2020 Winter Camping Trip Day31

 2020 Winter Camping Trip Day31, 2020/12/26

Day2 in the Big Bend National Park. We had 3 hikes!

First one was Marufo Vega Loop. 14.4 miles with 2726 feet elevation change. We worried a bit about parking at the trailhead, because there was a sign saying breaking in would occur. The trailhead is not far from Mexican border and actually it is accessible from Mexican side. The river between US/Mexico is shallow and I heard that Mexicans cross the river by riding horses and steal stuff from cars. Due to that, we hid everything in the car that was visible from outside.  

The hike was absolutely solitude. We only saw 2 people at the end of hike. So from morning to evening nobody visible! I loved the solitude. 

The first couples of miles was in the wash and the vast desert area. Interestingly, we saw wild horses. The morning light and horses are pretty view in the desert (left picture). The wild horses: I didn't know that wild horses exist. Considering the location, however, it makes sense. Horses in Mexican villages escaped from their farm and crossed the river and stayed in the U.S. They are immigrants, or 2nd generation of immigrants. Somehow they wanted freedom. 

Rio Grande

Going further and further, the view got more and more dramatic. The trail goes down to the canyon and reached the Rio Grande, which is US-Mexico border. The canyon is very deep and huge rocks there were quite impressive. Then we reached the ridge. Below the ridge is the Rio Grande. The view between the river was amazing. Massive rocky mountains are in the both side of the river. The river was clear beautiful blue. It was extremely quiet and peaceful. I felt like I was in the middle of the different planet, since it was not the imaginable scene, even though I was still during the domestic trip. The only animal I saw was a couple of horses in the distance along the river. We sat on the ridge and had a lunch. This is one of the best views in my memory. For sure this will reside in my heart forever. 

donkey

2nd hike is a mini hike of 1.4 mile. This hike, Boquillas Canyon trail, also goes to Rio Grande, but it is far from the one we went in the hike I mentioned above.  Boquillas canyon is very close to Boquillas village in Mexico. Indeed we saw Mexicans from village kids were playing along the river. Adults were also there, too. Interestingly, along the river of the US side, they put souvenirs for Americans. There is a container to put cash (US dollars) there. In the river they had a kayak. Obviously they cross river and trying to sell stuff. It is illegal, and I am sure park rangers know it, but it seems that US park service or border control not really arrest them. I heard that US border control cooperate with Boquillas people so that border control can arrest very serious people like drug traders. In return US officers unofficially approve those Boquillas peoples' illegal "non-serious" crimes. Usually before COVID, there is an official boat tour from Big Bend National Park to go to their village several times a week. If Americans go there officially with passport, buying their souvenir goods in Mexico is totally legal. It was interesting to see such kinds of stuff. 

 

 

Another interesting thing we was was a horse and donkey along the river. Maybe they are belongings of those Mexicans. The donkey is following the horse. Then the horse went into the river, probably because the horse wanted to cool down (it was a warm day). Since the donkey was much smaller than the horse, the donkey couldn't go into the river. The donkey looked frustrated. He said, "Mmmmmmm" several times. His breathing got bigger. He seemed angry that the horse left him. After a while the horse came back to the shore and the donkey looked happy. Cute and funny!!

horse in the river and the donkey is staring at that

Finally we walked a mini nature trail near the campground and finished a day! I believe that not many people staying there, "hike, hike, hike" like us.