We spent this past Thanksgiving at the end of a long, rough four-wheel-drive trail in Big Bend Ranch State Park out in West Texas, at the Rincon #1 campsite. While this place lacked many of the things that are often associated with this holiday, it turned out to be the perfect spot for us and our two rescue pups to kick back, relax and reflect on all that we’re thankful for this year.
If peace and quiet, solitude and rugged natural beauty are what you’re looking for, Rincon campsites #1 and #2 are perfect for you. Along with having some of the darkest and starriest night skies found anywhere in North America, these sites offer a great view of Solitario Peak and the lower end of Fresno Canyon. This is a fantastic spot for relaxing with family and friends when the weather isn’t too hot (or too cold) and is well worth the drive. Rincon #1 and #2 are a couple hours (driving very modestly and stopping at POI’s) from the end of the main gravel park road and about 3 hours from the pavement at FM-170, which leads to Presidio/Lajitas.
Surprising Amenities at Rincon #1
Rincon #1 campsite in Big Bend Ranch State Park features a nice cedar-framed shelter over a picnic table, along with a fire pit and bear vault for food storage. Vehicles with rooftop tents can drive up to Rincon #1 but not to Rincon #2, which is a walk-in site. There’s a vault toilet (despite the park’s website saying otherwise) between the two Rincon campsites – within easy walking distance of both.
Quentin, our friendly tarantula park host, greeted us each time we used the facilities. Be sure to take a quick peek behind the toilet if you don’t want an unwelcome surprise. We gently relocated Quentin to the great outdoors when we left, as the outhouse was so clean we worried he wouldn’t find any critters to eat when trapped inside.
Getting to Rincon #1 Campsite in Big Bend Ranch State Park
Texas Parks and Wildlife lists this site as “access by high-clearance 4×4 vehicles only” and this is definitely the case. The park’s maintenance workers had recently done some grading on the steepest hill leading down into Fresno canyon, where recent torrential rains had severely damaged the road. We followed the tracks of other vehicles down Fresno creek in the canyon, winding our way around recently washed boulders – some as large as compact cars – with a few tight spots where careful wheel placement was necessary.
We used Gaia GPS, with offline maps for the region downloaded before arrival. The Gaia GPS maps were fairly accurate, but we did backtrack a few times to find the main path through Fresno Canyon, which changes after each heavy rain. onX Offroad maps also had a good baseline map for the area, with each app having a few details the others left off.
Depending on what kind of rainfall the area has experienced recently, the four-wheel-drive road to Rincon #1 and #2 campsites would score somewhere between a four to five on the Peter Massey/Adler Publishing scale for off road tracks, with high-clearance 4WD’s definitely being a requirement.
Following periods of heavy rainfall, this trail could easily be a class 6-7, so be sure to keep aware of weather conditions before and during your stay. With a strong cold front coming in, we used our Garmin InReach satellite messenger’s weather forecast feature each day to get the latest updates.
Class 5 Trail – “Rough, rutted surface, rocks up to 9 inches, mud and deep sand requiring experienced driver, 18 inch stream crossings are expected. There may be traction problems on steep sections, and shelf roads with steep drop-offs or tight clearance (for an SUV width vehicle) between rocks or trees.”
What Vehicles Can Make it Here?
The “road” up through Fresno Canyon is little more than the natural surface of the creek bed, which changes constantly with flash flooding. There are large boulders to be avoided, along with many abrupt dips and crevices to cross. Four-wheel drive is helpful for some of the steeper inclines with loose rock, especially on the return as you come back up out of the canyon. Jeeps and lifted full-size 4×4 vehicles will do fine here, but bringing something like a stock Sprinter van would definitely not be advised.
