8:30 am – Meet our Guests
Meet Guests in Marathon, take US 385 south into Big Bend National Park.
9:45 am – Paleontology Exhibit
This brand new museum takes visitors through millions of years of geology, with displays and sculptures depicting the creatures who once roamed Big Bend.
11:15 am – Boquillas Crossing
Boquillas Crossing is an official US Port of Entry. From the POE, a 200 yard walk brings one to the banks of the Rio Grande, where a row boat takes you into another country and perhaps another century. Take a burro, horse or pick up truck into town, have an authentic northern Mexican lunch, perhaps a cerveza. Explore the village of 300 souls where local artists create a variety of items out of native materials with local motifs of snakes, birds, scorpions, tarantulas, and of course, burros. Passport required.
2:00 pm – Return to Texas, USA
Boquillas Port of entry is manned by Big Bend National Park law enforcement rangers. Passports and passport cards are scanned and relayed to US Immigration in El Paso. You are on camera; an agent asks you the basic questions via telephone; What was the reason for your trip to Mexico, what are you bringing? It is a simple and fast process.
2:30 pm – Hot Springs Historic Area
In 1906, J.O. Langford arrived in Alpine, Texas, and sight unseen contracted to homestead a property on the Rio Grande, in what is now Big Bend National Park. On this property was a natural thermal spring, flowing in to the Rio Grande at 105 F. Langford developed a spa resort and hotel, the remains of which today include the store, several hotel rooms, and the remains of the bath house where visitors can still soak in the healing waters on the shores of the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo.
4:00 pm – National Park Headquarters
Stop at Big Bend Park HQ. See an excellent short video and shop for interpretive and National Park related gifts.
4:30 pm – Return to Marathon
Return to Marathon via Park Road North and US 385 from the eastern Park entrance.
6:00 pm – Arrive Marathon
Drop guests at Marathon accommodations