is one hiking trail that includes part of a canyon. Even the many 4-wheel drive “roads” do not approach the rims of the canyons. This was a disappointment.

 

The wildlife and fauna are quite interesting. Seeing Tarantulas cross the road in front of you at night is an unforgettable sight. These large spiders are quite fast. The Javelinas (top left) and Road Runners (top right) . The varieties of cacti are incredible. Mountain Lions or Cougars prowl the area but are seldom seen.

 

The heat in the summer can be incredible in the desert parts. The local legend for hot days is “I saw a coyote chasing a jack rabbit and they were both walking.”  The fall and spring are much more reasonable, and winter guests are quite numerous. The Chisos Mountains are much cooler in summer, which partially explains the location of the lodge.

 

The remaining pictures give a glimpse of the scenic beauty.