I have always wanted to come here. But, it’s in the middle of nowhere, literally nowhere — it even says so in their literature.
Lucky for me, I snagged a campsite but only for one night, everything else was booked.
Upon my arrival, I was greeted by no one, which was a complete surprise since it was early afternoon. The entrance gate where they check your ID and national park pass was empty.
I neglected to read the signage and just kept on going. I had another hour of driving before I arrived at the campsite. It took me six hours to get here, so I was ready to be parked for the day.
I found the site, pulled in, and set up camp. I gave Blaze her orange West Paw Bouncy Ball with a slice of Kraft cheese in it—her favorite. We chilled the rest of the afternoon.
The next morning, I left Blaze in the van and explored a nearby nature trail. Luckily, it wasn’t too hot yet. It led to an overlook that didn’t disappoint. Unfortunately, dogs aren’t allowed on the trails here. This meant I had to drive the park, which is vast. But I’m so glad that I did!
I left the Rio Grande Village Campground and headed towards the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. It was absolutely stunning! I arrived at Santa Elena Canyon, eager to see what lay beyond the parking lot. I left Blaze in the van with the 12-volt air conditioner running, and I quickly walked down to the river’s edge. I so badly wanted to hike the trail, but I didn’t. I left the canyon trailhead and headed back to camp.
I somehow managed to snag another night — the NPS seems to be releasing this particular campsite one night at a time.
The next morning, I practiced yoga before hitting the road again. We raced a train (not really), but I like to think that we did. And we experienced our first dust storm.
Michelle and Blaze 