We have family that moved to San Antonio last year and we have not seen them since the pandemic, since kids had the Jersey teacher convention week off we decided to plan a trip to Texas visiting national parks in the area and visit family.
Trip Highlight
4 National Parks 3 other NPS sites 1 City Click here for picture book
Day 0 – Fly into El Paso, TX
We took the late afternoon flight from EWR to El Paso. Arrived in El Paso shortly before 10pm, picked up the rental car and checked into the hotel by the airport. We did not get to check out El Paso city, something to do next time.
7:30am – 8:45am Grocery shopping at a local market and walmart 8:45am – 10:00am Drive to White Sands National Park 10:am – 10:45am White Sands National Park visitor Center 10:45am – 1:00pm Dune Drive and hikes 1:00pm – 2:00pm Drive to meeting point for afternoon tour and checkin for tour 2:00pm – 5:00pm Lake Lucero tour 5:00pm – 6:00pm Drive to Lincoln National Forest 6:00pm – 6:10pm Trestle Vista 6:10pm – 7:30pm Drive to Artesia
8:00am – 9:00am Drive to Carlsbad Caverns National Park 9:00am – 9:30am Carlsbad Caverns National Park Visitor Center 9:30am – 1:00pm Carlsbad Caverns 1:00pm – 1:45pm Drive to Guadalupe Mountains McKittrick Visitor Center 1:45pm – 4:00pm Hike McKittrick Canyon to Pratt Cabin 4:00pm – 5:00pm Drive to Carlsbad Caverns for Bat Flight program 5:00pm – 7:00pm Bat Flight Program 7:00pm – 7:15pm Drive to Whites city
8:00am – 9:00am Drive to Guadalupe Mountains Pine Springs trail head 9:00am – 12:00pm Devils Hall hike 12:00pm – 12:30pm Pine Springs Visitor Center 12:30pm – 3:40pm Drive to Fort Davis (timezone change from mountain to central) 3:40pm – 4:40pm Fort Davis National Historic Site 4:40pm – 5:00pm Drive to Alpine 5:00pm – 7:00pm Alpine hotel checkin/dinner/grocery shopping
First Day 8:00am – 9:30am Drive to Big Bend National Park 9:30am – 10:00am Fossil discovery exhibit/Panther Junction Visitor Center 10:00am – 12:00pm Balanced Rock Hike 12:00pm – 1:00pm Drive to Hot Springs Canyon 1:00pm – 2:00pm Langford Hot Springs 2:00pm – 3:30pm Drive to Boquillas Canyon with stops at overlook 3:30 – 4:30pm Drive to Chisos Mountains Lodge 4:30pm – 5:00pm Check in to Chisos Mountains Lodge 6:30pm – 9:00pm Window Overlook trail sunset and stargazing Second Day 6:30am – 7:30am Window overlook trail stargazing/sunrise 8:30am – 11:30am Window trail hike 11:30am – 12:30pm Back to hotel for lunch 1:00 – 2:30pm Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive with stops at overlook 2:30pm – 3:30pm Sana Elena Canyon hike 3:30pm – 4:00pm Drive to lower Burro Mesa Pour- off 4:00pm – 4:30pm lower Burro Mesa Pour-off trail 4:30pm – 5:30pm Drive to Starlight Theatre restaurant 5:30pm – 8:00pm Dinner 8:00pm – 8:45pm Drive back to hotel at Chisos Mountain Third day 9:00am – 12:00pm Hike Lost Mine Trail 12:00pm – 4:00pm Drive to Amistad National Recreation Area 4:00pm – 5:00pm Amistad National Recreation Area 5:00pm – 5:45pm Dinner at Rudy’s Del Rio 5:45pm – 8:30pm Drive to San Antonio
First Day 10:00am – 10:30am Drive to San Antonio Missions Visitor Center 10:30am – 12:00pm San Antonio Missions 12:00pm – 1:00pm Lunch 1:00pm – 3:30pm Alamo 3:30 – 4:30pm San Antonio River Walk 4:30pm – 6:00pm Japanese Tea Garden (Brackenridge Park) Second Day 11:00am – 11:45am Drive to Canyon Lake 11:45 – 1:00pm Overlook park (dam walk) 1:00pm – 2:30pm Canyon Lake 2:30pm – 4:30pm Guandalupe River Trail 4:30 – 5:30pm Drive back to Family’s home
Where we stayed
# Nights City 1 El Paso, Tx 1 Artesia, NM 1 Whites City, NM 1 Alpine, TX 2 Big Bend National Park, TX 3 San Antonio, TX
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