TexMex Country: Offroad

Driving on a regular road in a park is nice, but driving off road is more fun!

The Old Maverick Road connects Maverick Junction with the Santa Elena Canyon. It is a 14 mile long, well maintained, dirt road.

A tarantula crossed our path and ignored our car completely. Luckily, we saw it.

Four pair of eyes searching for anything interesting. Yet we almost missed this fellow.

A Western Coachwhip

It is not venomous, but can bite if corned - repeatedly! Of course, we didn't want that, but we definitely wanted a few more pictures ... well, my brave husband did his best

Soon we reached Santa Elena Canyon

Time to hike! The trail is short and easy

If you pay a little attention to the small animal world, you will see things like that

pretty flowers along the way

It only is a short jump to the other side, Mexico, but crossing is illegal. Boquillo Canyon is now open in case you want to purchase something.

the photographer needed a break ;)

As I said, it is an easy walk, but some spots are a little tight :D

reaching the end - Volker refreshed himself

from the outside or from the inside, your choice

back at the parking lot we had a nice picnic when I spotted someone else having lunch

Next was the Grapevine Hills Trail, also a dirt road.
While driving we noticed more and more clouds ...

After 6 miles we reached the end, the hiking trail was ahead of us.

I came to a sudden stop when a "stone" jumped in front of me ...

Actually, the "stone" was a well camouflaged Toad Lubber. Fascinating creature!

In the meantime it had gotten darker, we heard thunder and it began to drizzle. The mood of the scenery changed completely. It is an odd place, so diverse. Desert to one side, a canyon to the other and mountains in between.

Speaking of the land, the formation was formed by volcanic activity and erosion, I think around 70 million years ago. Grapevine hills is a good example of rock formations from this era according to science.

But, I kinda like the Indian legends better, and of course there is one about Big Bend:

"After the Great Spirit finished the creation of the world, he took all the rocks, plants and animals that remained and dumped them in the Big Bend."

Fact is, this place is fascinating.