Del Rio to Big Bend

What a mixed bag of a day. The weather was still cold with freezing fog and drizzle predicted.  As we headed west the temperature did indeed drop and we were in dense fog. 

We stopped at the visitors’ center in Sanderson TX where the attendant, a gentleman incredibly supportive of the local area and full of information, promised us that the weather down in Big Bend would be 10–degrees warmer and the clouds would go away once we left the Sanderson Canyon.  He was right (almost) on the first count but not the second.  The weather deteriorated for a while, to the point that we considered staying for a night up along the US-90 corridor or heading on to Arizona and leaving Big Bend for the return trip.  But there was a glimmer of sunshine at the turn-off for Big Bend, so we headed south.  By the time we arrived at the park the temperature was 40 — a big improvement.

We chose to camp at the Rio Grande Village campground as it has the lowest elevation, and thus, probably, would be the warmest.  The campground is about 60 sites with picnic tables, charcoal grills, and food boxes.  Some are cozy sites with mesquite (I think) trees surrounding and others are in a large field with taller trees. Some allow generators and some are reserveable.  At this time of the year there are a number to choose from as only about half were occupied.

-- Janet (text) and David (photos)