Big Bend Ranch State Park - Exploring the West Texas Desert
Our yearly tradition of making the trip to the Big Bend of Texas, continues as my friend Joey and I head to Big Bend Ranch State Park for two nights of camping and exploring the vast desert wilderness. While there, we test out the new 4-Runner's off-road capabilities, talk to the world on ham radio, hike to a scenic backcountry overlook, and enjoy the peace and solitude of being in one of the most remote areas of the country.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
01:30 - Marfa Pitstop
02:46 - Presidio (Last Gas)
04:09 - Airing Down
04:27 - Entering the Park
05:06 - Sauceda Ranger Station
05:55 - The Road to Camp
06:49 - Javelin Pens (Setting Up Camp)
07:37 - Sunset Dinner
09:33 - Old Fashioned
11:19 - Reaching out on HF
15:50 - "Balmy" Morning
17:23 - Trail to Mexicano Falls
21:45 - Hike to Crawford Smith Overlook
23:43 - Heading Back to Camp
25:48 - Chilly Wind
27:00 - Cold Morning
27:49 - Packing up Camp
28:18 - The Road Out of the Park
31:39 - Airing Up
32:52 - Scenic View Into Mexico
33:31 - Debriefing at K-Bob's
34:08 - Lunch at Cooper's
34:31 - Extro
#jeep392 #jeeprubicon #texasoutdoors #bigbend #toyota4runner #overlanding #camping #hamradio
Пікірлер: 40
Jeeping and amateur radio, my two favourite hobbies!
Brad/Marco was funny. An alternate route out of Marfa is 2810, which turns into Pinto Canyon Road, and takes you to Ruidosa. Then take 170 to the park. The view coming down PCR is spectacular. Been on that hill climb/descent, it is steeper in real life. Chorro Vista is also a great campsite, has great hikes from campsite, especially to Madrid Falls.
@TheNotSoOrdinaryCarGuy
5 ай бұрын
Glad you liked our feeble attempt at humor. 😂 We’ll definitely have to check that route you mentioned. I feel like we barely scratched the surface and we still loved every minute. Can’t wait to head out there again and maybe camp at Churro Vista and check out the Madrid Falls hike at least. We were kind of limited on the camping since my trailer was counted as a “vehicle”. So, we basically could only choose between different “group” campsites.
You guys know how to camp. Sweet trailer set up too!
@TheNotSoOrdinaryCarGuy
4 ай бұрын
Thank you!
What an awesome adventure, man. The place definitely looks very different from the national park for sure. More secluded which is a huge plus. I remembered the last vid where he say the 4runner getting out of Black Gap. Guess he did make the change. Hoping he liked it as much as the Rubicon. Really cool and very capable rig for sure.
@TheNotSoOrdinaryCarGuy
5 ай бұрын
Thanks! Yeah it's a totally different feel to it, but still similar in some ways. And that's right, I totally think that helped him decide that he wanted a 4Runner. Lol! I agree, it did great and these were the perfect trails for it.
The Epic refers to the Fresno-Sauceda loop. A mountain bike trail and was (for many years) the only IMBA designated Epic trail in Texas.
@TheNotSoOrdinaryCarGuy
6 күн бұрын
Ahh so that's what it was referring to! Awesome! I just looked up the Fresno-Sauceda loop and that sure does look EPIC! What IMBA Epic trails are there now in Texas?
Nice video, I camped at Chorro Vista this past December, my 2019 4Runner made it easily but did not escape pinstriping, although it wasn't as bad as a few years back when I camped at Pila de los Muchachos. BBSP is a beautiful place for sure. It sounds like Joey is fairly close to me, I'll keep an eye out for his Runner in my day to day driving.
@TheNotSoOrdinaryCarGuy
3 ай бұрын
Thank you! Big Bend, the region in general, continues to amaze us each new time we go there. Sounds like you've made some memorable trips there as well! I definitely want to check out some of the other campsites that you mentioned. I used to live up in that same general area as well. Joey and I met while talking on the ham radio during our work commutes. Lol!
Excellent video. I have plans to get there soon. I go back and forth on find nice route from Houston which means less time in the area or getting there as fast as possible even if it means I-10.
@TheNotSoOrdinaryCarGuy
Ай бұрын
Yeah, I always tell myself next time I’ll take the US 90 route, which I did do on a previous trip to Arizona. But then I end up just taking the faster I-10 route. There’s a lot you can see just on the way there. But it would make the trip a lot longer.
