El Solitario Texas Parks and Wildlife Department | Big Bend Ranch State Park Exploring the Mountains: Kids Making Their Own Adventure In
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TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE Big Bend Archaic The Explore Ranch SP Rock Sauceda the Night Map Ovens Unicorn Sky Pages 6 — 7 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 el SOLitarIo Texas Parks and Wildlife deParTmenT | Big Bend ranch sTaTe Park Exploring the Mountains: Kids Making Their Own Adventure in Big Bend Ranch © Magellan International School Eager students embark on their adventure at Hoodoos Trailhead on FM 170. By Cassie Honolka school staff wanted to offer an Sayuri Yamanaka, Community In spring 2015 seventh grade Spanish-English bilingual outdoor experience in which Outreach Sustainability/Food students from Magellan International School in Austin, TX, the students would engage in Manager for the school, felt accomplished their Big Bend Challenge: a trip encompassing a unique learning environment that making the 27-mile trip 1,126 road miles and spanning three nights and four days and have direct contact with on the rough roads leading the nature they studied in class. at the amazing Big Bend Ranch State Park! to Big Bend Ranch’s Sauceda Orlando Gonzalez, a bilingual Lodge Bunkhouse was a key elementary school teacher with ingredient for connecting This was the first time that students participated in a Texas Magellan, reflects on his skills students to the history of the Magellan students visited Big Parks and Wildlife Department’s as an accomplished Eagle Scout Bend Ranch as part of their Texas Outdoor Family camping area. Traveling and staying and realizes the importance of service learning curriculum. workshop. This program is in the heart of the park also immersing yourself in nature. The school’s mission prepares designed to empower beginning provided the opportunity to He states that “for many on children to thrive as global campers with the skills to immerse themselves in science the trip, it was a humbling citizens and future leaders enjoy the outdoors safely. Park and ecology studies with Big experience. We were pushed out of the 21st century. Through Rangers provide all the camping Bend Ranch as their classroom. of our comfort zone and into a Magellan’s curriculum, gear and lead activities like Students used their wilderness world in which we could only students are equipped with geocaching, kayaking, fishing survival skills and participated rely on each other. That was the the knowledge, skills and and more. The program also in activities that facilitated the lesson, we are not islands, sus- values to make informed introduces its participants to the school’s core values of global tainability and service-learning is decisions and become wealth of adventure in Texas mindfulness, respect, diversity a collaborative effort.” Activities champions of sustainability. state parks. and collaboration. for the group included hiking, The idea to visit the Big Bend During the students’ trip to camping, bird-watching and a Simón Calderón, a student of Texas first came when the Big Bend Ranch State Park, sensory trail hike with bare feet! who attended the trip, says his (cont. on page 2) Big Bend Ranch Geology: El Solitario . 2 Big Bend Ranch State Park Map . 6 Make the Most of Your Visit . 3 Access and Visitor Services . 8 Table of Certified Commercial Guides and Outfitters . 3 Featured Hikes . 9 contents Featured Campsite . 4 Archaic People of the Big Bend . 10 Be Aware . 4 Volunteer Opportunities . 10 Fees and Visitor Services . 5 Sauceda Unicorn . 11 El Solitario is published by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for the orientation and education of visitors to Big Bend Ranch State Park. Students recorded their experiences in Field Notes journals. © Magellan International School Exploring the Mountains (cont. from page 1) biggest challenge was climbing down the mountain. In the end he realized it wasn’t so hard and learned to overcome the obstacle. Another valuable lesson he shared was that by drinking too much cactus juice, you just might get a stomach ache. Sometimes you have to learn things the hard way. In the future he hopes to learn how to put up his own tent. Sayuri, Orlando and other staff © Magellan International School at Magellan plan to mentor Student Anishka enjoys the view near Cinco Tinajas. these students as they use © Magellan International School their experiences from the trip was a great opportunity of want to explore more about the Hiking to Closed Canyon provides to create a Spanish-English exploring and hiking the area’s animals and the journey of new wonders with every turn. bilingual guide for future mountains. I learned more about Big Bend Ranch to becoming a students that visit Big Bend state park.” team building, survival in the darkest skies in the country, Ranch State Park. wilderness and a little more No doubt these kids are forever smelled the