Trips

Santa Elena Canyon Trail in Big Bend National Park

By: GHM

On: June 11, 2018

Santa Elena Canyon with Kids

If you recall, I mentioned Big Bend is a large park. To travel from the Chisos to Santa Elena is to travel about 40 miles. Which, if you mind the posted speed limits in the park (and, you should) means this is a drive that will take over an hour. I fretted a bit at our late start when I realized how far we had to go and how popular this hike was. I was more than a little concerned it would be unpleasantly crowded, but que sera sera what are you going to do but hit the road!

As you near the border the road veers northwest and here you will find the outpost of Castolon. It is the last regular restroom before you hit the trail – though, there are composting toilets at the trailhead. We made a quick pit stop. Nothing was open that early – and by nothing I mean the store but the area was nice and bathrooms were clean.

From Castolon we proceeded along the Rio Grande another twenty minutes to the end of the road and Santa Elena Canyon. The hike lived up to its reputation. The scenery was gorgeous and worth every step. You begin by following a boardwalk down to the banks of the Rio Grande.

As we approached we saw several canoe tours launching out for various excursions. One was taking a couple the river for a few hours. Another was taking a group up and back over the course of three days.

We skirted the beach and followed the trail, which shortly began to climb.

Our children were fine but if you have a wandering child or one that does not equate a sheer drop to your death with caution then best to skip this hike.

Once we went up we began a more gradual descent and eventually came to the end of the trail. From there you can only continue by boat.

It was an amazing site to be surrounded and staring up at 1500 feet of canyon wall.

The hike back seemed faster but that often seems the case with return trips. Most of the hike was shaded which was nice. The sunniest portion being the beginning climb up…and, eventually, back down. All in, all it took about 1.5 – 2 hours roundtrip with two children.

Another pleasant surprise is that the trail was not crowded though it promised to be one of the busiest in the park. This actually turned out to be true but if crowded is twenty people then it was certainly manageable.

Santa Elena Canyon Trail is one of the most popular trails in Big Bend for a very good reason. It is beautiful and fairly easy. It is absolutely a must do when you are in Big Bend with kids!

RETURN TO: Day Four: Hiking with kids and Fossils, Burros, and Canyons

Big Bend, Day Four: Hiking with kids and Fossils, Burros, and Canyons

By: GHM

On: June 11, 2018

In: Things To Do & Travel, Trips

Hiking with Kids in Big Bend National Park – Rise and Shine!

We woke and ate breakfast in our room (packing those groceries was a great idea). The sun was up and lighting Casa Grande before we managed to peak our heads out. Fortunately, for late April, the weather was still supposed to be pleasant. Meaning, not skin-searing heat – just a warm enough you would not want to stay in the direct sun for too long.

We took the winding mountain road out of the Chisos Basin and went east to the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. We began at our farthest destination and worked our way back toward the Chisos. It seems like nearly every hike in Big Bend tells you to hike early or late to avoid the heat and crowds but that is not possible for every hike. So we tried to make our longest hike first. Which meant first stop, Santa Elena Canyon!

We tend to be ambitious travelers and plan more than tends to be feasible (particularly, with young kids) but we also have no problem being flexible enough to scratch things as needed. Our itinerary for hiking with kids keeps things on route without much wasted travel.

Itinerary:

Santa Elena Canyon Trail
Castolon
Mule Ears Overlook
Lower Burro Mesa Pour-Off
Sam Nail Ranch
Panther Junction
Fossil Exhibit
Optional: Grapevine Hills

Santa Elena Canyon Trail is the furthest away from Chisos and longest that we were going to do, at about 1.5 miles round trip. From there you can work your way back the way you came. Stop through Castolon for lunch and ice cream then swing by the Mule Ears Overlook to snap some pics and take in that vista!

From there proceed up the Ross Maxwell Scenic Route to the Lower Burro Mesa Pour-Off. This is the shorter of the two Burro Mesa hikes at only 1-mile round trip, but it is nearly all gravel wash and open sun. If you have very young kids and you come here in the middle of the day this may be the one to skip. Or, you may come back in the evening when it is cooler, we did see a lot of lizards on this hike – and, what kid doesn’t love lizard spotting?!

After the Lower Burro Mesa hike continue along the road, back up the way you came, and stop at the Sam Nail Ranch trail. This one is very easy and has a good amount of shade.

Side note: If you have older kids that can handle a five-mile hike in mostly open sun this is also the place you park to access Cattail Falls. It is unmarked for its own protection. It is a micro-ecosystem and a very important source of water for the region. If you decide to take this hike please be mindful of this and stay out of the water! To access the trailhead park at Sam Nail Ranch and proceed across the street to the closed road. You will hike it for about a mile before you reach the old parking lot, then it is another 1.5 miles to the falls.

After Sam Nail Ranch a break will be in order. Pass up the urge to turn toward the Chisos and take a nap and proceed past the turn off to Panther Junction. If you need gas there is a station just before you get to the visitor’s center.

Panther Junction is the park headquarters and has the nicest visitor’s center. You can get a nice bathroom break and watch a movie about the park in a cool dark theater. There is also a nice sized book selection to peruse.

Once you have refueled your energy stores, proceed north on Highway 385, like you are heading to Marathon. About ten minutes along you will come to the new Fossil Discovery Exhibit. This is a can’t miss. Especially, with kids! Take your time in this open air but shaded exhibit there is a lot to see.

From here it may be time to call it a day. It was for us and our crew. If your crew is a bit older and can handle another hike we would suggest heading to Grapevine Hills. You will backtrack toward Panther Junction, then head west toward the Chisos turn off. But just past it on the north side of Gano Spring Road is the turn off, Grapevine Hills Road, which will take you to the Grapevine Hills Trailhead.

Grapevine Hills is a two-mile roundtrip hike with a big payoff at the end. It would be a gorgeous sunset hike. This hike is also a good end of day because it is fairly close to the Chisos so once you are done the drive back in will not be long – which means dinner is near!

Happy Hiking and check out the links in the Itinerary for specifics on each trail!

Previous: Day Three: McDonald Observatory (Again), Fort Davis NP, Alpine, and Big Bend NP

Next: Day Five: BBNP (Boquillas, Hot Springs, & the Rio Grande)

It’s a series, so if the link isn’t live yet subscribe to be notified of the next post!

– Right down there in the footer –

Big Bend, Day Three: McDonald Observatory (Again), Fort Davis NHS, Alpine, and BBNP

By: GHM

On: May 28, 2018

In: Things To Do & Travel, Trips

My What Big Mirrors You Have! All the Better to Understand the Universe, My Dear.

Up and at ’em bright and early! The best thing about traveling is there is always a view because it is new to you. Houston is extra flat. So, anytime we see anything resembling a mountain (even if the locals insist on calling it a hill) we get a little excited. So, waking up in Fort Davis is all the motivation we needed to get our day going. One look outside told us we aren’t in Houston anymore!

It may seem like a redundant day but it was not – we were headed back to the McDonald Observatory for a private tour of the 82-inch Otto Struve telescope (the measurement is in reference to the size of the telescope’s mirror). Guided tours of the big telescopes are available twice daily for a small fee. If you need a different time you can take yourself on a self-guided tour of the observatory which culminates at the newest and largest telescope, the 11 meter (yes, the mirror is over 36 feet across), the Hobby-Eberly at no charge. It has a small visitor’s center open daily, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., where you can see the mirrors.

The morning we headed out was clear and a brisk 40 degrees! By the time we reached the observatory, in the mountains, the temperature had dropped to 27 degrees.

