Big Bend 2024

Last week I headed out to Big Bend with twenty students and a handful of teachers/chaperones to Big Bend National Park for a STEM camping trip.  

This was our third year we've taken kids on this trip and was the best year yet.  The weather was AWESOME which makes all the difference and I feel like every year we just get smarter and more efficient about the way we do things.

We left school before 5 am on Monday and arrived at our campground in the Chisos basin around 2:00.  We got everything unloaded, set up camp and then headed out to hike the Window trail which has a trailhead pretty much next to where we set up our tents.

Back at camp that first night we let the kids just run around, play volleyball, etc. and we do freeze dried meals for dinner.  We brought propane camp stoves to boil water and those are quick, easy and give the kids a taste of camping life ;)

We did a devotional by headlamp and then settled in for some astronomy time where we got to see the Hubble telescope AND a Space X launch.  

WE FROZE on Monday night.  Temperatures were in the 40s and PRAISE JESUS there was no wind but, let me tell you, it was frigid in my tent.  The kids sleep 3-4 in one tent and it's the only time I've ever wished I was packed in with other people. hahaha. Even with my "mummy" sleeping bag zipped all the way up and the only thing exposed being my face it was still SO COLD!

We had a quick morning at camp...

... and then headed straight to the river to meet our guides for the day. 

We do a "full day" canoe trip where we canoe a few miles, stop for lunch and a hike and a dip in the hot springs and then more canoeing in the afternoon.  It's my favorite day of the trip and I think it's most of the kids favorite as well.

The Rio Grande is BEAUTIFUL and it's been really neat to see how it changes from year to year.

We saw lots of horses along the river this year which was fun as well.

Our guides even added in a couple of extra stops to let everyone out to swim.  SUPER fun trip.

We got out of the river and drove back to the Chisos basin where we stopped in at the little general store and then made our way back to camp to get Taco Tuesday going ;). The kids cook dinners and desserts the second and third nights (planning, prepping and executing is a responsibility of each of the groups) and tacos are easy to make and cleanup AND they're delicious ;)

All of our food gets stored in coolers that we keep in the cars or in these bear boxes and we cook everything in cast iron on propane burners or in dutch ovens over coals.

Tuesday night wasn't nearly as cold as Monday but I for sure slept in multiple layers inside my sleeping bag. hahaha. There are no showers and only two stalls and two sinks for the entire campground (which probably has a dozen campsites) so pretty much the extent of self care is washing your face and brushing your teeth.

Snapped a picture this year since I had several questions about the bathroom situation in years past. hahaha. And YES it's a bit of a trek from our campsite up to the bathroom.  Fun times.

Wednesday the crew did the Lost Mine Trail hike which goes up about 1100 feet to a peak almost 7500 feet and makes my stomach hurt just thinking about it. Last year it was too windy to let kids go all the way to the top but this year they got to which was fun.

After lunch back at our campsite we drove a little over an hour to Santa Elena canyon...

Which is almost hard to comprehend from pics alone.

I had a student who needed to hang back on this hike and so she and I chilled on the bank and read...

... while the rest of the group looked like ants WAY up there before heading down into the canyon.

Back at camp that night we were entertained with student skits...

.... and got to watch another gorgeous sunset...

... and then had BBQ chicken sandwiches and salad with dutch over sugar cookies for dessert.

We had like a little campfire moment without the campfire and then the kids all played games while we hung out and talked until later than we should have.

Thursday morning we packed it up pretty early (here's my absolutely dumpster fire of a tent - hahahaha)...

... cleaned up camp and got the cars all packed...

... and headed out to hike to balanced rock before hitting the road for the 9 hour drive home.

I drove from Big Bend to Abilene (about 6 hours including our stop at border patrol) and then Sharon drove from Abiliene home (about 3 hours) and it was SO MUCH BETTER than last year's literal dust storm that we had to drive through for about 5/9 hours.  UGH!!!

We pulled back into school around 8:30 pm, got everything unloaded, made sure all the kids were picked up and then it was home for showers and sleeping in my own bed.  AMEN!

This trip is A LOT of work and Sharon (our science teacher and an avid camper) is the brains and the muscle behind the trip and she's INCREDIBLE at it.  It's a long way out there and it's dirty and exhausting BUT the stars, y'all.  I can't even describe it.  

This pic was taken by a parent/astronomy lover who went with us back in 2022 and shows the sky from our campground.  CAN YOU EVEN!?!?!

It's also so cool to see these kids (most who have never camped) do things that they haven't done before and maybe even things that they don't think they can do - it's a bonding experience for them as a group and priceless for the rapport we build with these kids along the way - well worth the no-showering and sleeping on the ground part ;) 

If you have any questions let me know!

HAPPY Thursday, friends!!!