Zebulon Montgomery Pike Trail to Red River, Mexico Journey 1807

Day 27: October 24th, 2003 Big Bend National Park (Mariscal Mine)

It was pretty late yesterday. Therefore I am not awake this early today. I have breakfast again at the buffet, then I must check out again. Also this time I cannot directly check in into my new room. Sure, it’s just nine in the morning. But my room is reserved and I can go back to the main road. This time I need some gas. Then I have to clean my windshield and at a quarter to ten I am ready for my trip of today.

Glen Springs Road, Big Bend National Park, TX

My destination of today is the Mariscal Mine. As I assume that the river road west is still closed and I don’t know the conditions of this road (if it is like the Old Ore Road, I am not able to make it within one day!) I take the Glen Springs road south.

Glen Springs Road, Big Bend National Park, TX

Glen Springs Road, Big Bend National Park, TX

There are two possibilities to reach Mariscal Mine from this road: Either go down to the river road and then drive back to the mine or take the no longer maintained Black Gap Road. As I don’t know, if the river road is already re–opened I decide to take my chances and drive the Black Gap Road.

Black Gap Road, Big Bend National Park, TX

After around one and a half hours I reach the Black Gap Road. There is no road closure sign, so I take this road. There is an 180 degree turn and then the road runs down a hill extremely steep. Now I understand what the Park Ranger meant when saying “don’t proceed when you are on top of the hill”. If this hill is wet, I would have no chance to drive back up this hill, even in 4WD.

But the road is dried out pretty well, so I drive down this hill. After I arrived at the bottom I take a look at the area down here. The main road does another 180 degree turn. There is still some water to see, but all in all it looks like I have a reasonable chance to get through there. Due to the thick bushes I am not able to see really far. But I want to give it a try.

First I must turn around again. But the space is very limited here and I have to back up a little bit into the hill. There I hear a smashing sound. Probably it is again my license plate. Then I drive forward and I am finished with my turn. Lucky me that my car is so small. Otherwise I would have been in real trouble here.

I put in 4 Low and go with momentum through the mud. It really works out pretty well. The water is only a couple of inches deep and the soil is solid enough. When I pass the curve, it still looks good and soon I have passed this wet area.

Then the road continues through dried out river beds, similar to the Old Ore Road. After a short drive I reach an incline, which is pretty washed out from the rain. Part of this road has slid down and so I have a steep dropout in my driving direction. First I try by just driving straight onto it. But the dropout is too steep, so all my four wheels start to spin!

So I have to approach it in an angle, which is not really easy on a small road like this. But with this next try I make it. Unfortunately I completely forgot to turn my camera on again due to all my excitement. So I only have the bad attempt on tape.

I continue and I am really surprised how good I am able to proceed. At another dried out river bed, which I have to cross, I stop to take some videos from the outside. With this opportunity I also put on some sun screen. Suddenly I hear some motor sound. Damned, exactly now when I am parked in the middle of the road. But it is not a car but a cross–country motorbike. We chat a little bit, then he wishes me “Have fun” — “I will”, I respond with a smile…

Wild Boar At Black Gap Road, Big Bend National Park, TX

Probably he was amazed that someone with a regular SUV is able to proceed on a road like this. After I have put on some sun screen I mount my camera and do the video taping. I continue and just before I pass another dry river bed a pride of wild boars crosses the road. Unfortunately they are too far away for my camera. But I try to take a picture out of my car to have at least something. But there is not enough time to set up my camera. As fast as they appeared, they also disappeared…

Black Gap Road, Big Bend National Park, TX

Time to continue. After a short drive there is another surprise waiting for me: After a curve I am suddenly in front of a pretty steep rock wall, which enters the road in the same steep angle. Someone already has put in some stones at the bottom to have a reasonable chance to get up there. I am pretty excited to see, if I am able to make it up there with my little truck. I slowly proceed forward and wait until my front smashes into the rock. But nothing happens. Suddenly my front starts to steeply raise and, beside the almost usual smashing sound of my license plate, nothing happens.

Black Gap Road, Big Bend National Park, TX

When I arrive at the top I have to realize that somewhere on my way up my video tape was out — is today everything going wrong with my video taping?! Later I will see, that there is still the beginning of the rock wall on my tape. But for now I continue.

Black Gap Road, Big Bend National Park, TX

It’s almost noon. As I don’t know what will happen along the road I skip further video taping from the outside. All in all they warned me at the visitor center to drive this road. But I am able to proceed way faster then on my yesterdays trail. It is even way easier to drive the Black Gap Road than the Old Ore Road with the exception of these special two spots.