The tour was amazing. We ended up seeing all three of the big telescopes – the 82-inch Otto Struve, the 107-inch Harlan J. Smith, and the 11-meter Hobby-Eberly. They were all super cool and the views from the catwalks are unparalleled. I can’t imagine having the opportunity to have my coffee out there everyday – definitely a job perk!

Our kids enjoyed the access to the telescopes and the opportunity to ask questions and see them up close. They were even allowed to move them (which, of course, they fought over whose turn it was). My independent six-year-old maybe pushed the comfort level of our guide. Taking children around multi-million dollar equipment might be a little nerve-wracking!

Since we had risen and shined so early we headed back to the hotel to pack up and check out before heading down the road to the Fort Davis National Historic Site.

Fort Davis NHS

Fort Davis National Historic Site is in town and only a few minutes drive from anywhere in town. It has a nice museum with some hands-on exhibits for the kids. Though there were a lot more seasoned patrons than young, when we were there, and they did not really appreciate the “energy” young people travel with. One lady even kept shushing my six-year-old when we were walking around the grounds! Ah, well, you can’t please everyone all the time…

The site is quite spread out so bring your walking shoes if you want to see all of it. My favorite part was the hospital. There were some nice displays about early medicine and procedures. The kids enjoyed trying to match the instruments with their intended use (not as easy as it sounds!).

Off the parking lot, there are some covered picnic tables so we made a quick lunch from our cooler and supplies and dined al fresco before heading to Alpine. There are also a few lunch spots in Alpine worth checking out if you did not want to eat picnic-style.

Alpine, Home of a Real Store

Heading southeast from Fort Davis, a short thirty-minute drive through the Chihuahua Desert is Alpine. When you head across open terrain it is always worth the view. The grasses and scrubs pass through some impressive rock formations and just like that, a city appears.

In Alpine, there is a small well-stocked Stages department store, part of the Beall’s family. As promised the shoe department was a gold mine and we were able to get a pair of sturdy reasonably price athletic shoes for our little guy (they even light up – score!). Almost across the street is Sul Ross University home to the Museum of the Big Bend.

The university grounds are full of red-rocked buildings and manicured lawns. The museum is on campus and worth a stop. It is free and very well maintained. The exhibits take you through the geologic and cultural history of the region.

By now our kids were pretty well done so it was a perfect opportunity for a quiet drive and some car naps! The drive is about two hours and as you head further south the vegetation takes a distinct turn from prairie/ grasslands to desert scrub.

There are basically two routes to Big Bend National Park (BBNP) from Alpine and the drive difference is mere minutes. We chose the Terlingua route, down 118, because, if our kids felt up to by Terlingua, we were considering trying to find one of two trails outside of the park – Moon Valley or Indian Head Trail.

However, by the time we rolled into Terlingua an hour or so later, we were all ready to head into BBNP so we proceeded into the park, past many Border Patrol agents, and toward the Chisos Mountains Lodge.

The park entrance is still quite a distance from anywhere in the park. So, we paid our $25 fee for the week and headed in.

Big Bend National Park and the Chisos Mountains Lodge

There is a road in BBNP called the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. We were not on it but dang if it was not a scenic drive! Around every bend is a new breathtaking expanse of scrub and rock with a backdrop of mountains along the horizon line.

From the edge of the park to the Chisos Mountains Lodge is a thirty-minute drive. Anywhere you want to go in the park is at least a thirty-minute drive. That would be the Big part of Big Bend. This trip is the only place I have been in years where we could drive for twenty miles and not see another car.

Part of the reason we stayed at the Chisos Mountains Lodge is simply due to this fact. It takes so long to get anywhere that starting from outside the park seemed silly if we had an option to stay in the park. The Chisos Mountains Lodge is the only hotel inside the park and unless you are camping it is worth structuring your trip around its availability.

The hotel itself is solid. It is not amazing, it is not a hovel. It is somewhere in between where the rooms are clean and maintained, the staff is friendly, and the views unparalleled. It was only slightly disconcerting that they had sprinklers and fire hoses laid out encircling the entire lodge because the fire danger was so high!

The Chisos Mountains Lodge is also home to the only restaurant in the park which is open for all meals. The food is good and not overpriced due to their monopoly and, again, those views! In fact, we checked in and headed up to the restaurant for an early dinner.

The restaurant is in the same building where you check in. They also have a small gift shop, bar deck, and wifi. So, it always has people coming and going. However, across the parking lot is one of the park visitor’s centers which has much stronger wifi (unless some guy is hogging all the bandwidth Skyping with his girlfriend for an hour, might be a true story). Even when the center is closed people are lounging around outside of it checking in with the world.

The last two things around the parking lot are a general store and a trailhead. We popped into the store for ice cream. There is an unwritten rule that when in Big Bend and you have the opportunity to eat ice cream, you should always eat ice cream!

The Window View Nature Trail

After we were stocked up on our icy treats we meandered to the trailhead. This trailhead could take you many places but if you are not going places and just need an after-dinner stroll the Window View Nature Trail is the trail to take. It is a short paved loop, less than half a mile and accessible to all, with a perfect view of the sunset through the Window.

This was obviously the thing to do in Chisos at night as this would be the most people-packed trail in our entire trip. The trail is a loop and there are two spots to stop, though there is trail connecting these two spots and the view is equally good anywhere along it. Get out there early if you want a seat!

Going

Gone

BBNP-Window-Trail-Sunset — Waiting for the sun to set can be hard sometimes you have to delve into the deep questions of life like, “Are my eyes all white now?”

As soon as the sun set the crowds dispersed immediately. We wandered the trail a little longer. It has a nice assortment of vegetation and signage. But, as soon as the sun went down the temperature began dropping fast and our clothes that were perfectly appropriate five minutes before were becoming a little light. We went back to our room, though not before we were all a bit chilled, and put ourselves and this first day in Big Bend to bed!

Previous: Day Two: San Antonio to Fort Davis – Balmorhea and the McDonald Observatory

Next: Day Four: BBNP (Fossils, Burros, and Canyons)

It’s a series, so if the link isn’t live yet subscribe to be notified of the next post!

– Right down there in the footer –

Big Bend: Day Two, San Antonio to Fort Davis – Blamorhea and the McDonald Observatory

By: GHM

On: May 21, 2018

In: Things To Do & Travel, Trips

Onward to Fort Davis! …but first Breakfast!

We checked out of the Omni and headed out for breakfast. If you are already downtown you are very near Lulu’s. And, if you are very near Lulu’s you should probably go. It is a bit of a hole in the wall diner with a big-busted photo stand-up out front that I could not get my kids to take a picture with. But, there is a three-pound cinnamon roll. And, it is glorious!

Their other food is really good and quite budget friendly. On the weekends you’ll want to get in before the rush. We arrived around 8 a.m. and there was no wait. If you don’t want to eat in, they package up that cinnamon roll to go…

From Lulu’s, we made a grocery run at HEB, then hit the road.

Balmorhea State Park

This day had a large chunk of driving involved but we decided to let the kids eat snacks in the car and try to hold lunch off until we got to Balmorhea. With one pit stop and one gas stop we left HEB around 9:45 a.m. and pulled into Balmorhea around 3:00 p.m.

In all fairness, this may be hard to pull off with younger kids, as mine were starving when we got there…until they saw the pool! Then we had to drag them out to eat food after an hour of swimming.

Depending on the time of year access may be hard anyway as they limit day use visitors to 1,300. They open at 8 a.m. and sell 1,000 passes then issue 300 passes for those who wish to return after 3 p.m. During summer Balmorhea SP is pretty active on their Twitter feed updating the ticket status.

In fact, if you have any questions I would call first to verify because what you think should be open or happening may not be. For instance, thankfully, we did not plan on eating in the park but the cafe said it would be open and was not. This is something you should get used to doing in this part of Texas because the Internet information may not be current.

