Sotol – The Journey

It is a loooonnnngg drive to Big Bend with some amazing scenery and multiple CBP checkpoints. As an example, this is the Pecos River High Bridge. At 273 feet above the river it is the highest highway bridge in Texas. This bridge replaces the one that was 50 feet above the river and destroyed by flood waters in 1954.

There are lodgings and camping inside the park. They both fill up rapidly, with lodging usually sold out months in advance. That means staying outside the park. There are no towns of any size close by. That means Marathon, population 410 about an hour north of the visitors center or Terlingua, population 78, about 45 minutes west. I stayed in both and found accommodations a little rustic, but clean and comfortable. The Gage Hotel in Marathon looked quite nice, but didn’t have availability when I visited. There are more options in Alpine and Marfa, but they are each that much farther from the park.

A word about fuel in this part of Texas – buy it when you see it.

Terlingua Ghost Town

Terlingua yielded the surprise bonus of the trip. One of Janelle and my bartenders in Bangor, Maine used to disappear every winter, and then return for summer season. What a surprise and what a gift to walk into the Starlight Theatre Restaurant and Bar and find Holly behind the bar. Turns out Holly works winters in Terlingua, being one of the 78 residents. We got caught up while I enjoyed the recommended quail dinner.

After dinner we met back up at the Boat House Bar. A funny name in a place where many get by with catchment water for their households. Water conservation isn’t just an eco-friendly thing here. It had rained a little bit the week before I got their and Holly estimated that they had collected 50 gallons of water. Prior to that, it had last rained eight months before, during the monsoons.

It was at the Boat House that I got introduced to Sotol – the liquor, not the plant. Technically, Sotol is a mescal, but the sotol plant is from the asparagus, not the agave, family. I was told to only drink the Chihuahuan made product, not the Texas knockoffs. What I brought home doesn’t seem to be quite the same as what I drank in Terlingua. Ambiance matters.

Any fans of 1985’s Fandango, with Kevin Costner? This is DOM Rock that features in that movie. On the river road between Lajitas and Presidio.

It isn’t easy to get to. It is in Texas. But it is so amazing! Please go!

It doesn’t look that big on a map of Texas, but it is over 800,000 acres. There are three distinct ecologies in the park – river, mountains, and desert.

I’m really tempted to go off on the geology. But I’ve already done that for Newfoundland and don’t want to get a reputation. If you want geology, see https://everywhere-man.com/2023/06/06/geeky-as-i-wanna-be/

THE RIVER – The Rio Grande

The river is one of the three distinct ecosystems in the park. The Rio Grande forms the border between the US and Mexico and is also the southern border of the park. Bordering the river is one of the two places in the park you are going to see much green. But only close to the river and then it is generally muted.

THE MOUNTAINS – Chisos Mountains

The other place you will see some green is in the Chisos Mountains. This is the second ecosystem of the park. A “sky island”, it supports a variety of plants and wildlife that wouldn’t otherwise be found in a desert. What looks like frost or snow in the picture below on the right is really a gray tree. Maybe juniper?

THE DESERT – Chihuahuan Desert

Much of Big Bend is the northern tip of the Chihuahuan dessert, the third distinct ecosystem in the park. Vast and intimidating.

The sotol plant is found throughout Big Bend. Though it sure looks like a cactus, sotol is a plant in the asparagus family. It is also used to make an alcohol. More on that in the next post.

There is very little water in Big Bend. Except when it rains. This is a “pour off” from the top of a mesa in the park. When it does rain, it tends to be a deluge, and all of the water landing on the top of the mesa flows to a lower point. This downspout was formed over time by these events. The Park Service is very clear that one should not be in this area if there is any chance of rain at all…

Lower Burro Mesa Pour Off

The picture at the top, and the one to the left is ocotillo. I was fortunate to have it in bloom while I was in the park. It has become a favorite of mine.

Tag: Sotol

Outside Big Bend

Big Bend National Park