Chisos Mountains and the North, Big Bend National Park

The hazy peaks of the Chisos Mountains in the center of Big Bend National Park first come into view once through the northern entrance along US 385 at Persimmon Gap - the one breach in the high Santiago Mountains that form a natural barrier across the desert.

A ranger station, visitor center and picnic area are located next to the road in the Santiago mountain foothills, still high enough to overlook several miles of the highway to the south, as it crosses a wide desert plain flanked by distant hills, past three main points of interest; first is the trailhead for the easy 2 mile walk to the deep ravine of Dog Canyon and the more strenuous but also more interesting 3 mile hike to Devil's Den, a narrow vertical-walled limestone gorge.

Ten miles south, the road reaches the turn-off for the Dagger Flat Auto Trail, a 7 mile gravel track leading to a grove of giant yucca plants. Although maintained and generally suitable for all vehicles except large RVs, this route is narrow, bumpy and steep in places, so care is needed when driving. The road crosses bushy flats for a few miles then climbs through a range of low hills, descending the far side and veering to the north, alongside a dry wash to the wide valley containing a forest of yucca faxoniana, the giant dagger yucca.

The third location is the Grapevine Hills, a colorful region of eroded rocks and mud dunes which can be visited by walking cross country from US 385, though the usual approach is via a separate track branching north off TX 118 (see park map).