Even though it was a Saturday we went for it since we knew we would be getting in late anyway. It was awesome! There were less than 50 people in the whole place. It is pretty spread out so we really had as much room as we wished.

We spent a very leisurely time making lunches and letting the kiddos swim. They loved how the small fish swarmed around them. We also saw a large black catfish and a spiny smooth-shelled turtle (which, this homeschool mom had to correct someone who was loudly proclaiming there was an alligator snapping turtle in the pool).

Balmorhea Pool

The water is a consistent 76 degrees year round and crystal clear. There were a few groups of divers there as it reaches a depth of around 25 feet. And, even though it is a large pool I would definitely have mom-anxiety if we had been there is 1,000 other people! Too much chance of not seeing my kids and it is ‘swim at your own risk’ so… ugh, makes me tense up just thinking about it!

Fort Davis and Disaster Strikes

From Balmorhea, we proceeded to Fort Davis, which is only about a thirty-minute drive. We originally booked a room at the Indian Lodge at the Davis Mountains State Park, but their renovations forced an extended closure and we were canceled. Fortunately, there are several places to stay in Fort Davis. We chose the Stone Village Tourist Camp which is set up motel style where you can pull up in front of your room.

The rooms are very clean and spacious. We went for the Suite (about a $10-20 difference from the basic rooms) so we had two rooms, one for the beds and a second with the bathroom off it with a small kitchenette area with a table & chairs, mini-fridge, microwave, TV, etc. In the same lot and run by the same proprietors is the Stone Village Market. If you were worried about being unable to find organic look no further than this little market. It is basically a tiny Whole Foods, complete with sandwich bar.

We really enjoyed the motel. It had a great laid back vibe and everyone was really great. It also has something rather unique, Camp rooms. Which are basically screened in patios. They use a communal bathroom but are also very nice. While we were there a cycling group was using them. They were riding bikes all the way to Big Bend (wowza!).

All that was the good part, now as I started getting everyone sorted out for the evening came the panic as I realized we left the bag at home that had ALL of our hiking boots! You know that feeling of shock when you just stand frozen trying to decide if you can actually do something or should just start crying. Yeah, that was me. I may have also eaten my feelings with a beer and leftover cinnamon roll…

We had about three hours before the Star Party at the McDonald Observatory began which would cut it close to driving up and back to Fort Stockton which had the nearest Walmart. Fortunately, three out of four of us had tennis shoes. It was just that little one who lives in Crocs and flip flops we had to sort out.

The front desk suggested the Dollar General (which was a bust) and about that time my hero of a husband found a Stages on the map in Alpine. We do not have those in Houston but it is part of the Beall’s family and with a call, we confirmed a full shoe department. Since Alpine is on the route to Big Bend the following day we put a pin in shoe hunting and got some dinner at the market before we bundled up to go to the Star Party.

Star Party at the McDonald Observatory

It is strange to think of the temperature fluctuations we encountered on this trip. This was our first wide swing. Earlier in the day the kids were sweating and swimming but later that night up in the Davis Mountains the temperatures dropped into the thirties. We bundled but it is still cold and late.

The Star Party is amazing and worth it even if you have little kids. If they are little enough, consider a carrier or stroller and blankets so they can conk out. Older kids will also enjoy it and be fine. The in-betweens are where the problem comes in. Our ten year old grumbled about the cold but overall enjoyed the program. Our six-year-old is too heavy to carry for long, fell asleep during the constellation talk, and was unimpressed when he looked through the telescope and saw more dots. So, while he was a total trooper he was tired and certainly didn’t get out of it what older kids, teens, and adults would.

That being said, the museum area does have a great area that kids enjoy so even if you have to retreat inside it is a good inside to retreat to!

Despite the cold, it was perfect stargazing conditions. It was super clear and the constellations were pretty easy to see (especially since the lecturer had a laser beam that was strong enough to signal God).

We all had mixed feelings about the telescopes. There were several to choose from and we just sort of got in random lines (I guess we could have shimmied up to ask what we were going to see, but we didn’t). Some were certainly more impressive than others. Seeing galaxies is pretty amazing but you have to put your expectations in check. It’s a telescope. So, even though you will see cool things you can not see with the naked eye it is not going to be an HD National Geographic special on the universe.

If you can hang out late and it is not too cold the crowds will thin out significantly. We left the observatory around 11 p.m. and hit the sack around 12:15 p.m. The drive is not that long, but it is windy and you should definitely be on the lookout for deer and critters.

I do sort of refer to this as our Day of Disappointments – yes, it’s a little dramatic. First, the boots. Then Balmorhea – it is definitely worth doing and I am glad we went but there is a lot of hype around this pool. Maybe once all the renovations are done. And, lastly bison. I had to deliver the bad news to my six-year-old when we asked what they were most looking forward to and he replied, “Seeing wild bison!” that, no, sadly the wild bison of Texas are no more. Kids, you never know what you are going to get!

All in all, disappointments included, a great day with lots of adventures!

Previous: Day One: Houston to San Antonio and Fiesta Texas

Next: Day Three: McDonald Observatory (Again), Fort Davis NP, Alpine, and Big Bend NP

It’s a series, so if the link isn’t live yet subscribe to be notified of the next post!

– Right down there in the footer –

Big Bend: Day One, Houston to San Antonio and Six Flags Fiesta Texas

By: GHM

On: May 14, 2018

In: Things To Do & Travel, Trips

Big Bend the First Leg: Houston to San Antonio and Six Flags Fiesta Texas

Driving from Houston to Big Bend will take about ten hours, excluding stops. My kids could do it. They are great travelers. But, it is pretty much no fun and everyone would be completely exhausted. Plus, we had a secret from our kids – Six Flags Fiesta Texas invited us out to the park!

Our kids are complete roller coaster junkies we could not wait to surprise them. So we left Houston to cloudy skies around 7:30 a.m.. Including all requisite stops (Whataburger & Buccee’s) we made good time.

There is so much to see between Houston and Big Bend. If you don’t need to rush then don’t. You can easily spend a day in San Antonio or just a few hours. Either experience would be great and it also gives you the flexibility of still working day one of your trip (if you need to preserve vacation days) and cutting three hours off your drive without everyone being exhausted at the end of the day.

Arrival at Fiesta Texas was amazingly uneventfully. There was no line or wait of any kind. We drove nearly up to the gate to park and once we took the turn and could see the roller coasters the kids were buzzing!

Six Flags Fiesta Texas Crowds — The crowd level was amazing!

Side note, there is a Bank of America ATM at the shopping center across the street, the RIM. Also, some people report trying to park for free over there and walk across the road to save money. I would definitely not recommend this. It is quite a walk and security is definitely watching. Chalk that move up to: more trouble than it’s worth.

Unfortunately, those Houston clouds followed us to San Antonio with a smidge of rain and lightning. When we entered the park at 11 a.m. all the rides were closed! Fortunately, my handy radar app showed everything clearing so we meandered to the first ride area (Six Flags has a handy app too, I would get it while you’re there). We waited about ten minutes and the all-clear was signaled and the rides opened.

Normally, we work parks like, Fiesta Texas, from back to front or clockwise, but it was a Friday in April and crowds were blessedly few so we took the typical right-hand turn and toured the park in a counterclockwise manner.

I was concerned a lot of things would be closed due to the time of year but all the major rides were open and probably about 80% of the minor rides (the waterpark was closed but that was clear before we arrived). And, some of the shows even opened later in the day. There was plenty to see and do!

