BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK - DAY 6

We always try to save the best for last and today is no different. This is our last day on this side of the park.

A unique feature of the eastern side of the park is the occurrence of a bubbling hot spring on the shore of the Rio Grande River.

Back in the 1940s and 1950s this was a happening place. People came from all around to bathe in the “healing waters” and today it’s not much different except there is no longer an office to check in, or a lodge to spend the night or even an enclosure surrounding the location of the hot spring itself.

One thing that hasn’t changed are the gravel roadways one must negotiate to arrive at the hot spring location.

Today all that is left are the ruins of the buildings and the foundation walls of the rooms which housed the bathtubs filled with the hot mineral waters.

DAY 6

It will soon become apparent to us why this sign is necessary.
To reach the hot spring you must negotiate a single lane road with a mountain on one side and a drop off on the other.
What ever you do don't get caught looking at anything but the road ahead of you.
These are the ruins of the old check in lobby for the lodge.
This is all that's left of the old restaurant, lounge and gathering place.
The seven room lodge was popular in the 1940s and 50s.
We snuck a peek inside one of the rooms.
A short ways down the quarter mile trail it begins to parallel the Rio Grande River.
High up on the mountain side we saw some pictographs similar to what we saw in Seminole Canyon last week.
I see people down there, we must be getting close to the spring.
The waters inside the brick walls is 105°F while the water in the river felt like it was in the upper 70°F.
You could wade across the river into Mexico and purchase tacos and tamalies, we didn't. WARNING! The next photo contains partial nudity.
I warned you!
Now all we need to do is negotiate the road out of here.

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