Posted by Darren Huski on June 17, 2009 at 10:34 AM
Closed Canyon is a narrow canyon in Big Bend Ranch State Park in west Texas. Often overlooked by most tourists who flock to its more famous neighbor Big Bend National Park, it is worth the side trip for the photographer.
Here is my favorite hike in that park-Closed Canyon. This is alot more like being in Utah than Texas. Sometimes it is only ten feet wide and a couple of hundred feet tall, it sure gives one the sense of being in red rock country.
There are several areas where there are pouroffs to be negoiated on a hike. At first they can be done with maybe a hand but toward the back of the canyon there at least one that will require a rappel.
This image will give you a sense of the narrowness of the canyon.
You can see a few more in my blog.
Posted by Larry Daniel on June 17, 2009 at 1:26 PM
Talk about something difficult to convey with a photograph. Looks pretty awesome, not for anyone that is a bit claustrophobic I bet.
Darren, very impressive, whoda thunk it that something like this occurred in the Texas/Midwest area. I finished my Master's degree in botany with a thesis on the cacti of Big Bend National Park back in the late 70s. Seventy-two species! The U.S. Chihuahuan Desert portion beats the U.S. Sonoran Desert portion in cactus diversity but the opposite is true in spring wildflower displays!
My heart is still in Big Bend Country. I need to spend some time exploring the Ranch. I've seen parts of it years before it was purchased by Texas State Parks. That was a huge deal!
Best,
Don
Posted by Wayne Rhodus on June 17, 2009 at 4:33 PM
Darren, with the similar tonality in the rock it is really hard to make out the path through these narrows, which is unnerving in its own right. I had no idea that this type of area existed in Texas. Thanks for "widening" my understanding of the Texas landscape offerings!
My first thought was "Where would one go during a torrential downpour?" The next second I answered myself, "That's a no brainer...you would be washed out the bottom!"
Discussion
6 repliesHere is my favorite hike in that park-Closed Canyon. This is alot more like being in Utah than Texas. Sometimes it is only ten feet wide and a couple of hundred feet tall, it sure gives one the sense of being in red rock country.
There are several areas where there are pouroffs to be negoiated on a hike. At first they can be done with maybe a hand but toward the back of the canyon there at least one that will require a rappel.
This image will give you a sense of the narrowness of the canyon.
You can see a few more in my blog.
My heart is still in Big Bend Country. I need to spend some time exploring the Ranch. I've seen parts of it years before it was purchased by Texas State Parks. That was a huge deal!
Best,
Don
Yep, that is about right.
But since it was the middle of a drought in west Texas, I took my chances :-)
For those who ever make it to west Texas, it is sure worth a stop.
And yes, this view does give you that closed in feeling.