The first ride we came to was Road Runner Express. It turned out to be my six-year old’s favorite ride and before we headed out we came back for one more ride! The first time we rode it was unexpectedly jerky, but once I was ready for it, the second time around, it was much more enjoyable.

Next door to Road Runner Express is the Iron Rattler. If you are as old as me you will remember this as the all wooden roller coaster that opened Fiesta Texas called the Texas Rattler. It is the same coaster but it is no longer all wooden. It has been revamped and rethemed and is one of the smoothest rides I have ever been on. It was far and away our favorite!

My six year old was nervous but went for it and had a great time. Never force a kid to ride a roller coaster! I cannot tell you how heartbreaking it is to see screaming children forced on to roller coasters before they are ready. Six Flags parks offer a rider exchange program so parents can take turns without waiting in line. Use it if you need to. Scarring kids is not family time.

Another option is letting the little ones ride Foghorn Leghorn’s Barnyard Railway and Yosemite Sam’s Wacky Wagons, which are conveniently located near the exit of the Iron Rattler and have no minimum height requirements, while the taller and braver people take on the big rides.

If you continue along you will come to the train depot and the Gully Washer. The train will circle the entire park so we saved it for later. The Gully Washer is a ride where you and your family can sit in a circular tube and be swished along a raging river. Plan to get wet. It was too early for us to get wet so we proceeded past the waterfalls and through a vine-covered tunnel to the section of the park fashioned to look like fair rides, Spassburg.

The big draw in Spassburg is the Superman Ride. It has a minimum height of 54″ which eliminated my little one from riding, but Kidzopolis is in this area so we did bumper cars (many times), the pirate ship play area, and all the kiddie rides. Fiesta Texas is set up well with big rides mixed in with little rides so no one should be sitting around being bored.

As you make your way through this area of the park there is a carnival game type area and a Johnny Rockets. We were not quite ready to eat so we moved into the next area, Rockville. The theming here is pretty fun and it sort of looks like you are on an old main street.

The big draw here is Batman: The Ride (and the to-be-opened-any-minute Wonder Woman ride – if you want to see it in action check out the San Antonio section of our Instagram Story Highlights). The theming on the Batman ride was great, there are some air-conditioned areas, movie props, and an actual Batmobile – the kids loved it. The ride itself is one where your feet dangle. It is fast and you get squeezed in tight! I would hate to get stuck on this one. It was fun but not one I would need to do multiple times.

This was the part where we got hungry so we visited Primo’s Pizzeria. Price wise everything we found at Fiesta Texas was amusement park-reasonable. We ordered an entire pizza for the family and got water. It was around $20. If you are soda drinkers the family deal may be a better option. Most restaurants seemed to have one and they ran around $45 for a big entree, sides, and four drinks. Some other prices we saw were $13.99 for a meal deal and $9.99 for a kid’s meal (which included a drink). Drinks will run $4-7 and they have an all season unlimited refill cup option. But, you know, glasses of water are free and what your body needs on a hot day…

Six Flags Fiesta Texas Primo's Pepperoni Pizza — The pizza was pretty good but they won’t do half and half. So, if your kids are cheese-only types somebody will have to compromise (it was them).

From lunch we had a quick bathroom break which is right next to Hustler, a spinning teacup style ride themed after a game of pool. Everyone but my husband loves some spinning so away we went.

Then we were off to Fiesta Bay Boardwalk. I really enjoyed the laid-back vibe of this area. There are a lot of spinning style rides here so the hubs was out but that is okay because they have a lot of shady spots with comfy red rocking chairs.

At the entrance is another swing ride. I think I counted about three variations throughout Fiesta Texas. My kids love these and there is a really big one, Sky Screamer, back by Superman, but my little guy (though tall enough) has a thrill line and apparently heights are involved. Taz’s Tornado made him much happier!

I rode Pandemonium with them, which is like teacups on a roller coaster track.

Then we let them take on Hurricane Force 5. In this one, you sort of stand up and face out. Then the whole disc spins and slides up and down along a track. There were some of those red chairs so we watched the kids on this one. In all honesty, my little guy is an independent soul who learns things the hard way. He may have gotten in a little over his head here. He wanted to do it but definitely did not want to do it again. No tears but he found the edge.

After Hurricane Force 5 the little one was ready for a break. We hung out and got some water while the tall guys rode Poltergeist. Then we all headed to the train for a little break. The kids wanted ice cream and to ride the Road Runner Express one more time before we left. The train dropped us off right near ice cream and it was a short walk, on the way back to the front, to ride the Road Runner Express again.

After this, we were done. We definitely wanted to end on a good note instead of overtired whiney kids and we did. We had such a good time an loved coming out with the family to enjoy the park. We finished up around 5:30 p.m. which gave us still a fair amount of time to enjoy San Antonio.

There are a lot of great places to stay around Fiesta Texas but we like the Riverwalk so we headed into town (only about a twenty-minute drive) and stayed at the Omni La Mansión del Rio on the River Walk. Omni hotels are great places to stay with kids. Besides being nice they welcome the kids with little activity backpacks. The building is a historical colonial style and it has a great location to restaurants and Alamo Plaza.

The Alamo was our ultimate destination. Just far enough to get a little walk in after we stuffed ourselves on tourist trap Mexican food and it is always nice to see. If you still have energy there are things around the Alamo that are open like Ripley’ Believe it or Not and some ice cream parlors, but we opted to head back and let the kids swim a little before bed.

This day was fun and even though we were “going” all day it had enough breaks and a leisurely pace that getting up and heading out on another big day was not going to be a big deal.

Amusement Park Tips

Don’t skip the kiddie rides – they build confidence and everyone likes to throw their hands up, even little kids!
Go left. If it is busy work the park “backward.” Most people instinctively turn right.
Get Dressed. Shower, hair, light makeup. Yeah, it’s probably going to be hot and humid and you might even get drenched but I know I feel better about taking a pic if I’ve done at least a baseline for looking human. It also helps with number three…
Be in the pictures. Take pictures of your kids for sure. But, you are there no matter how hot sweaty and frizzy-haired. Take a selfie, ask someone to help, set a timer, but get in that picture, Momma! (And, if nothing else do it first and then go get drenched in humidity. P.S. convert your pics to black and white, it is universally flattering)
Don’t force a kid to ride a roller coaster. Use the rider exchange so you both parents can still ride and you will not have to wait in line again.
Water, water, water. Just because the restaurants offer sodas doesn’t mean they don’t offer water. You need it. Drink lots. Make your kids drink lots. Plus, it’s free!
Take a rest in the courtyard near Bubba’s River Café, in Crackaxle Canyon. There are bathrooms, a Dippin’ Dots, and a place to get Icees (in case you have kids who don’t want the same treat) AND it is right by the shoot where the Gully Washer rafts are heading back in. The riders think they have survived unscathed but what they don’t know is up above are coin operated water jets where spectators can try and soak them! Seriously, fun people watching time.

We watched the guy in this video feed the water jets quarters for about 15 minutes. Fun was had by all at Fiesta Texas!

Previous: Packing and Prepping for Big Bend

Next: Day Two: San Antonio to Fort Davis – Balmorhea and the McDonald Observatory

Packing and Prepping for Big Bend

By: GHM

On: May 7, 2018

In: Things To Do & Travel, Trips

Packing and Prepping for Big Bend

What does that even mean “Packing and prepping for Big Bend?!”. Should you be loading up backpacks with bricks and marching the kids around in the heat of the day? Uh, no. I mean, maybe, if you don’t want your kids to like you or they are super into being hot and carrying around heavy things.

How you pack and prep is going to depend on a couple of things, namely, how old your kids are and the time of year you plan to visit the Big Bend area.

If you have very young kids then the prepping is largely on you, since you will be acting as a pack mule. But, if your kids can hike under their own power they should be prepped to do so.

