SEMINOLE CANYON STATE PARK & HISTORIC SITE, MARCH 12th and 13th

It was hard leaving Big Bend, even though we'd deliberately allowed a full week there. The park is so vast, so diverse, we loved our campsite so much and the migrating birds were just starting to arrive. It was a good thing that we  had a reservation at the next place pulling us forward. That and Spring Break pushing from behind. It was sad to see so many people so desperate for a spot to camp. They would even come ask you if you were leaving the next day and could they have your site? If they didn't find one, they had to leave the park completely - a distance of at least 40 miles.

On the advice of a sweet friend from Texas, we stopped at the Hallie Stillwell Museum and Store. Click her name for more about HALLIE STILLWELL.  She was a ranching pioneer and strong woman. We just didn't get it. Weren't many early Texas women strong and remarkable? How was she worthy of such reverence?

Leaving Big Bend

Spring Break overflow outside park

We stopped in Marathon because Linda was sure the historic Gage Hotel would supply her with a GOOD cup of coffee. Well.....  It turned out well since all they served was pod coffee, they sent us down the block to The Marathon Coffee Shop. It took three generations of the family who ran the restaurant to make her an Americano, and it was quite good. Then we spied the baked goods. We took coffee, cinnamon bun, peach cobbler and date/raisin scone with us. The scone  was so good we ran back for two more. Who knew when we'd find decent food again? 

Peach Cobbler

Why Seminole Canyon? When we learned that the whole state took Spring Break in the same week, we wondered where we would ever find campsites. The great rangers at Davis Mountains told us to go to a park with historic value, they don't attract Spring Breakers.

Our friend Judy had wasted no time getting to Seminole Canyon SP and got the last available electric site. It turned out to be next to us, which was nice. We put our chairs out and had afternoon 'tea'. When Judy joined us, it became Happy Hour. Good thing because the next day dawned cloudy and slightly drizzly.  But the night was 65° all night and we started the morning with a nice bird walk around the campground. Good showers made us whole humans again and we enjoyed some baked breakfast goodies out of our freezer. The joy of hookups!

Visitor's Center flags in the wind

The park gets its name "in honor of the U.S. Army's Seminole-Negro Indian Scouts, garrisoned at Fort Clark. The scouts protected the West Texas frontier from marauding Apache and Comanche bands between 1872 and 1914. Known for their exceptional cunning and toughness, no scout was ever wounded or killed in combat, and four earned the prestigious Medal of Honor."

"Ancient pictographs,rugged limestone terrain and spectacular canyons lure visitors to Seminole Canyon... Fate Bell Shelter contains some of North America's oldest rock paintings, believed to have been created as long as 4,000 years ago. Visitors who hike down into the canyon to this enormous rock shelter will be treated to dozens of prehistoric paintings."

None of us thought we were up to the strenuous two-mile hike to see them. We explored the Visitor Center exhibits, which included some excellent replicas, and watched the video tour of the rock shelter containing the art.

Judy

The campground is very nice and a mix of tent and RV sites spaced about 50' apart in typical Chihuahuan Desert vegetation. The worm in the apple was a noisy family across from us. Most Texas families raise quite well-behaved children. Big Bend was a joy, even with every single site occupied - most by family groups. But the other campers here were enjoyable and the camp hosts were very welcoming and gave us good birding advice. If the weather had been encouraging, we would have toured the garden at the Judge Roy Bean Museum. As it was, we relaxed and caught up on some things we had too long neglected. Tomorrow begins the search for a place to stay in San Antonio. Fort Sam Houston only had one night available, so we have to find three more nights - near good groceries.