The air temperature was in the low ’80s, there was a nice soft breeze and it was clear in the morning but big, puffy clouds floated over during the afternoon – a perfect day for sightseeing. We elected to take the drive from our RV park on the east side of the park where the Rio Grande runs north along the border all the way to the west end of the park where the river runs south.
We drove again to Panther Junction 20 miles west and continued a bit further before we turned southwest on the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. This road skirts the east side of the Chisos Mountains (see yesterday’s poop) before dropping down into a wonderland of spectacular rock formations, badlands, volcanic surprises and vast deposits of limestone and ash.
At the western end of the paving, about 65 miles from our campground on the other side of the park, Santa Elena Canyon cuts maybe 1,000 feet deep into the abrupt, horizon-to-horizon Mesa de Anguila. This part of the park is particularly fascinating for those puzzled by geology because there seems to be some of just about every formation known to man. Jagged volcanic bluffs erupt from the surrounding limestone landscape in eerie juxtaposition of strata. Erosion has plopped a big foot down here with skinny box canyons running in all directions. It is magnificent. This park would be crowded like Yosemite or Yellowstone if it wasn’t located way past the middle of nowhere. However, being remote is great for folks like us – there are few people or drivers here and the scenery is world-class.
See pix. Click here