Big Bend day 1 and 2

Howdy all,
This is from our first two days visiting Big Bend National Park. The views here are amazing. Sometimes it is 360 degrees of incredible view.
 The first day in we decided to take a long drive. We entered on the north end and took the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive to Saint Elana Canyon on the south west end. The drive was about 77 miles.

Rio Grande River at Santa Elena Cayon

 Man this is a BIG park. How big is it you ask- Over 800,000 acres, the southern border covers 245 miles of the Rio Grand River, They have five visitor centers, and diving is roughly 50 miles east to west and 75 miles north to south. That is using main roads. The park has many dirt and four wheel traffic roads also.
 There are also three different ecosystems from desert to mountains and the river.
 Enough of that I'll let Wendy's pics do the rest of the talking.

Part of Chisos Mountains Basin drive

 We got a great hike in today to an area called The Windows. It was just Gorgous ( I told Wendy that and I know that's not how you spell it.)

 

The Window

Didn't see any mt. lions or rattle snakes

 While on the hike we came across a couple and the guy was sprawled out on a log bench. We asked how they were doing and they said not good. His knee had gave out on him and he was in a lot of pain. We discussed what we could do as they probably had about a 1/2 mile walk back and almost all uphill. There was also no way a vehicle could get to him. He was trying to walk with 2 short hand made sticks. Wendy came up with the idea to give him 2 of our poles that he could lengthen to better help him. They could just toss them in the truck box later. We made sure they had enough water and they insisted they would slowly manage it back. They left and said the poles were helping.

 Another couple we ran into said they met them at the trail head and gave them a ride to their vehicle.