fresh spring creosote Benjamin Johnson, a student on about my classmates. I want to changed by their experiences in and embarked on an adventure the trip, recalls his adventure: learn more about the history of Big Bend Ranch. They’ve seen that was surely more epic than “I liked this trip because it how these mountains formed. I the stars twinkle in some of the they had ever imagined. About 36 million years ago, the Solitario has steeply inclined magma from deep within the inverted V–shaped rocks called El Solitario: Earth pushed upward and “flatirons.” displaced thousands of feet of overlying rock. This activity created a blister or dome-shaped What’s in a name? bulge on the Earth’s surface. Over millions of years, erosion collapsed the dome’s older rocks. Subsequent volcanic activity further removed overlying rock, collapsed some of the lava chamber and formed a small caldera in the central-southeast TPWD Solitario. Flatirons The Solitario, as we see it There are several places in the today, emerged about 2 million park to experience the full visual years ago when the ancient Rio impact of the Solitario. Solitario Grande began cutting its now Overlook is a few miles past famous canyons. Eons of erosion Sauceda and is accessible by exposed some of the Earth’s 2WD vehicles. Fresno Overlook most ancient rocks including on FM 170 between Lajitas and shales, sandstones and cherts the Teepee Picnic Area offers a in Solitario’s core. These rocks great view in late afternoon. For are deformed, uplifted and a closer look you’ll need a 4WD eroded remains of the Ouachita high clearance vehicle, to reach Aerial view of Solitario looking north-northeast Mountains, which predate the the Mexicano Trailhead. A short Rockies. Massive limestones hike will give you spectacular El Solitario is obviously quite special to the park as the newsletter you that were seafloor deposits Solitario vistas. The interior of were uplifted during the Rocky hold in your hand bares its name . But what does it mean? Spanish for the Solitario can be accessed via Mountain building period of “hermit” or “loner,” El Solitario is THE signature landscape feature of a 4WD high clearance road to Earth’s history. the Tres Papalotes Trailhead. Big Bend Ranch State Park . Almost 10 miles across and nearly These deposits now form the Make sure to chat with a Park symmetrical, this collapsed and eroded volcanic dome straddles the Solitario’s outer rings. The Ranger on latest road conditions Brewster and Presidio county line in the eastern portion of the park . entire southwest quadrant of and obtain a more detailed map. 2 | el SOLitarIo | Texas parks and wildlife department What is there to do at Big Bend Ranch State Park? The Certified sky’s the limit! Whether you are seeking high adventure or Commercial some relaxation and solitude, the park has plenty to offer . Guides and Bring your own gear, or contact one of the outfitters Outfitters listed . For print materials, go to www .tpwd .texas .gov/ Laijtas, Terlingua bigbendranch or inquire at Big Bend River Tours TPWD one of the park visitor centers . 432-371-3033 • 800-545-4240 Desert Sports Make the Most of Your Visit 432-371-2727 • 888-989-6900 Far Flung Outdoor Center Horseback Riding Hiking 432-371-2489 • 800-839-7238 Lajitas Stables Many of the park’s trails and There are many, many miles of hiking for all skill levels in this 432-371-2212 • 800-887-4331 campsites are suitable for over 300,000-acre park. Trails can be accessed from Sauceda equestrian use, with corral Ranger Station in the interior of the park as well as off of FM 170. facilities and water available. Different trails lead to amazing vistas, tinajas (rock basins that El Paso sometimes carry water), ancient rock art, cottonwood groves, All pack and saddle stock users Western Spirit Cycling waterfalls, desert springs, historic ranch homes, deep canyons must obtain a backcountry use 800-845-2453 permit and bring their own and more. weed-free feed. All horses are With Big Bend Ranch’s abundant wildlife and desert vegetation, required to have documentation interesting rock formations and geology and long history of use by Presidio, Redford of a current Coggins test. humans, we know you will not be disappointed by your adventures Angell Expeditions on foot. Consult a Park Ranger for latest trail conditions and 432-229-3713 River Access review the safety notes on page 8. For descriptions of some The Rio Grande provides oppor- popular hiking trails, check out the article on page 9. tunities for rafting, kayaking, canoeing and free bank fishing. Backcountry Several river access points are Mountain Biking found along FM 170. Colorado The park offers hundreds of miles of routes for all skill levels. One Zone Camping Canyon includes Class II and popular venue is the Contrabando System (series of trails), which Class III rapids—not considered is best accessed from the east side of the park near the Barton dangerous under normal flow Warnock Visitor Center off of FM 170.