Wanderlust UK – September 2019

(Axel Boer) #1

112 wanderlust.co.uk September 2019


TEXAS


ARKANSAS


NEWMEXICO


OKLAHOMA


MEXICO


Rio
Gra
nde

Rio
Gra
nde

RedRiver

RedRiver

BigBend
NP

Caprock
Canyons
SP

PaloDuroCanyon
SP

GulfofMexico


Davis
Mountains

Abilene

Amarillo

AUSTIN


Brownsville

CorpusChristi

Lubbock Dallas

ElPaso

FortWorth

Houston

Laredo

Marfa

SanAntonio
Terlingua

Waco

TheAlamo

0 300km

A


fternearly 45
minutesofgently
ascendingthe
LostMineTrail,
Iturnedthecorner
tobegreetedby
thetopographicalgloryofJuniper
Canyon.Thisrockywonder,set
deepinBigBendNationalPark,
soonbecameoneofmyfavourite
viewsinthewholeofTexas.
Layersofmountains–each
aslightlydi“erentshadeofpastel
colour–stretchedacrossthe
landscapeasfarastheeyecould
see.Spikydesertcactipunctured
thescenetosetthemoodand,
bestofall,therockformation
besidemehappenedtobeshaped
likeachiselledarmchair.Iquickly
settledintomythroneofnature
andsoakeduptheastounding
sceneryfornearlyanhour.
Whatstruckme–beyondthe
magni™icentvisualcanvas–was
theutterlackofanyhuman
interference.Therewerenomotor
sounds;thereweren’tanytelephone
lines,planesorscrapsofpaper.

DID YOU KNOW?
In 2012, Big Bend National Park was named an International Dark
Sky Park, and it is said to have the darkest measured skies in the
lower 48 US states, making it perfect for stargazing.

It was highly possible that little had
changed here since my spot had
been similarly occupied by the
region’s indigenous inhabitants
thousands of years ago.
For that blissful hour, I let my
eyes and thoughts wander and
disperse across the colossal
untouched Texas landscape.
I spent the next few days exploring
Big Bend’s other natural wonders,
from traversing the mighty Rio
Grande River and relaxing in its hot
springs, to marvelling at sheer
vertical canyon walls, to savouring
the delicacies of West Texas at
the park’s dining lodge.
Occasionally, I’d see a Texan
basking in Big Bend’s rugged
beauty. True to form, they’d politely
smile and o“er a friendly “Howdy”
while acknowledging that we were
fortunate to be sharing such an
experience. But there was no
denying that the glory of Big Bend
o“ers the perfect gateway to
explore this wild state, yet it is far
from the only wonder to be found
here, as visitors soon discover. ⊳
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