Guadalupe Mountains National Park

National Parks: Some Open, Some Closed, Some Somewhere In-between

I left you scratching your head trying to figure out the difference between a wash and a draw. I now have two more to add to the list: run and arroyo. Yep, always learning something new, that's me.

Have you been watching the night sky this month? This is an amazing, perhaps unparalleled time for my generation for stargazing. Two comets, SWAN and Lemmon, should be visible tonight, maybe with the naked eye, probably with binoculars, depending on your area's light pollution. Dave and I have been looking each evening after sunset, and I go out in the morning before sunrise, hoping to get a glimpse of Lemmon. Also, Orion is the source of a meteor shower. Yesterday that shower was more of a drizzle as I sat outside, bundled up against the West Texas wind.  But overall we have been blessed with "shooting stars," satellites, planets, constellations, and the Milky Way. 

Where have we camped with this minimal light interference for these fun and beautiful night sky events? North of Carlsbad, NM at Brantley Lake State Park. As you can see, there is nothing around. Nothing. Great for stargazing!

 

The terrain is a bit ugly, but the night sky is glorious.
Mesquite, sagebrush, creosote bushes, and yucca are the mainstays of the desert flora.

The trails were all very rocky.
Trooper's pads have toughened up.

Christmas Cholla (a cactus)

Prickly Pear

Mesquite

Smooth Sotol.
As smooth as sawgrass!

Good thing we weren't fishing.

While staying at Brantley Lake we headed south about 60 miles to Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The park's visitor center was open, thanks to the Western National Parks Association, the concessionaire for several parks. We were able to take a short, informative nature walk (well, it would have been more informative, but we already knew what sagebrush, prickly pear, mesquite, and yucca look like). Only a few areas in the park were open; we were so appreciative to the WNPA staff for stepping up. 

One open area was the hike to Smith Springs, about halfway up one of the mountains. We were trekking uphill in the desert, and were sweaty when we arrived at the springs. This little bit of heaven had a pool of water which overflowed down a small waterfall into a draw (wash, run, arroyo, creek, etc.) and was shaded by cottonwood and mesquite trees. A stone slab created a bench, and was cool to the backside while we rested and drank our water. I'll let photos document our hike.

We begin our hike.
Notice the Smooth Sotol on the right.

And the rocks.

Still going up.
Still very rocky.
Still getting pricked by smooth sotol.

We will cross several draws and end up somewhere below the smooth overhang.
We didn't know this, of course, from our (disad)vantage point.

Nearing the top. We thought.
There was a draw to our right. The path followed it for quite a way.

Almost there!

The shade was a real blessing by this time.

Pretty pool of water. 

No drinking from unknown water sources, 

 but it was refreshingly cool on my hands and wrists.

 

Small waterfalls also made a refreshing sound.
It was worth the 1.5 hour hike. Uphill. Over rocks.

Long way back. We have to descend almost all the way to the valley.

The parking area is near the base of the pyramid mound.
How do you like the drop-off on the left? One missed step...
Glad I had on my NEW SHOES!

In the Guadalupe Mountains is Guadalupe Peak.
It is the highest point in Texas.

The most photographed mountain in Guadalupe NP is El Capitan. It reminds me of El Cap in Yosemite NP.

We survived the hike. We are still married. We are still smiling.

Unfortunately, Carlsbad Caverns NP in New Mexico was closed. We will have to return someday and tour the caves and stay for the evening Bat Program, during which you view thousands of bats exiting their daytime cave sleeping quarters to begin their nocturnal hunt for delicious morsels. And at dawn you can view them all returning for a well-earned snooze.

 P.S. Last night we saw the Lemmon comet! So incredible, so awesome! We will try tonight to see SWAN. Give it a try! Look north-northwest. Follow a path made by the last 2 stars of the Big Dipper's handle toward 2 bright stars. Use binoculars to see the fuzzy blur with a tail!