The main component in prepping kids is teaching them to get comfortable carrying their own water and understanding basic safety. In reality, they may be in better shape than you and your party will only be moving as fast as its slowest member.

Which really means you probably do not have much physical prep work to do either. Start doing some basics: pushups, squats, and lunges. Take the stairs when you can. If you are hiking with kids then a basic level of fitness will do you just fine. If you are not at a basic level then perhaps do a bit more, some easy walks that work up to longer hikes are ideal. You really really really do not want to hurt yourself before your trip and you really do not want to get hurt on your trip (the nearest hospital is about two hours away).

FYI: Terlingua Medics (915) 371-2222 and Big Bend Family Health Center (915) 371-2661

Essential Prep Work for Hiking with Kids

1. Everyone Carries Their Own Water. Everyone must learn to carry their own water. Water is essential and scarce in Big Bend. You are going to be carrying your water so they need other carry theirs. If they are not used to walking with a backpack start taking walks with their hydration pack. Most likely they will enjoy it. My six year old carried the CamelBak Scout every day without a problem. It has a lot of decent sized pockets for binocular, snacks, whatever, a built-in whistle, and comfortable straps. My ten year old likes the slimmer Mini M.U.L.E. which is still large enough for snacks and a few supplies (like band-aids and itch cream – though there were not many bugs!). Each holds 50 oz., which is less than half a gallon but we kept water in the car for refills as needed.

2. Carrying Their Water. That being said, it might be a good idea to make sure your daypack is large enough to put theirs inside. Ideally, they will carry theirs and your hikes will not be so long that they get overtired but it might happen. Be prepared to pick up the slack for them a bit.

My husband carried the Camelbak Rim Runner 22, which hold more than half a gallon and has a load bearing hip belt and straps plus enough room to serve as a daypack. We have a lot of hydration packs but I only had a large backpack, but I didn’t want another bag so I chose a light foldable daypack that could easily be stored away.

I took a gamble on a well-rated off brand the TOURIT. I ultimately chose it because it had a pocket for a water bladder (which I took from one of our other camelbacks) and an actual hole for the tubing. Plus, it came with a rain cover, loads of pockets, and packs away to nothing. It is really light and I was a bit concerned about durability but it was great and a little bigger than I expected so I had no problem daily carrying my water, snacks, a compact towel, and my camera (in a slim case). Plus room to help the kids if needed.

3. Two Safety Lessons Kids Must Learn. Children should be taught, first, that if they become lost that they should stay put. Second, they must know that three flashes or three noises are used as the universal distress signal. Most kids’ packs have a whistle built into the chest strap buckle. Teach them how to blow it loud and clear. This should be a fun lesson! If their pack does not have a whistle one should be added and ideally tied on so it won’t walk off and find a new home.

4. Trip Plan. Always leave your trip plan in an easy to access place. It does not need to be a fancy document you can leave a notepad in the car and leave a page in the driver’s seat when you head out. It should clearly state your name, where you went, when you left, and when you think you will return. To access nearly every trail in Big Bend you will be driving. If the rangers see a car left too long in a lot it will be helpful to them and any search parties to know where to look. Here is a handy Trip Plan printable.

5. Practice with Unfamiliar Items. A whistle seems easy but do not assume your kids know how to use anything. Anything you expect them to use or carry review with them and practice how to use it. This includes the Camelback nozzle, walkie-talkies, new hiking boots, hat straps, etc.

Packing for Your Trip

1. Hiking Boots vs. Tennis Shoes For where you are going with kids tennis shoes will be fine. There are a lot of people in Big Bend in regular tennis shoes. If you are carrying a child [in a backpack] you may want the boots for extra ankle support as even the easy trails can be uneven. Definitely, go try them on! No matter what you are wearing on your feet walking across a dry wash of sand and gravel will be tiring.

2. Socks & Undergarments. Socks can make or break your day. Go ahead and invest a few decent pairs. Socks are weirdly expensive but your feet will thank you for a decent wool blend. Even in the summer because they help keep your feet dry.

Think about your underoos too. If you usually wear cotton think about switching to something more performance based for your activities. Cotton will get sweaty and wet and cause some unpleasant irritations. My boys prefer briefs but they don’t really make active briefs for boys. We ended up going with the Adidas ClimLite Boxer Brief and they, no joke, saved our trip. There was some chafing and unpleasantness and then he finally put them on and off we went!

3. Sun Care. It is the desert. it will not matter when you go the sun will still be there. Bring sunblock, sunglasses, and hats for everyone. It is also mountainous and wide open plains. The wind can really pick up so consider hats with neck strings. They saved our hats from flying to Mexico more than once. I bought this two pack. The fit my adult head and my six-year old’s head, they packed well, were a nice quality, light, and reasonably priced.

4. Water. Big Bend has a lot of deserts, water is scarce. While we had no problem finding large jugs at the stores in the park do not rely on this. Availability will depend on how busy the park is and if the store is open. It’s a good idea to bring them in and leave at least one in your car. During hot weather, the recommendation is one gallon of water per day per person. If you are hiking half days you will probably need less.

5. Other Gear. If you are going during the rainy season it is a good idea to prepare for that and grab some raincoats. If you are going when it will be cold definitely consider how and what you will layer. No cotton clothes! Wet cotton does not dry quickly and you could get hypothermia.

And, really, really, really consider a travel journal – I like to get one that has a pocket. Your mind may be a steel trap now, but as years go by it might be nice to look back over your notes and remember fondly those children who have shipped you off to the home. Or something. Travel journals are great even if you don’t normally keep a journal. Plus, it’s an excuse to buy fancy pens!

6. Safety Gear. On the trail carry a small first aid kit, bandana (they’re hella handy for loads of things, dust mask, dousing with water, tourniquet,…), knife, mirror, whistle, sunscreen, and binoculars. Prep a more comprehensive first aid kit to keep in your car as well as maps, guidebooks, extra food, water, spare tires, jacks, blankets, and extra clothes. Plus identify where gas stations are and keep a full tank.

Books for Big Bend

There is definitely some required reading for Big Bend. It has a fabulous history, interesting geology, and cool animals. There is definitely something for everyone. One thing you will not have to search for in Big Bend is a book. Every visitor’s center is as well stocked in books relevant to the area. In fact, the selection of books in the Trans-Pecos will be better than you will be able to find in Barnes & Noble and on Amazon, combined.

Essential List:

Hiking Big Bend National Park: A Guide to the Big Bend Area’s Greatest Hiking Adventures, including Big Bend Ranch State Park, by Laurence Parent

This is the book. If you are going to buy a book this is it and go ahead and get the newest edition. Things do not change quickly out west but if it is a travel book you are going to want the newest information and maps available. You may be able to download some maps for offline perusal but this is easier. You will not have cell service in the park. If you want information on a hike, bring it with you.

Big Bend National Park (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map)

But, I just bought that other book! But, this is a really big map! The map is great quality and of the entire area (not Big Bend Ranch State Park, but it says that in the title). Remember, no Internet. You will most likely still have GPS so it is helpful to cross-reference your blue dot with a map that has road names.

Plus, it is a really great opportunity to teach the kids and give them a chance for practical application on reading maps and general orienteering. If you have older kids a map and compass lesson would be awesome.

Other Options to Fit Your Family’s Needs and Interests

Who Pooped in the Park? Big Bend National Park: Scat and Tracks for Kids, by Gary D. Robson

The book is written as part picture book and part identification book. I would not plan on taking it on the trails with you it is too big but the kids really enjoyed reading and re-reading it to try to figure out who’s poop we saw!

