A quick rundown of our 2 weeks in Big Bend:

We hiked, met up with old friends, made new friends, hiked, soaked in hot springs inside a ruined spa alongside the Rio Grande, hiked, spotted lots of wildlife including a tarantula, swam in the Rio Grande, and explored an old abandoned settlement.

The kids also went on an long summit hike with Randy to reach the top of Emory Peak! They did amazing and hiked all the way to the top for a round trip total of 8.5 miles. They both earned a special Jr. Ranger badge for this accomplishment, and Randy dolled out lollypops at the summit.

One of the more interesting moments of the trip was visiting the tiny remote village of Boquillas del Carmen. There’s an official border crossing to the town right within the national park! There were small boats you could pay to ferry you across the river, but we were happy to walk across since the water was only shin high. On the other side we were greeted by the locals who offered us burro rides into town. We’d told the kids beforehand that they could each ride one while my Randy and I walked.

We chatted with our guide Vincente as we walked and learned a little about the town and his family. One inside town he took us to a small customs trailer where we presented our passports and had them stamped. We walked around the town with him briefly and he showed us his home and we met his children. Ben and Lucy bought handmade bracelets from Vincente’s family and gave the kids some candy they brought with them. I think it was a very eye opening experience for our children.

We sat down at one of the two restaurants in town to have a bite to eat. It was the nicest building in town with indoor and outdoor seating and a gift shop. We were a bit surprised at the prices of the food, but it was all delicious and we were happy to support the owner and the village in a small way. In the corner of the restaurant some gentlemen were interviewing the owner about current border policies in the USA. As we leaving Mexico, we again crossed the river by foot. Me with my pants rolled up and Lucy riding on my back. We noticed the photographer from the interview snapping photos of us, a white family crossing the Rio Grande into the USA. I’m sure it was an interesting sight.

Now, #sorrynotsorry for all the photos….

A young girl in a blue shirt crouches to inspect ancient metate grinding holes in the rock.
Lucy inspecting ancient metate grinding holes along the Rio Grande

A girl in a blue shirt stands on a rocky Big Bend overlook above the Rio Grande at sunset.
And next thing you know, she’s hiking in socks…??

A rocky gravel hiking trail winds through desert scrubland under a soft pastel sunset sky.

A man peers through a telescope on a tripod overlooking the Rio Grande river valley at dusk in Big Bend.

A silhouetted person walks a ridge at sunset along the Rio Grande overlook in Big Bend.

Silhouetted yucca plants frame a sunset over the Big Bend mountain range.
Sunset along the Rio Grande overlook with silhouetted ocotillo.

Sunset glows over layered mountain ridges and dry desert brush in Big Bend.

A red canoe rests on a rocky riverbank while people wade in the river at Big Bend.
Hanging out with some new German friends in the Rio Grande

A boy in a bandana and glasses wades and gestures in a river at Santa Elena Canyon, Big Bend.

A woman lies on a paddleboard drifting on the calm waters of Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend.

A boy splashes river water from a rock while a girl wades and smiles in Big Bend.

A horse grazes on a rocky bank beside a wide river in the Big Bend desert.
Illegal horse crossing

A yucca plant rises before layered desert mountains under a blue sky in Big Bend.

A layered red butte rises over a desert plain with a rustic cabin and green brush in Big Bend.

A calm river flows through a rocky Big Bend canyon flanked by towering cliffs and green riverbanks.
Santa Elena Canyon

A rocky cliff rises above a green river bank under a vast blue Big Bend sky.

A prickly pear cactus bears a bright orange blossom in the Boquillas desert of Big Bend.

A small lizard perches on a sunlit rock face near the Boquillas ruins in Big Bend.

A woman poses with two children on a trail beside a towering limestone cliff in Big Bend.
Can you tell we were all a bit hot?

A hiker walks along a desert trail through a canyon in Big Bend National Park.

Layered red and tan mountains rise over a rocky desert basin in Big Bend.

Rolling desert plains and a rugged mountain rise beneath a partly cloudy sky in Big Bend.

Sun sets over distant desert mesas and dry grassland at Big Bend.

A couple sits on a hillside watching the sunset glow over the Big Bend desert mountains.
Random sweethearts enjoying the view

A family of four stands on a desert trail overlooking mountains at dusk in Big Bend.
Yes, that is my husband. He was trying out mutton chops for a few weeks. =D

Small birds cluster on the rocky ground around a wire chicken coop in the Big Bend desert.
Large flock of yellow headed blackbirds in Boquillas

A weathered adobe structure with a tall yellow solar-panel pole stands in a desert landscape.

A weathered pink adobe ruin with arched doorways sits at the base of a rocky desert hillside in Big Bend.
Ruins in Boquillas

Bare branches with red blossoms frame a sweeping Big Bend mountain and valley vista.

Pine trees dot a reddish canyon rim overlooking a deep chasm in Big Bend.

A blue-headed bird perches on a lichen-covered branch in the Big Bend desert.
A curious Mexican Jay