Big Bend Ranch State Park, Closed Canyon Trail Day 6 prt 2

Howdee all,

March 24

After hiking Cinco Tinajas and Ojito Adentro Trails, we traveled the long dirt road out of this park of Big Bend Ranch State park.

Jeff has had enough of long dirt roads after this one. We had intended to drive the 50 mile dirt road in Big Bend State park, that follows the Rio Grande river…but after this dirt road…..

   Jeff says we will skip it this time, 25 miles on this one was enough

We enjoyed the hikes off of the dirt road..and also took a drive to the Visitor center located further down the road. This seems to be a great destination for those who have horses..

We saw many trucks pulling horse trailers as we left the park.

    Finally on pavement we headed back to Terlingua stopping at Closed Canyon.

Closed Canyon Trail

1.4 mile round trip

Easy hike

Closed canyon is a narrow slot canyon

The canyon cuts through the Colorado Mesa to the Rio Grande River You must be aware of surrounding storms as rain can cause flash floods here.. And there is no where to climb for safety The canyon floor is smooth rock..very slick when wet..We traveled through several small pouroffs about three feet in height before reachng this 7 foot pouroff. 

We weren't sure if we could climb back out of the pouroff, so Jeff waited behind for me to pull me back up.This was the end of the road..a few tanks ,tinajas with very steep slick walls.

I was able to climb back up with no problem, so Jeff went down to check out the tanks himself.I thought this rock formation looked like a face..        The sun was lighting up the hillside ..

See the Rio Grande River below..

Mexico the other side..Oh our way back I spied these way up on a hill..sorry about the fuzzy photo..Baby camera you know..

We found out that they are Barbary sheep..not a native species..and there as been some talk of getting rid of them.Thats all for now..

Only a few days left in Big Bend..Jeff wants to go find some migrating birds!

Stay tuned for a few more Big Bend Hikes

I ♥ Big Bend 

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Birds of the day

Curve bill thrasher,House sparrow.House finch
White wing dove,Turkey vulture, Common raven.Black-throated sparrow
Chipping sparrow,Vesper sparrow,Osprey,Black Vulture,Bewick wren
Pyrilloxia,Lesser gold finch,Brewers sparrow,White crowned sparrow
Vesper sparrow,Cactus wren