This day we went west toward Cottonwood and Santa Elena canyon. Cottonwood area is very similar to Rio Grande village on the east side of the park, a strip of green with willow and cottonwood trees. We hiked Sam Nail ranch trail and Homer Wilson ranch trail, as well as the area around Cottonwood CG.
Santa Elena Canyon is near the western end of the park. The Rio Grande flows through this narrow gap.
The shear vertical cliff on the left is in Mexico, on the right in USA. The river is in the gap, it immediately turns left, east. See the gradual upward slope at the base of the right-side cliff, here is a view from there…
Four hikes and a lot of driving. From the Persimmon gap entrance to Santa Elena canyon is 60 miles, 120 round trip.
The night before we stayed at Stillwater RV park again. We tried our ask the CG host if there were any spots gambit, and yes there were two yesterday, day 1, in Rio Grande CG. But you can’t pay by putting money in an envelope, and then sliding that into a post, the usual way campgrounds do it. No, here you must pay by going onto recreation.gov The CG host had cancelled the two spots when campers left early, one of them he cancelled the day before but neither of the spaces became available on recreation.gov. This night we’re at Fort Stockton Resort and RV park, a gravel parking lot on the edge of Fort Stockton, with decent shower and good internet. Ate at Dickey’s, a Texas BBQ chain. San Antonio tomorrow, or farther.
New birds today: Black Throated Sparrow, Golden Fronted Woodpecker, Red Naped Sapsucker, Road Runner.
Roses 1.0 Van Life 