When I last passed through El Paso, years ago, the main highway, which went right through the center of town, wasn't even paved. As I recall, it was noon, clear blue sky, purple mountains in the background, red dust blowing, and crowds of hispanic cowboys crossing the road. I had to keep moving or they would have climbed over my car. Since then, El Paso has grown into a giant sprawling metropolis. Something to think about: What is the name of the Gas Company in El Paso?

Carlsbad Caverns is in Southeast New Mexico, just north of the Texas border. I've been on cave tours before, and I wasn't impressed. But these caverns are truly enormous. They even have a restaurant, a thousand feet below the surface. There is something about a cold, dank atmosphere, laden with bat guano, that makes a hot dog taste great.

Big Bend National Park covers an enormous area, with many different environments that have been carved out by the Rio Grande. The drive in along the River Road from Presidio is very scenic. This area is so vast that you can't take it all in at once. To really see the place, you have to take your time and do a lot of hiking.

Yucca Hill

Rattler

Sunning themselves on the trails, these guys are not easy to spot.
You could easily step on one if you're not careful.

Descending into the Cave

Dinosaur Track

Discovered in restroom.

Day Life

Night Life

Mitre Peak

Big Bend Guadalupe Carlsbad Texas