Nature Guides

My kids love nature guides! The big accordion-fold laminated ones that are easy to pack and carry on a hike. And, they make a good “thing to buy” when you go into a visitor’s center or store because they are the same price everywhere. Buying on Amazon will only save you tax and if you buy regionally you will be sure to get the guide most applicable to where you are. However, if you want to buy before you go you should look for guides for the “Trans-Pecos” region of Texas (Butterflies, Birds, Plants, Snakes, Wildlife Signs, Night Sky)

Big Bend Is Not In London, by Jennifer Zimmerle

This is an easy chapter book with a bit of a mystery. Read it while you are there (since you won’t have TV or Internet) and the kids will love identifying with the things they are seeing!

The Three Little Javelinas, by Susan Lowell

A fun take on the three little pigs story. This one is about three little javelinas, which you are likely to see, and the coyote who wants to make them his meal.

Susan Lowell also wrote some other very Big Bend appropriate picture books The Tortoise and the Jackrabbit, a fun take on the Tortoise and the Hare story and Josefina Javelina: A Hairy Tale. In this book a little javelina, Josefina, wants to be a ballerina. It is good rhyming fun that we had to read every time we went to the visitor’s center. Every time.

Lizards for Lunch: A Roadrunner’s Tale, by Conrad J. Storad

We saw roadrunners everywhere so this will be a good one to introduce the kids to, espcially if they may be expecting something from the Looney Toons universe.

Whose Butt?, by Stan Tekiela

So, not completely specific to Big Bend or south Texas, but it is about butts and if your kids are like my kids that is a pretty common and hilarious topic. A book about wildlife butts is pretty much in our wheelhouse.

Black Bear Babies!, by photography by Donald M. Jones

There is about a .01% chance of you seeing a black bear in Big Bend, but that they are even there is pretty exciting and your kids will probably want to talk about it. A lot. This is a sweet little board book for the littlest in your party to get in on the black bear mania.

The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs: Use Outdoor Clues to Find Your Way, Predict the Weather, Locate Water, Track Animals―and Other Forgotten Skills, by Tristan Gooley

For those interested in nature or older kids this books will teach them to see nature. The first part is about British forests but the information becomes more utilitarian as the book progresses

Pack it In, Pack it Out!

As with any time spent in the outdoors, if you bring it in take it out. Always leave an area better than you found it. So, yes, if you see a piece of trash, grumble, pick it up, and take it with you (even if it is not yours). How you pack is up to you. Backpack, luggage, etc. If you are driving you will have space so err on the side of too much because picking up forgotten items may involve a long drive. If you are staying at the Chisos Lodge (the only hotel in Big Bend National Park) you may have to use stairs to access your room, but less than one flight.

So, gas up the car and let’s get going!

Previous: Intro to Big Bend with Kids

Next: Roadtrip, Day One! Houston to San Antonio!

Big Bend with Kids

By: GHM

On: April 30, 2018

In: Anonymom, Things To Do & Travel, Trips

The Big Bend with Kids

Heading west from Houston is a pretty common occurrence for Houstonians. There’s a lot to do out west. But, passing San Antonio, not heading to the valley or veering a bit north to hit Austin is less common. The Big Bend area of Texas is about as Texas as you can still get. Traveling to Big Bend with Kids is a trip worth taking – not only will they love it, you may find that in our techno-crazed over-scheduled lives that this is exactly what they need.

People outside of Texas have some assumptions about what a Texan is. And, truthfully, many Texans are not quick to correct them since most of them involve us being a bit larger than life. While, in reality, most Texans are urban dwellers with a touch of twang and very little swagger. Heck, it’s fair to say many have never ridden a horse or shot a six shooter but Big Bend. Big Bend is still wild and dangerous and certainly larger than life.

The area outlined by the Rio Grande which lends to Texas’ distinctive shape has been untamed from the beginning. The Spanish could not conquer it in their quest for gold. The Mexicans and Texans largely worked around it. And, until the railroad went through, Native Americans could still run back and forth across the borders playing both sides.

All those things that made it wild made it alluring. There is nowhere else like it and once its dusty desolate beauty seeps into your soul you are hooked and it is a part of you.

Big Bend National Park exceeds 1,200 sq. miles. Adding in the neighboring 400 sq. miles at Big Bend Ranch State Park there is a lot of untamed wilderness to explore out west.

If you’ve not stared into an open vista devoid of human encroachment you may not have had the opportunity to feel small. To feel the immenseness of time that has shaped the land against our speck of humanity. It is humbling and essential to the soul.

It is a perfect place to take the kids. It is the kind of experience they need.

8-Day Itinerary, Big Bend from Houston

Can you do it in less than a week? Sure. But, that is not how we travel with kids. Big Bend with kids is going to be a memorable trip so don’t short change it!

You certainly could shave the beginning day and/ or an ending day off and just drive straight through.

I like to have time. I like to have a schedule with room to roam and change and adapt. I do not find ‘hectic’ relaxing or overtired kids enjoyable. That kind of pace gives you cranky tear-filled children. Which means you tend to get stressed out tear-filled or angry parents. That is not fun. We like fun. We like time. This itinerary will reflect that.

Day One: Houston to San Antonio

(drivetime: 3 hours)

Fiesta Texas

Riverwalk hotel – Omni

Day Two: San Antonio to Fort Davis

(Drivetime: 5 hours 45 minutes, divided)

Balmorhea State Park

McDonald Observatory – Star Party

Day Three: Fort Davis to Big Bend National Park

(Drivetime: 3 hours, divided)

Fort Davis Historic Site

Alpine: lunch and Museum of the Big Bend

BBNP: Window View Trail

Day Four: Big Bend National Park

Santa Elena Canyon

Lower Buro Mesa Pour-Off

Mule Ears Overlook

Sam Nail Ranch

Panther Junction

Fossil Exhibit

Optional Early Evening Hike: Grapevine Hills

Day Five: Big Bend National Park

Boquillas Canyon

Rio Grande Village Nature Trail

Hot Springs

Optional Early Evening Hike: Ernst Tinaja

Day Six: Big Bend Ranch State Park & Terlingua

Barton Warnock Environmental Education Center

West Contrabando Trail

Big Overlook

Closed Canyon

Hoodoos Overlook

Optional: Presidio

Terlingua Ghost Town

Day Seven: Big Bend National Park to Sonora

(Drivetime: 5 hours 30 minutes, divided)

Seminole Canyon State Park

Day Eight: Sonora to Houston

(Drivetime: 5 hours 30 minutes)

Caverns of Sonora

Home

You could easily flip the first and last day if that sounds like something you would prefer or opening and closing schedules at those places will work better with your schedule. On long trips, I usually like to hit a nice hotel like the Omni on the way home. By then my old hips have earned a comfortable mattress and a little pampering, but once I get to San Antonio I would be hard-pressed not to just power through and head home (it’s only three more hours?!). With this in mind, we preloaded San Antonio and started with our comfy hotel at the end of a long amusement park day. Worth it.

But, before your Big Bend with kids trip begins you need to pack and prep.

Big Bend is out there.

The nearest general grocery store is going to be about 45 minutes away and the nearest Walmart is two and a half hours away. The onsite convenience stores will probably get you through but they are going to be more expensive and may or may not have what you need. Bringing it in is a better idea. Big Bend is not the kind of place you want to “wing it.”

Next: Big Bend Packing and Prepping

Mom’s Guide to Dinosaur Valley State Park

By: GHM

On: December 29, 2017

In: Things To Do & Travel, Trips

Brrrrrr, It’s Cold! But, it’s Texas so Winter Camping is a Thing!

Recently, we did some family camping at Dinosaur Valley State Park. The forecast was lows in the 40s. They lied! It got down to 29 degrees. It was cooooooold! However, this park is amazing and we still had a great time.

