Vacation 2008 Galleries

Big Bend National Park: Scenery : Big Bend Park consist of 801,000 acres, of which 98% are desert terrain. The park includes river, mountain, and desert environments. The Spaniards called the area "El Despoblado" meaning the uninhabited land".

Big Bend National Park: Scenery

Big Bend Park consist of 801,000 acres, of which 98% are desert terrai ...

Updated: May 03, 2008 11:00pm PST

Big Bend National Park: Homer Wilson Ranch : Photos of line camp house and corrals on the former Homer Wilson Ranch. Ranch operated from 1929 to 1942 until the land was purchased to become part of the Big Bend National Park. The remoteness and stark landscape makes one wonder why anyone would choose to live there.

Big Bend National Park: Homer Wilson Ranch

Photos of line camp house and corrals on the former Homer Wilson Ranch ...

Updated: May 03, 2008 10:37pm PST

Big Bend National Park: Sam Nail Ranch : Sam Nail settled in this area in 1916 and started a small ranch. He and his wife raised a family and livestock. Only ruins remain of the adobe ranch house. Some pecan and fig trees still stand in this small desert oasis.

Big Bend National Park: Sam Nail Ranch

Sam Nail settled in this area in 1916 and started a small ranch. He an ...

Updated: May 03, 2008 11:05pm PST

Big Bend Area Towns and Ghosttowns : Within Big Bend and its outlining areas, there are a few towns and ghosttowns that served the needs of ranchers and miners. Ranching was the primary use of this area, while mining was also prevalent for mercury and quicksilver.

Big Bend Area Towns and Ghosttowns

Within Big Bend and its outlining areas, there are a few towns and gho ...

Updated: May 08, 2008 10:46pm PST

Monahans Sandhills Texas State Park : Monahans Sandhills State Park consists of 3840 acres of sand dunes, some upwards to 70 feet in height. The park is a small part of a 200 square mile area that stretches into New Mexico.

Monahans Sandhills Texas State Park

Monahans Sandhills State Park consists of 3840 acres of sand dunes, so ...

Updated: May 03, 2008 6:27pm PST

West Texas Railroad Scenes : The westward expansion of the Southern Pacific and Texas & Pacific railroads in West Texas allowed for the settlement of the vast, desert-like plains. Towns sprang up near the railroads offering goods and services to those willing to live in this remote area.

West Texas Railroad Scenes

The westward expansion of the Southern Pacific and Texas & Pacific rai ...

Updated: May 08, 2008 8:48pm PST