Way faster than expected I reach the River Road East, which takes me to the Mariscal Mine. Also this road is dried out and I am making good progress. I arrive around half past twelve — exactly at the time when my motorcycle driver is ready to leave. He just waves me good–bye, then I drive over to the mine parking lot.

Mariscal Mine, Big Bend National Park, TX

First I have one of my apples for lunch. Then I grab my stuff together. A warning sign welcomes me right at the beginning of my hike: They were digging for mercury in the mines. Therefore you should stay away from the buildings. Okay, I start my hike anyways.

Ford T, Mariscal Mine, Big Bend National Park, TX

On my way up you find some remnants of an old Fort T–Model. But there is nothing more left than the frame and the basis of the old engine. A couple of feet apart lay some remnants of an old trailer and some old lorries.

Mariscal Mine, Big Bend National Park, TX

Mariscal Mine, Big Bend National Park, TX

Then I hike up the hill to the mine building ruins. Most impressive is the building where they once cooked out the mercury. How many people might have went out of this building with a mercury poisoning?

Mariscal Mine, Big Bend National Park, TX

Mariscal Mine, Big Bend National Park, TX

I hike through the ruins and I am astonished how well preserved they are. You are not able to walk into mines, because they are blocked by a metal fence. I hike a little bit further up the hill to the Mariscal Mountains and enjoy the nice views.

Mariscal Mine, Big Bend National Park, TX

Mariscal Mine, Big Bend National Park, TX

Then it is slowly time to return to my car. All in all I don’t know the conditions of the river road. If I would not be able to proceed there, I might have to return via the Black Gap Road. I arrive at the River Road East around a quarter to three.

River Road East, Big Bend National Park, TX

River Road East, Big Bend National Park, TX

River Road East, Big Bend National Park, TX

River Road East, Big Bend National Park, TX

But also this road is already in a good condition. Certainly you should not drive this road during rainy conditions. Part of this road runs for several hundred yards in river beds until the road goes up a hill again. And in other spots you drive on loamy soil where the ruts show you, how other people have been fighting to get through without getting stuck a couple of days ago.

River Road East, Big Bend National Park, TX

River Road East, Big Bend National Park, TX

River Road East, Big Bend National Park, TX

But now you can enjoy the beautiful landscape. You can spend hours here taking pictures. Finally I reach the last portion of this road before I am back on the main road — but that is also the worst one. The road had been repaired by a grader here, whose chains have been digging deep into the road bed. Now it is almost rattling your truck apart when driving there. Then I have to cross some dried out muddy sections until I reach the main road.

Hot Springs, Big Bend National Park, TX

Hot Springs, Big Bend National Park, TX

My next destination are the hot springs, a warm spring in the middle of the river. But I am not sure, if I am able to find them after the high water from a couple of days ago. A one lane gravel road takes you down to the parking lot, There are also some old buildings like the old store from back then.

Hot Springs, Big Bend National Park, TX

Hot Springs, Big Bend National Park, TX

After a brief visit I hike on down to the river. This area is well visited. A small creek enters the Rio Grande here. Are these the Hot Springs?

There is a small hiking path following the river banks, which I follow for a little while. Then I turn around. I don’t think, the Hot Springs are this far away. On my way back I meet a bigger group, who also wants to visit the Hot Springs. One of them tells me that it should be just a little bit further down the trail. So I also continue with them.

Hot Springs, Rio Grande, Big Bend National Park, TX

Hot Springs, Big Bend National Park, TX

And indeed, after a couple of hundred yards we reach the springs. There is hot water coming out of the ground in a little masoned area, which is mixing up with the river water. I take a couple of pictures. Then I hike back. It is definitely too crowded for me around here.

Back at my car I decide to just drive over to Rio Grande Village. There is a small store, which hopefully sells something to drink. In the meantime I have almost nothing left and I desperately need some beverages. I arrive at a quarter to six at the store, just 15 minutes before they close. I take a bottle of water and a bottle of Gatorade. This should be enough for now.

Then I drive back to the Basin. After my arrival I must first check in again. I receive my room key, then I have to carry all my stuff again into my room. This time it is even at the upper level. And I was also not able to park directly at the motel, but some distance away. But everything is way better than these Lodge Units from my first night!

As it is again already pretty late in the evening, I immediately go for dinner. Also today the waiting line is pretty long. But like the other days I receive my table rather soon. Only the sunset is almost gone again. Just past eight I pay and walk back to my motel room. When I arrive there, I first make some coffee. Then I check my video taping of today. I have done a lot of taping today. So it takes me again past 11pm until I am able to go to bed. It’s about time, that I will have less stressful days…