Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition
Inspiring all people to take action towards a sustainable future of the Chihuahuan Desert.
Grass belly-high on a horse, the Spaniards declared upon seeing Big Bend for the first time. And it was. Great plains with the Rio Grande running strong and true. But somewhere along the way we choked the river and mowed the grass - and already drying - the earth here never recovered. Not fully. The …
Continue reading "Terlingua Ranch | Christmas Mountains, Chihuahuan Desert, Texas"
Mt. Livermore, Davis Mountains Preserve, Texas Looking into the desert, I see waves. Cresting. One folding on the other. A land shaped by an ancient sea transformed into an arid stretch of rolling hills and mountains. Fed only by monsoon summers and dry winters. I row through this ocean of cactus and creosote to find …
Continue reading "Chihuahuan Desert Sky Island, Mt Livermore"
Spring comes early to the Rio Grande. Bluebonnets sprinkling the road, framing my view into Mexico. Cliffs high along the river. Rows of chopped rocks run like balcony seats at an opera across their face. I stop to take a picture, there are so many pictures here. My dog watches through the window and my …
Continue reading "Plate Tectonics in The Solitario, Big Bend Ranch State Park, Texas"
There is no straight line through the desert. What looks easy is hard. 'Barranco' after 'barranco', all hidden from the horizon. Impassible terrain. Snaking a path is the only way. Driving into Big Bend National Park, shades of purple compete with mounds of desert brush. Each clamoring for the win. Key notes of Freddy Fender …
Continue reading "Homer Wilson Ranch, Chihuahuan Desert, Big Bend National Park, Texas"
I’m happiest when I spend my nights around campfires. Hidden in the spotted hills of the desert. In complete control, and complete surrender. Crossing Maravillas Creek south of Marathon, and approaching Double Mills, the ranches exceed imagination. Temperature rises fifteen degrees as we descend in elevation. A welcome change to this January weather. With arm …
There are some places kept mostly secret. More vulnerable than others. Not as stable as they seem. At Big Bend National Park horses are allowed on all gravel roads, most trails, and backcountry across the desert. In a vast land occupied by many before us, there is more to discover than most know. But you …
Within minutes of entering from the west I am greeted by the deep curtains of the Chisos Mountains, highlighting the center of Big Bend. One of only three sky islands in Texas, and the only mountain range in our country completely encompassed by a national park. A lush oasis soaring above the surrounding desert. The …
Continue reading "Horseback Riding Dog Canyon, Big Bend National Park, Texas"
Cover me with your wildness Drench me in your thirstScratch me with your thorns Shower me with color Sunset over Kokernot Mesa, Brewster County, Texas Clean air, enhanced filtering, and longer wavelengths result in phenomenal sunsets over pristine desert areas. Big Bend National Park, Texas "And though their warm beauty is expected, not all sunsets …
How do I write about you, sitting there out of reach? So full of yourself. An exhibitionist bold in your arrival. Wreaking havoc along the way. Your presence impossible to miss. Magnetic. Glowing. Witness to all, you are the moon. Photo Courtesy of Matt Walter, Alpine, Texas
It runs without warning, this love of mine. Carving its way as it goes. Thundering falls, then quiet. I chase it but cannot see it. View of Elephant Mountain andCalamity Creek. Alpine, Texas The mountains and desert of far west Texas are forbidding terrain. Yet perfect for the Desert Bighorn Sheep. Almost lost forever by …
Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition 