Big Bend Ranch State Park: The Hoodoos Trail

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As noted, the River Road cuts through Big Bend Ranch State Park, the largest park in the Texas parks system. I stopped at Fort Leaton to use the facilities and got some great advice from the Texas park ranger on what hikes to do during the drive to Lajitas on the River Road and any other tips she had for the drive. The first hike she recommended was the Hoodoos Trail, a short 1.1 mile loop trail. 

When I got there, there were some folks just hanging out under a tent and cooking food (they offered me a steak but I wasn't hungry). The temperature was close to 100 degrees, but the hike was short and took me down to the Rio Grande and then to an overlook, so in my view it was worth it even with the high temperature and the desert landscape. I lathered myself with sunscreen and loaded up the backpack with lots of water, and then set off. When I made it back in one piece (having guzzled two bottles of water along the way), I asked the nice gentleman to take a photo and he obliged.
The view from the overlook
After the hike!


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