Dinosaur Valley SP is located near Glen Rose, TX (Glen Rose is about an hour southwest of Fort Worth). It is a great little town that is big enough for a Dairy Queen and a Holiday Inn Express – so, if the camping doesn’t go according to plan there is a Plan B available.

We arrived early in the day. It was beautiful and clear. When you live in Houston it can be easy to forget that not everything (other than an overpass) is flat. This part of Texas has soft rolling hills that are high enough to see for miles. And, this is a place you want to see for miles. This area is squarely in the North Central Plains which is best known for its ranching and farming. The beauty of ranchland is not only in the land but in the nostalgia of Texas’ bygone days.

Getting to Dinosaur Valley State Park

Arriving at Dinosaur Valley SP is straightforward and easily mapped. If the weather is not optimal or the rivers are too high or mucky to see the tracks there are other activities in the area to use as fallbacks, such as Dinosaur World and Fossil Rim Wildlife Center. Or, if you like to look at issues from all sides, the Creation Evidence Museum is conveniently located on the way up FM 205, from Glen Rose.

As with any state park, you will need to stop at the park headquarters to show your pass or pay for entry and/or campsites. Unlike other state parks everyone will want to go inside this headquarters. They have a great mini-museum dedicated to the park that will give you a great preview of the types of tracks you will see and the types of dinosaurs they came from.

Campsites!

At the Dinosaur Valley SP headquarters, you can pick out your campsite, get your tags, and parking pass. There is also a restroom on the back side of the building. After that, you proceed toward your site. If you don’t like your site or want to switch to another you can always pick an unoccupied one and head back up to the headquarters to switch out your tags.

There are only two types of sites here, sites with water and electric and primitive hike-in sites. This means that if you are tent camping in a water and electric site that you will likely be near campers, trailers, and/or RVs. If you go primitive you will have to hike into your site. Also, there is no water, electricity, or bathrooms nearby…and, at this park, you may have to wade across a river.

Of the water/electric sites, they are located fairly close together and the 40 sites share one set of bathrooms with showers. Aside from the water & electric, each has a fire ring (either square or circle, as shown in the photos), a grill, table, and lantern/trash hook. The sites are fairly heavily wooded so if you have more than one site reserved for your group and you want it to have a more “open” flow you may need to drive around to make sure the two sites are not separated by woods. We were originally assigned sites 13 and 11 but found them too cut off so we switched out 13 for 9 and it was a great set up for our group. However, from the back of 9, you are pretty close to site 2. Not so close as to bumping into each other or overhearing normal conversation, but let’s say the trailer left a light on all night (ahem), you would notice it. Otherwise these are great sites, conveniently located to restrooms, trash, and trails.

Dinosaur Valley SP, site 9

Dinosaur Valley SP, site 11

The restrooms were well maintained, no spider webs in corners or anything icky. They are completely closed in buildings so no unpleasant drafts either. In fact, they had heaters so they were a nice reprieve from the cold. The showers are accessed through a separate door, but there are separate facilities for men and women. Also to note there are mirrors (not all parks have them), soap in the dispensers (again, not a given), and the best part, normal toilets (as opposed to the stainless steel one-piece prison issue style)!

Hiking and Dinosaur Tracks

Now, the reason for coming to Dinosaur Valley SP – the Dinosaur Tracks! My kids were so excited and the park did not disappoint. I suggest you check with the park before you go to make sure they will be visible (the tracks are in the riverbed so water levels make visibility variable) or to set expectations. The park itself is great for hiking and swimming but seeing the tracks is worth the trip.

If you check out the trail map provided by the park you will see the different trails, their levels, and where the tracks are located. They even provide you with coordinates. Cell reception is a bit spotty in the park. We had no service at our campsite, but near headquarters and in places along the river we did have reception. Using the GPS was helpful in certain areas and if you like geocaching there are several in the park – some that are even free and very easy to find (like the one near Blue Hole).

All the trails in the park are listed as easy or moderate. I will tell you something we did not realize: the easy trails are very easy (like paved roads in some parts) and if you are in a situation where it gets not easy you are not on the trail. We were traveling with young children and some injuries and planned on taking it easy. If you plan on doing this as well and begin your hike with a steep descent down the escarpment to the river you are officially off the trail!

Behind sites 9 & 11 is the Paluxy River Trail. It is noted as easy. Our plan was to walk the Paluxy River Trail, heading northwest, then follow the river around toward the majority of the dinosaur sites, cross the river, take the Limestone Ledge trail up to the Overlook Trail, then hike up to the overlook (the route in pink on the map above). After which we could take stock of how much more we wanted to do and either hike back the way we came or when we crossed back over the river we could head further south, heading to the ballroom site, then come back through the park (the route outlined in blue on the map above).

We began by heading out to the trails behind the campsite and then climbing down the escarpment to walk along the river (because surely that’s where an easy trail would have taken us!). We walked for a short while and then realized in the shade it was a bit chilly so we climbed back up to get jackets from the campsite. With children, all of this takes longer. So, plan B.

Plan B, involved us driving up to the Park Store (where the big dinosaurs are) so we could get cell service to stay in touch with the parts of our party that would be arriving later. Since we were near the park store and that is near the Horseshoe Equestrian Trail, we opted to start on that end with our goal being to hike up to the Overlook.

Dinosaur Valley SP T-Rex — Dinosaur Valley SP has two dinosaurs on display from the 1964 World’s Fair. Definitely a photo op!

It was helpful to have the GPS at this point because we completely missed the Ballroom Track Site as we entered the trail further north of them. So, we found the Blue Hole and then backtracked to find the Ballroom Site.

Dinosaur Valley SP Ballroom Site — Ballroom Track Site

Again, note the trails! From the Blue Hole, there are some very obvious stairs – you go up them to stay on the easy hiking trail. We did not. We saw a worn path that continued to follow the river so we took that north. It very quickly turned into a trail of large boulders. These were not super steep but they did involve some climbing. My kids were super happy, so we continued on this way!

See those rocks on the right? Yeah, if you follow the unmarked trail you’ll be climbing over them.

But, once you get over them you get really close to the river to see more tracks!

We made it to the part of the river where there appears to be a crossing on the map. It was nearly underwater so we opted out and continued along the eastern bank. Further north, nearly to the river bend is a very prominent crossing at the Main Track Site. There were nice large rocks cut out and it was a simple and dry crossing for all ages. In fact, we even saw a guy on one of those bicycles with ridiculously huge tires ride over it. The main track site is a great place to meander and get some photo ops in. For us, this was the end of the road for day 1 hiking. There are stairs to climb up to the proper trail and there is a parking lot as well. We walked back through that, let the kids play on the playground, and hit the restrooms before heading back to the car and back to camp.

That night the rest of our group came in late. We had Dutch Oven Chicken and Dumplings ready which was easy and delicious. My main goal was to wash a few things as possible because it was cold. And, the only thing colder than cold is wet cold. No, thank you! We pulled that foil liner and the dishes were done!

It got colder than expected that night. Below freezing. I definitely had some trailer envy. We all woke up wearing more clothes than we went to bed in. It was brisk, baby! But, we camp with propane heaters and big fires so we lit a fire and had a Dutch Oven Breakfast Casserole and my husband made camp donuts (this is a great leftover from growing up in Scouting!).

