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May 21, 2020 · The thirty-mile Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive leads to the Castolon Historic District and Santa Elena Canyon. Along the way the road showcases some of the historic and geologic features this region is famous for.
Ross Maxwell (1904–1993) served as the first superintendent of Big Bend National Park, from the establishment of the park in 1944 through 1952. Born near Sparks, Oklahoma on June 9, 1904, Ross Maxwell attended the University of Oklahoma and earned two degrees there.
Jan 24, 2024 · Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive is a must-see in Big Bend National Park, and in my opinion, one of the most scenic drives in any National Park. This drive is a blend of rugged hikes, historical sites, and panoramic views that encapsulate the best of what makes this Far West Texas wilderness so iconic.
- Santa Elena Canyon Trail
- Santa Elena Canyon Overlook
- Castolon Visitor Center
- Tuff Canyon Overlook
- Mule Ears Viewpoint
- Lower Burro Mesa Pour-Off Trail
- Sotol Vista Overlook
- Homer Wilson Ranch
- Upper Burro Mesa Pour-Off Trail
- Sam Nail Ranch
As I mentioned, the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive's southern terminus is the Santa Elena Canyon. Here, a towering 1,500-foot wall has slowly been pulled apart by seismic activity along the Terlingua Fault. The Rio Grande River runs through the narrow canyon walls, separating the U.S. from Mexicojust as it does throughout Big Bend National Park. The 1.4...
The first stop on Ross Maxwell Drive heading north from Santa Elena Cayon is a scenic viewpoint of the canyon. It's a quick and easy stop to get another perspective on the canyon, though you can certainly skip it if your time is limited.
Drive 7.8 miles east of Santa Elena Canyon overlook to reach the Castolon historical district, just after the turnoff for Cottonwood Campground, a site big enough for a spacious 12 person tent. Here, you can learn about an early twentieth-century cotton boom from 1922 to 1942, run by businessman Wayne Cartledge. He grew about 100 acres worth of cot...
It's a 2.8-mile drive from the Castolon Visitor Center to the Tuff Canyon overlook. You can see the Cerro Castellan mountain, Tuff Canyon, and the Santa Elena Canyon in the distance. Tuff is a term for compressed volcanic ash, and the canyon is named after the material from which it is made. The easy one-mile Tuff Canyon Trailruns through the gorge...
Continue north from Tuff Canyon for 4.9 miles to reach the Mule Ears overlook. Look south to see the Mule Ears Peaks, two spires of rock that make for a funny photo. The easy-to-moderate 3.9-mile Mule Ears Springs Trailbegins from this parking lot. It's a shadeless walk through the desert that ends at the Mule Ears spring.
A 6.2-mile drive north of Mule Ears is the trailhead to the Lower Burro Mesa Pour-off Trail(a mouthful, I know). Kel and I stopped to do this easy one-mile hike and had the nature trail to ourselves in the mid-afternoon. The trail follows a gravel creek bed into a box canyon, ending at a 100-foot high pouroff carved through the Burro Mesa by summer...
Continue north on the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive for 5.4 miles to reach the Sotol Vista Overlook, a beautiful viewpoint offering an expansive look at Big Bend National Park. Looking south, you can see the Santa Elena Canyon in the distance. Beyond that imposing wall, you're in Mexico. A spacious parking area makes it easy to stop here.
Less than a minute north of the Sotol Vista Overlook is a viewpoint for the historic Homer Wilson Ranch, abandoned in 1945. The end of the 11.5-mile Blue Creek Ranch Trailruns between the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive and the ranch if you want to get a closer look at the old buildings.
Less than a mile north of the Homer Wilson Ranch is the Upper Burro Mesa Pour-off Trailhead. This moderately strenuous 3.5-mile hike can take about two hours total. The end of this trail is the same pouroff you see from the Lower Burro Mesa Pour-Off Trail, only now you're viewing it from above.
The last point of interest when driving north on the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive is the Sam Nail Ranch, which features a short trail (0.5 miles) around an old adobe two-room home built by Sam Nail in 1916. This ranch is about 3.6 miles north of the Upper Burro Mesa Pour-off trailhead or 3.4 miles south of Panther Juncture Road, where the scenic drive...
Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive skirts the western slopes of the Chisos Mountains, climbing up to one the park’s most outstanding views at Sotol Vista, then winding down to parallel the Rio Grande at Castolon Historic District and winding up at Santa Elena Canyon trailhead, where the pavement ends.
Feb 5, 2023 · This road offers a wonderful journey through one of America’s hidden gems – Big Bend National Park winding along the Rio Grande. This park is full of beautiful sights, and the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive is one of the most efficient ways to enjoy many of them from the comfort of your vehicle.
Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. 325 reviews. #4 of 50 things to do in Big Bend National Park. Write a review. What people are saying. By Linda Y. “ Big Bend National Park ”. Apr 2021. Cutting through the heart of Big Bend National Park, this 30-mile drive on a well- paved road snakes up, down, and aro...
