Big bend Texas

Unfortunately, Texas is out. Your photos look great! I will definitely get there. I might be in gradschool in Austin or New Mexico next Fall.

We are heading to Florida. My wife wants to go to Miami. I got some grandparents there on the west coast. Maybe camp in the evergaldes???

I think I can pack my .38 in FL. I don't think Miami is safer than Big bend.
 
IHMHO the best part, and safest, in Big Bend National Park is up in mountain basin. Great place to stay is in any of a number of the stone cottages you can rent there. Good hike is to the 'window' and back. The window is a cleft in the surrounding 'caldera' of the basin where water fell out down to the desert below.

There is also a rim hike that is longer, and has documented instances of moutain lion attack towards lone small hikers and kids.

Been there recently and have been there often thru my life.

Anymore I'd stay away from river raft trips, but it's pretty in St. Helena canyon...can't remember if technically it's still in the NP, but I'd likely carried concealed anyway down there. La Kiva is still a nice day or afternoon bar down there.

So...stay up in the mountain basin's my recommend, don't do a raft trip, and go exploring the ghost town mining communitites during day trips.

My 2 cents

http://www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/basin.htm

SandersonRanchAugs
 
Tx Tactical,

Thanks for the pics. I have been to some the same places you were. I love it out there. Need to get back again soon!

:cool:
 
I believe there was a sniping incedent in the park many years back. Some crazies were shooting at people in rafts. Can anyone verify this?
 
Midnight Scout said:
I think banning guns from the National Parks is not a good idea. If the park rangers are carrying, why not the general public too?
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Just because Law Enforcement & the Military can have fully automatic weapons, RPGs, LAWs, and other explosives why can't I.

Great logic you have there.
 
Bare Rib said:
Just because Law Enforcement & the Military can have fully automatic weapons, RPGs, LAWs, and other explosives why can't I.

Great logic you have there.
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You are missing his point. The point was that if the park rangers believe the park is dangerous enough that there is a need to carry around AR-15s and other tactical weapons (when this is not standard operating procedure in the vast majority of parks), the public should be able to defend themselves as well. We all love knives, but if a group of armed drug smugglers comes across you and your family, I don't really think your Mora or Benchmade is going to do much good. The rangers are protecting themselves, but unless you are going to have an armed ranger tag along with you the whole time, they are not going to be able to protect you.
 
But how do they seperate they good guys (ie jonny america & his family) carrying around guns from the bad guys carrying around guns.

In a way this would also let the bad guys help blend in as they would now be able to carry around guns openly without fear of ramifications.
 
Bare Rib said:
But how do they seperate they good guys (ie jonny america & his family) carrying around guns from the bad guys carrying around guns.

In a way this would also let the bad guys help blend in as they would now be able to carry around guns openly without fear of ramifications.
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I think that you have a point, but bad guys usually do not show up in the park with their families. That's one way of separating the good from the bad. Plus, the bad guys whole point is to haul drugs through the park. Most of the good guys aren't going to be "hiking" at night with armed guards. The bad guys aren't going to blend all that well in my opinion.
 
Bare Rib said:
But how do they seperate they good guys (ie jonny america & his family) carrying around guns from the bad guys carrying around guns.

In a way this would also let the bad guys help blend in as they would now be able to carry around guns openly without fear of ramifications.
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I don't think the bad guys are really worried about the ramifications. When the government disarmed most of the population in countries like England and Australia, the bad guys didn't turn in their guns and as a result, crimes with guns still occur at the same or greater rate than they did when everyone could be armed. The only difference is that now the good guys have no way of defending themselves. Remember, bad guys prefer their victims to be unarmed.
 
tobyrogers said:
I lived outside the park in the 80s and can tell you that thats when the shooting happened.The rafters had been warned that there were drugs being grown above them and not to stop at that spot.I knew all three of the victims and helped look for the shooters.B.B.is a beautiful place.I would be a lot more worried about staying hydrated than about being shot by someone down there.
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Agree.

I travel to Big Bend almost 3 times a year and have always loved the area, the environment there etc. I have spent a significant amount of time there backpacking, rafting, hiking, mountain biking, etc. Most of the posts I have read thus far are pretty damn silly to be honest and unfortunately are being posted by those that have very little knowledge of the area to begin with. ANY place can be dangerous.

Big Bend is no more dangerous then any other National Park.

Hands down I'd recommend Big Bend to anyone. It is one of the most beautiful areas and parks in the nation in my opinion. If you are truly that concerned about your safety focus on the Chisos Basin area and its offerings. Personally its my favorite park of the park to be honest. Emory Peak and the south rim area are simply gorgeous.
 
I agree that the nature of the land will get you before some border ruffian. But I disagree that they are not an issue. My friend has a place right at the base and extending up into the Rosillo Mtns. We find tracks all the time. I've also been awakened a few times by voices as they pass our camp.

Also the car that I posted a pic of is a stopover for illegals.
The danger is part of the draw for me. I like knowing that there is potential for trouble. It just adds something to the trip everytime we go.
 
I've been to Big Bend several times and never felt unsafe there. It is a beautiful place, especially for Texas. Yes, there is crime, as there is throughout the national park system. Yes there are areas of the park that you ought to avoid hauling a family through. But if you stick to the better traveled areas you'll be fine. You should also swing through Alpine and Fort Davis while you're out there. And no trip to that part of the state would be complete without a night looking for the "Marfa Lights."

As for firearms in National Parks, I'm not gonna say I carry there, but use your best judgement. And I'll add that Padre Island National Seashore has a tremendous problem with smuggling and border crossings and yet it's one of my most favorite areas of Texas. And I also know for a fact that most of the people that drive down that 61 mile stretch of isolated shoreline are packing heat at the very least.
 
Texas Slim said:
And I also know for a fact that most of the people that drive down that 61 mile stretch of isolated shoreline are packing heat at the very least.
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Amen Brother!!

There are a few people who have posted in this thread who THINK they know about this area because they have been there a time or two, and then there are those of us that have spent hundreds of hours both day & night in the area as well as lots of other similar border type areas in this Greatest of all States who have also posted in this thread.......Let's see, who's advice should be most respected....Hmmmmm, seems like a no brainer to me.
 
Big Bend is a beautiful place; Boquillas Canyon and that steakhouse with the cave motif (La Kiva?) replete with Penissaurus Errectus are not to be missed. The National Seashore is where you want to be packin' the heat. That place can get hairy what with the prowling skinheads, smugglers, radioactive waste, etc. But the fishing makes it worth it.
 
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