For day 2 our hike went “more” according to plan. Since we had scoped out a good portion of the highlights the day before we had better luck keeping to “the plan”. Down the escarpment we all went…again. Today’s group was a bit larger but still manageable for an easy hike. Again, it didn’t really occur to us that an easy hike shouldn’t begin by climbing down water runoff channels to be riverside. There were some trees that had red and white ribbons tied to eye level branches (not around the trunk as though being marked for cutting) they seemed to be at the top of the easiest descents so we took that to mean it was a trail marker. Not sure that was their meaning but the whole party ended up back on the bank of the river behind our sites and we began our hike.

Thie picture is a fair representation of this part of the river and it is easy to walk next to…until the path ends. We went across some narrow parts but eventually, we reached a place where there was no trail and the choice was climb or get wet. One of our party had already dropped a boot in the river and confirmed it was really cold so we found a place to climb up. There was a split fence at the top so it was clear we were not the first to forge this path, but, again, it was not the “easy” way. The bank is very sandy so footing can be tricky. Well placed roots and branches were also quite helpful. When we all made it to the top it was clear we were on “the trail.” Huzzah! It wasn’t until now that we consulted the level section of the map to realize our hike should have been easier than it was, but the kids really loved climbing everything and being down next to the water. The experience would have been lacking if we had to look down at the water from above.

Where we made our ascent was near open prairie land. It was very postapocalyptic as the weekend before the park had been conducting controlled burns. While not the scenery we were expecting it was memorable!

We followed the actual Paluxy River Trail until we arrived at the Main Track Site, where our group crossed the river. From here we made another fun mistake. The Main Track Site is further north than the marked river crossing (that would have involved getting wet). From the Main Track Site, our plan was to follow the Limestone Ledge Trail to where it meets the Overlook Trail and hike up to the Overlook. So, when we saw a path heading north along the river from the Main Track Site we followed it. It was not the Limestone Ledge Trail.

Eventually, we came to an end and realized we were a bit off the beaten path so naturally, we looked up. We found a place that didn’t look difficult to scale and my husband and the boys scouted it. Eureka! At the top of the escarpment was a very clear trail. Again, we climbed. Again we all made it, to the very amused look of a hiker passing by. But, oh well, the kids loved it. From here it was easy to stay on the trail because our goal was to go up, away from the river. The Overlook Trail switch is marked and easy to find and follow.

I’m not sure what criteria are used for difficulty ratings on the trails but if I saw easy I would assume anyone could hike it. I don’t know if that is necessarily true of the Dinosaur Valley SP Overlook Trail. You are going up and perhaps if you go slow anyone could do it but I would think those with mobility issues or severely out of shape would have some trouble with this trail. The trek is nice and there are a lot of vantage points to get some great vista views. We kept wondering if we were at “the” Overlook marked on the map but eventually there is a marker when you arrive…and a bench (yay!).

The rest of our hike actually went mostly according to plan (thanks in large part to our previous day’s ~~mistakes~~ experiences). We came down from the Overlook and followed the trail to its actual turn, which dumped us out south of the Main Track Site. From there we recrossed the river. Our party split in two and half stayed along the river and the other half went up the stairs to the parking area and followed the actual easy trail. We met up at the Blue Hole then continued down to the Ballroom Site and cut back up the Horseshoe Trail to the parking lot by the Park Store and World’s Fair Dinosaurs. From there we walked through the park back to our site. This hike with ten people (4 kids and 2 injuries) took about three hours).

Events at Dinosaur Valley State Park

Be sure to check out the Events the Park is hosting while you are there because we happened to go during Christmas in the Valley. This event was great. After we had lunch we headed over to the pavilion near the playgrounds and day use sites to participate. The park rangers were cooking in Dutch Ovens (and sharing!), there were other food and drinks, S’Mores, and crafts. They supplied everything to make a snow globe, paint an ornament, and make popcorn and cranberry garlands for the birds. It was a great event.

Thankfully, we had a warmer night and after breakfast the next morning we broke camp and headed home. We do a fair amount of camping and found Dinosaur Valley SP to be one of our favorite parks. We hope to come back when it is overall warmer because the kids are desperate to swim in the river!

Have you visited, what are your favorite places for family camping?

GHM’s Guide to the Texas Air Museum – Stinson Field

By: GHM

On: September 28, 2017

In: LOCATION: San Antonio, Things To Do & Travel, Trips

San Antonio: Off the Beaten Path and Up in the Air

We love trips to San Antonio. It’s three-hour proximity to Houston makes it a vacation staple if you grew up in Houston (or if you’re in for a week and really want to stretch your legs). The Texas Air Museum is one stop I had not made yet. If you’ve done the usual – hey, Shamu! – and you are looking for something more off the beaten path. This little museum will have you covered.

You should plan on giving the museum a full hour, but I’m not going to lie we did it in less because it was 3 pm in July and it was HOT! There are sporadically placed industrial size fans running but it’s a large metal warehouse-style building (a.k.a. oven).

Also, I’m pretty sure the guys working were trying to close up early because while we were in the building he was closing up the big doors. Goodbye, air! Little did he know that the power of kittens would make my children endure the heat of the sun just to chase them around. So, you should know there are kittens here and there.

If you have allergies it may be a museum to skip. I wouldn’t normally make a blanket statement like that because warehouse-cats are usually a good thing, but these were kittens (about three rounds of them by judging the different sizes) so I’m not sure how good at mouse catching they were, yet. Also, there were certain areas that definitely smelled like cat pee, which is unfortunate because they have a really nice collection. Also, they seemed in need of some flea treatment.

So, maybe just take some allergy meds and go in the middle of the day when they’re sure to have all the doors open.

WWII Collection and a Bleriot

Most of the planes are WWII era, but there are a few surprises in there. One of these was the main reason I wanted to swing by. Texas Air Museum houses a Bleriot (in case you need to brush up on your aviation history, this is the type of plane that was the first to fly across the English Channel. There’s a wonderful children’s book called The Glorious Flight, by Alice and Martin Provensen it was on our Summer Reading List).

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

There are also a lot of artifacts on display and some the kids can even get in and do some real touching. When everything is roped off it’s no fun! There is one room that is air-conditioned with not cats so there is a little reprieve if you do end up going on a hot day.

Additionally, they have a Medic Tent set up and behind that is a door that leads outside. It’s not well marked (no one stopped us so I’m assuming you are allowed out there) but there are some more planes out on the side of the building.

Suggested Itinerary

Because the museum doesn’t close until 5 pm if you leave Houston by noon you can easily stop at Buccee’s in Luling and still make it here with time to peruse. Alternately, you could get up on Sunday and swing by on your way out of town. If it’s summer I definitely suggest morning version!

Know Before You Go:

There’s a Bleriot!
The kids can roam as long as they have museum manners
There are planes outside to see
The museum staff are volunteers and love what they do so talk to them!
Current Admission Fees: $4/ adult; $3 Military & 55 and up; $2/ 12-16 years old; $1/ 11 and under; $2 School Tours
Hours of Operation: are Tuesday-Sunday 10AM-5PM (Closed Sundays, Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve/Day, and New Year’s Eve/Day)

Location and Contact Information:

Texas Air Museum
1234 99th St.,
San Antonio, TX 78214

Phone: (210) 977- 9885
Fax: (210) 927- 4447
E-mail: info@texasairmuseum.org

;

Woman Floating in the Dead Sea with Child

Holy Moly!

By: GHM

On: November 4, 2010

In: Anonymom, Things To Do & Travel, Trips

Wowza! I just finished my last little travel journal entry. I managed to sum up our trip in a measly 9,000 words. Thanks for hanging in there!

As soon as I get the pictures sorted out I’ll make the rest of the travel journal public. Hopefully, within the week. It is all so dependent on how much alone-time I get with my computer.

Maybe I should name my computer. Would that be weird? I really love him.

Next Israel Post: Remember When We Went to Israel?

Previous Israel Post: We’re Just Beachy