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 Thursday, April 19, 2007 10:37 AM CDT |
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God bless Texas
Bloomington native now calls Texas Mountain Trail home
VAN HORN, Texas -- Beth Nobles had reached her mid-40s when the 1976 graduate of Bloomington High School decided to do something different with the next third of her life. She was an artist who worked with textiles at the time. Her day job was to raise money for the University of Iowa. After a vacation trip to west Texas, she still didn't know exactly what she wanted to do about her career change but she knew where she wanted to do it. The region's remoteness and its untouched beauty appealed to her artist's eye. Everything really does come big in Texas. Brewster County, where she lives today, is 6,204 square miles but the population is about 13,000. She drives two hours one-way to do most of her shopping. "Brewster County is one of the biggest in Texas and it doesn't have a red, yellow and green traffic signal. The closest it comes is a flashing red light. One," said Nobles, 48, who is the daughter of Chuck and Barb Nobles of the Twin Cities. "There are lots of unpaved roads, lots of places you can drive to and get out of your car and then turn all the way around and see nothing but the road that brought you there," she said. "Turn on the radio and hit scan and there's nothing there. It takes a little getting used to, but you appreciate the quiet." There's snow in the mountains and desert temperatures below. This is real cowboy country. Movies like "Lonesome Dove" and "Giant" were filmed there. After an initial visit, Nobles, a 1980 arts administration graduate of the University of Illinois in Urbana, combed the Internet looking for a job in the vicinity. She eventually found one perfect for someone who fell in love with the area known as the Texas Mountain Trail. She became regional coordinator of tourism in charge of convincing other people to visit that part of rural Texas. "The Alamo doesn't need any help," said Nobles, referring to the state's No. 1 attraction, in San Antonio. The Texas Historical Commission says the Texas Mountain Trail region is part of a network of 10 heritage travel organizations the commission oversees to enhance tourism. Nobles' area encompasses the six westernmost counties in the state. But remember, this is Texas. Those counties cover an area equal in size to the District of Columbia, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Jersey plus the state of Delaware times three. That's nearly 22,000 square miles. Scientists differ on its geological history and debate whether the mountains there are really the southern tail of the Rockies. If they are or they aren't, the more than 86,000 acres of Guadalupe Mountains National Park on the northern border of the Texas Mountain Trail region and on the Texas border with New Mexico includes Guadalupe Peak. At 8,749 feet, it is the highest point in the state. Big Bend National Park, which lies on the southern region of the Texas Mountain Trail, encompasses more than 800,000 acres. The "big bend" refers to a sharp turn in the Rio Grande there. The park boasts a protected area of Chihuahuan Desert, where archeologists have discovered evidence of humans dating back 9,000 years. Temperatures rise above 100 in summer, but a trip into the mountains brings instant relief. The mercury dips below freezing in winter. A Big Bend park ranger once explained to her that if all the 400,000 visitors who stopped at Big Bend National Park in a year arrived at one time, each one would still have 2 acres. Try that at Yosemite National Park, and each visitor would get a parcel the size of an 8½-by-10-inch piece of paper. "It (Big Bend) is large and untapped," Nobles said. Other attractions include places like Big Bend Ranch State Park. Visitors "hire on" to a working ranch to be cowboys for while. Expect a 90-minute trip off-road to reach the ranch. Several private working ranches in those parts have similar programs for guests looking for the "western experience," Nobles said. Nobles loves to hike, run and pedal both road and mountain bikes. The Texas Mountain Trail is perfect for all of those pursuits. Roads are virtually free of vehicle traffic, a fact motorcyclists appreciate, too. Cyclists at Big Bend Ranch State Park can pedal cross-country to an ancient volcano. The Davis Mountain Fitness & Training Camp caters to everyone from teenagers to seniors who hike, run, bike and swim. Birders get a glimpse of both mountain and desert ecosystems. Many raptor species call the region home. Rock climbing is available, but the growing sport of "bouldering" is even more popular. People can have the climbing experience by maneuvering over the face of huge rocks while staying close to the ground. Hikers and climbers at Huenco Tanks State Park view pictographs drawn by ancient people. "The scenery is jaw-droppingly beautiful," Nobles said. "We have lots of roads that don't have any power lines or fences. It's a place to see the antelope, the hawks, the havelina (a pig-like animal closely related to the rhinoceros)." Hunting in season is allowed for mule deer, antelope, black bear and havelina, she said. Fishing is scarce. Aquifers are the primary source of water, so it's a sure bet the region will remain undeveloped and unspoiled for years to come, she added. A major attraction is the McDonald Observatory, birthplace of the public radio show "Stardate." Yet, the town of Marfa has Hollywood connections because of filming in the area. Actor Tommy Lee Jones once owned land nearby and still returns to play polo. Nobles once bumped into actress Sissy Spacek in a bookstore in town. Remote, yes, but movies can be ordered by mail, and the insulation from big cities means small specialty shops flourish without competing with major chain stores, which are hours away, she said. El Paso, about 120 miles away, is the biggest town near Nobles' home. San Antonio is 450 miles away. Houston is nearly 600 miles away. The largest town in the Texas Mountain Trail area is Alpine, with 6,000 people. "Most towns, such as they are, are a half- to an hour apart," said Nobles. "The closest Wal-Mart is two hours away. ... You can have a bona fide wilderness experience." If you goBest times: Popular times are Christmastime and college spring break, when campsites are at a premium. At other times, relatively few people are there. Major attractions • Big Bend National Park. The park is open 24 hours daily, all year. The Panther Junction Visitor Center is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. August and September have the fewest visitors. More than 150 miles of trails offer opportunities for day hikes or backpacking trips. More than 100 miles of paved roads, and 160 miles of backcountry dirt roads provide challenges for cyclists of all types and abilities. Elevations range from 1,800 feet to 7,832 feet. The park's Web site is www.nps.gov/bibe. • Big Bend Ranch State Park. The park encompasses nearly 300,000 acres of Chihuahuan Desert, two mountain ranges featuring extinct volcanoes, steep canyons and waterfalls. Activities include backpacking, biking, fishing, swimming, 4X4 driving, rafting and more. Web site is www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/big_bend_ranch/#sch • Guadalupe Mountains National Park. It includes a rugged mountain range with deep, sheer-sided canyons, steep slopes, high ridges and limited but dependable seeps and springs. The park offers a number of diverse plants and animals. Visit www.nps.gov/gumo/gumo/pinery.htm. • McDonald Observatory. The visitor center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with additional hours on Star Party nights. Located 6,800 feet above sea level atop Mount Locke in the heart of the Davis Mountains, the observatory hosts about 100,000 visitors every year. Phone (432) 426-3640. Visit mcdonaldobservatory.org. • Texas Mountain Trail also includes several other parks, a ghost town and other western history and more. Van Horn, Texas, is located just 105 miles from Carlsbad Caverns. Learn more at www.texasmountaintrail.com. Check out the blog for travel information and tips. Take precautions Travel officials recommend planning ahead and making sure you have plenty of food, water, gas and other items found at major communities. The weather can change dramatically and quickly. A sunny day can turn into a raging flood by afternoon. Heat of summer can be deadly. Cell phone coverage is spotty without a car antenna. E-mail this story | Print this story | Search archives | RSS Show comments |  Hide comments | Hide comments on all stories |
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