Daniels Ranch and the Hot Springs
3 / 5
Down by the Rio Grande sits Daniels Ranch, a small historic farm site where hardy homesteaders once irrigated fields off the river’s floodplain. Today, the remnants of old adobe structures and irrigation ditches hint at how people tried to make a living along this dry, wide stretch of the river before the park existed. Near the water, honey mesquite trees were in bloom, and the place was buzzing with activity, literally. Bees were everywhere, happily going to town on the yellow flowers and adding a constant hum to the already warm air.
Daniels Ranch Trail
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It was blazing hot that day, and Daniels Ranch Trail made sure we were fully aware of it, offering no hint of shade or cover. The trail is a short but fairly steep and rocky 0.4-mile climb. Watch your step unless you want an unexpected lesson in cactus anatomy. What we saw at the top, though, wide views of the river and desert beyond, made it worth the heat. You can optionally continue on to the longer Ernst Ridge Trail for a six-mile round trip. The trail sign makes its priorities clear. Bring plenty of water, or die.
Later that day, we made our way to the Big Bend Hot Springs, a historic soak spot right on the Rio Grande. These natural springs flow at about 105 degrees Fahrenheit and are built into the old stone foundation of a resort that once operated here in the 1930s. If the water started feeling too hot, cooling off in the river was only a step away. Afterwards, we lingered with a shaded picnic under a small cluster of palm trees, relics of the old resort era.
Back at the Rio Grande Village Campground, I finally spotted my very first roadrunner. I feel obligated to set the record straight. Despite what many of us were led to believe by a certain classic cartoon from the 1960s, roadrunners do not harass coyotes, nor do they dabble in TNT, anvils, or elaborate booby traps.
On the way into the park a few days prior, we saw a coyote. He was not chasing anything and appeared to be minding his own business. And the roadrunner? No explosions, no dramatic escapes, not even a single “meep meep.” It turns out many of us were severely misled as children about the true nature of these animals. I’m happy to report they seem to be coexisting just fine out here in the wild.
Later that day, we made our way to the Big Bend Hot Springs, a historic soak spot right on the Rio Grande. These natural springs flow at about 105 degrees Fahrenheit and are built into the old stone foundation of a resort that once operated here in the 1930s. If the water started feeling too hot, cooling off in the river was only a step away. Afterwards, we lingered with a shaded picnic under a small cluster of palm trees, relics of the old resort era.
Back at the Rio Grande Village Campground, I finally spotted my very first roadrunner. I feel obligated to set the record straight. Despite what many of us were led to believe by a certain classic cartoon from the 1960s, roadrunners do not harass coyotes, nor do they dabble in TNT, anvils, or elaborate booby traps.
On the way into the park a few days prior, we saw a coyote. He was not chasing anything and appeared to be minding his own business. And the roadrunner? No explosions, no dramatic escapes, not even a single “meep meep.” It turns out many of us were severely misled as children about the true nature of these animals. I’m happy to report they seem to be coexisting just fine out here in the wild.