TOUR ITINERARY RESERVA NATURAL EL CARMEN

Day 1 – 9:00 AM

Meet Boquillas Port of Entry, cross Rio Bravo via Boquillas International Ferry.

Load up into our SUVs, grab breakfast burritos/snacks/beverages for the road.

Drive by villages of Las Norias and Jaboncillos.

Day 1 – Noon

Arrive Reserva Natural El Carmen (RNEC) HQ at Rancho Pilares.

Orientation and check in rooms.

Hot lunch in main dining room.

Day 1 – 2:00 PM

Vehicle tour of 40 square mile Desert Bighorn enclosure.

We also commonly see deer, collared peccary and large birds of prey.

Day 1 – 5:00 PM

Return to base at Pilares. Free time to organize and relax.

Social hour in the grand dining room.

Dinner served at 7:30 pm.

Night Sky observation and discussion optional.

Day 2 – 7:00 AM

Breakfast beverage service begins.

Full breakfast served 8:00 am.

Day 2 – 9:00 AM

Drive up San Isidro Canyon, with massive cliffs of Santa Elena limestone.

Guides call Elk, and bring a spotting scope along.

Drive up canyon to 6000′ elevation to vicinity of old Fronterizo mine.

Picnic lunch with fresh ingredients, all diets accommodated.

Drive to Juarez Canyon, walk 1.5 hours along an old roadway dating to Colonial Era.

Day 2- 5:00 PM

Return to base at Pilares. Same schedule as Day 1

Day 3 – 7:00 AM

Breakfast beverage service begins. Full breakfast served 8:00 am

Day 3 – 5:00 PM

We frequently see bears driving from the high ridges towards Pilares.

Dining hall open for social hour and dinner at 7:30 pm

Day 3 – 9:00 AM

Drive to Maderas del Carmen high country, with frequent stops and short walks

Visit heavily vegetated woodland terrain over 8’000 feet in elevation

Picnic lunch Campo 2 at 7500 feet. Mule deer are prolific and bear sign is plentiful

As it is heavily wooded, we see few bears. They surely do see us

Afternoon walk to scenic overlooks, depending on guest interests and capabilities

Day 3- 5:00 PM

We frequently see bears driving from the high ridges towards Pilares.

Dining hall open for social hour and dinner at 7:30 pm

Day 4 – 7:00 AM

Breakfast beverage service begins. Full breakfast served 8:00 am

Day 4 – 9:00 AM

Drive to Canyon de los Morteros and visit Native American archeological sites.

Cemex Nature has introduced a small herd of American Bison to this desert grassland.

Day 4 – 1:00 PM

Return to Pilares for a sit down lunch before packing up and saying goodbye

Day 4 – 2:00 PM

Depart Pilares for Boquillas.

Arrive in time to pass the US Port of Entry by 4:30 PM.