Great video - I enjoyed watching your camping adventures.
@TheNotSoOrdinaryCarGuy
4 ай бұрын
Thank you! 🙏🏽
I did Black Gap Road last summer in Big Bend National Park. It was so much fun!
@TheNotSoOrdinaryCarGuy
4 ай бұрын
That's a great trail! Love BBNP!
Excellent video! You have me seriously considering adding radio comms to my Bronco, and now I am interested in HAM Radio!
@TheNotSoOrdinaryCarGuy
3 ай бұрын
Thanks! I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have!
1:36 in you pass right by my land on Hwy 90. Also, RIP K5WNR (my grandfathers old handle)
@TheNotSoOrdinaryCarGuy
4 күн бұрын
Beautiful area! May your grandfather rest in peace!
@TXWADE
4 күн бұрын
@@TheNotSoOrdinaryCarGuy Thanks. My next trip down from Waco I’m bringing my new 24 Raptor R and see how it does there.
@TheNotSoOrdinaryCarGuy
4 күн бұрын
@@TXWADE Ooh nice!! That should be fun! Let me know how it goes!
This was cool. Is there a video of joeys 4Runner setup, I would be interested in seeing that as a being fairly new to overlanding! Thanks
@TheNotSoOrdinaryCarGuy
2 ай бұрын
We don't have one as of yet but we'll have to keep that in mind for a possible future video! If you have any specific questions about his setup, let me know and I can pass them along to him. Thanks!
Nice video, really enjoyed watching!
@TheNotSoOrdinaryCarGuy
5 ай бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!🙏🏽
@brodgers1861
5 ай бұрын
I see you have videos at Hidden Falls, are you in the austin area?@@TheNotSoOrdinaryCarGuy
@TheNotSoOrdinaryCarGuy
5 ай бұрын
@@brodgers1861San Antonio. Used to live in Austin area though (Round Rock)
👍
Did I miss why he chose to move from a Jeep to the 4Runner? We love staying out at Guale 1 and 2.
@TheNotSoOrdinaryCarGuy
4 ай бұрын
I wanted Guale 2, but the trailer counts as a “vehicle” so we exceeded the vehicle limit of most of the campsites in the park with the exception of the group sites. And with the Jeep, I think after owning it for many years he just got his fix and was looking for something a bit more road friendly that could still do some mild off-roading.
In your opinion could an off grid travel trailer survive the trip to Javelin Pens or any other campsites in Big Bend Ranch State Park? I want to get my wife involved in off-roading but she refuses to give up a sit down toilet and daily showers. That's just the way she is and there is no force on the planet powerful enough to get her to change her little ol' Texas mind. My thoughts are to haul our trailer to a campsite, detach it and then go offroading. I have a lifted Power Wagon on 37's so I'm not concerned about the truck I just don't want to destroy our brand new trailer on its first outing.
@TheNotSoOrdinaryCarGuy
19 күн бұрын
Oh I hear ya! There’s a reason why my wife is never on any of my camping adventures unless there is a fully enclosed trailer anymore. 😂 And I guess it depends on what type of “off grid trailer” you’ll be bringing. I want to say it should be fine. It’ll probably also depend on whether it has an articulating hitch or not. The Javalin Pens campsite was used as an equestrian starting location in the past. The power wagon will have no issue other than maybe pin stripping.
Are the camp sites first come first serve or do you need to make reservations? I love me some Coopers BBQ. Some of the best in TX.
@TheNotSoOrdinaryCarGuy
5 ай бұрын
They are reservable on the Texas State Parks website, or the visitor center. But probably best to reserve ahead of time. We booked ours a week in advance. We were a little limited on our choice of sites because the M1102 trailer was considered a “third vehicle” and we had to choose from a choice of group sites. It actually turned out to be a really good one with a nice large flat area for us to use. Still very rustic and yet felt remote.
Did you ever see Mexicano Falls?
@TheNotSoOrdinaryCarGuy
5 ай бұрын
No. We just headed back after the Crawford Smith Overlook. It was already mid afternoon and we wanted to get back to camp while there was still daylight.
I think you meant "Stretch our legs", not "Spread our legs." LoL
@TheNotSoOrdinaryCarGuy
10 күн бұрын
Lol! Yes. STRETCH! Lol