Manos Arriba Pictographs
If you come this way, be sure to stop at the Manos Arriba (Spanish for “hands up”) pictographs, which is clearly marked with an interpretive sign on the right-hand side of the trail. These pictographs were made between 1,000 and 2,000 years ago and are reverse stencils of the hands of a family group, with both adult and child-sized hand prints visible on the underside of the overhanging cliff wall. As tempting as it might be to place your own hand up to them, please avoid touching them, since the oils from your skin will destroy these priceless artifacts.
Mysterious Etchings
No less intriguing, but lacking any explanation on the interpretive signs, were a series of vertical etchings made in a large white rock near the entrance to the rock shelter. Were these abrasions used for straightening arrow shafts, or were they possibly some sort of solar calendar, marking pivotal times of the year, when sun rays shining through cracks above fell during the summer and winter solstice?
Starry Nights at Rincon #1 Campsite in Big Bend Ranch State Park
One of our favorite things about camping in Big Bend Ranch State Park are the dark night skies and starry nights. The area is recognized as one of several IDA (International Dark Sky Association) parks in the world, with a night sky darkness rating of 2 on the Bortle scale, which is used to measure the amount (or lack thereof) of man-made light pollution. When camping in BBRSP, be sure to disable your vehicle’s automatic dome lights and keep the use of headlights and campsite lighting to a minimum.
Snakes, Scorpions, Tarantulas and Thorns – Not a Place For Everyone
While dogs are allowed in Big Bend Ranch State Park, they aren’t permitted on any hiking trails in the park’s interior, and must not go any farther than a quarter-mile from your campsite along the established roads. There are multiple hazards here for pets, which is why we kept our furry friends leashed and close to our side at all times. During our Thanksgiving stay at Rincon #1, we saw a five-foot rattlesnake, multiple tarantulas, scorpions, wasps, and red ants, and heard coyotes howling very close to the campsite each night.
There was a bear locker provided by the park at the campsite, in which we stored all of our food and trash in sealed containers. Mountain lions and bears regularly traverse Fresno canyon, so if you do bring a pet, be sure to keep them close to you at all times (and don’t forget to pick up and pack out their waste!).
Wild Burros in Big Bend Ranch State Park
Big Bend Ranch State Park is home to the official Texas state herd of longhorn cattle, along with a number of wild horses and burros. The latter have not been treated so kindly by the state, however, with controversial hunting and trapping programs aimed at removing them from the environment. Wild burros and mules have been a part of the landscape here for at least 200 years, so we kind of wish they could be left alone or simply sterilized instead of eradicated.
As we enjoyed our Thanksgiving dinner, we had a special visitor – a white burro. Wary of humans, and rightfully so, he watched us from a distance for a while before heading on down the trail.
Be Prepared When Visiting Rincon #1 and #2 Campsites in Big Bend Ranch State Park
There is no cell phone reception in this area, nor any FM radio stations for news. Be sure to check the Texas Parks and Wildlife Website for Big Bend Ranch State Park for the latest park alerts and notices before heading out to your campsite and also check in with either the Sauceda Ranger Station or Barton Warnock visitors center. Also, be sure to bring along a paper map, which are available at the ranger station and visitor’s center, along with a mapping app, such as Gaia GPS, with offline maps downloaded beforehand.
Check in With The Sauceda Ranger Station
It’s wise to check and recheck the long-range weather forecast for the area. Flash flooding can occur any time of year in Fresno Canyon, bringing a wall of water that’s well over head high and carrying with it large boulders and debris, making the road impassable for weeks. Don’t be caught unaware, since there is only one way in and out. You can reach the Sauceda ranger station at (432) 229-3613.
Also, be sure to bring plenty of water and food, as well as carry two full-sized spares, jack and recovery gear, along with a first aid kit. At about $15 a month for the emergency plan, having a Garmin InReach satellite messenger for places like this is also a very good idea. (There are no GMRS repeaters out here but ham radio operators can reach at least two repeaters on 2 meters – Terlingua and the BBARC machine from just down the trail.)
See our post about Las Burras #3 for info on another hard to get to but beautiful campsite in BBRSP.
