Family Road Trip to Big Bend

When the car dropped us off, they asked us to let them know when we are ready to return to the borders and they will come and pick us up. We had to pay $5 for each person for this round trip.

The Mexican port of entry. This is the immigration office. Our experience was not pleasant. And it was a first for me where the Mexicans had to check our documents and stamp passports to get in. But I have always been to Mexico using other borders that are economically way better than this one, but surprised at this border that has nothing to offer they put us through a hard time before stamping everything. After calling someone on the phone, we were granted access into Mexico. The family that was ahead of us also had similar problems because of their son not having a passport, just a birth certificate. But in the end we all were let into Mexico. And all we came here to do was have lunch and buy anything interesting.
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This is where we ate. The food was really truly authentic Mexican food. And the guacamole here is one to die for. Seriously.
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After eating, we had a volunteer tour guide walk with us. Here is a house with their beds outside. At night, the family will bring out their mattresses and lay them on these beds and spend the night. First time ever seeing something like this.
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A random house with solar panel. I asked about it and the tour told us the government provides every household with a solar panel. But cost of batteries or maintenance is on you from then on.
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The local catholic church
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When we were done, we told our guide who radioed the car to come get us. We went back through mexican immigration. Got passports stamped. Rode the car to the river. Crossed over to the US. Went through us immigration and this was interesting too. I was not allowed to take pics or I would have shown the machine they use there. It is like an atm machine. You scan your passport in it and you get a message on the screen. "Pick up the phone". You pick it up and they ask you a couple of questions. If everything is k, they tell you to hangup. Then you are back into the US.

It was quite an experience.
 
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We then got into our car and drove to the Rio Grande Village. This is also a must see at Big Bend. Just simple, but nice. They have gas here and have a laundry facility to do your laundry.

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luk4mud

Explorer
Nice report! You appear to have been bitten by the offroading bug. Time to shop for something with 2 drive shafts ....
 

goofiefoot

Adventurer
Wow! It's been a long while since I was in Boquillas, and that was way before they made the border crossing such an event. The town itself looks like it's been majorly overhauled - new paint, actual signs on the restaurant. I was mortified when they closed that crossing, as we saw it as a death sentence to at least the town, if not its inhabitants. I'm glad they found a way to make it work better, and get some money back to those good folks.

What a great trip! Can't wait to see the next round of pics!
 

JPsLC

Observer
I'm glad to see Victor is still around! He had a sign out when we visited with his title of 'Victor the singing Mexican'. I can assure you this is not a false claim. We could hear that guy throughout the canyon on our way to the sand dunes just across the border from Boquillas. That's one of my favorite memories from my trip.

"Victor collects the money. And as you guys are crossing, you hear him singing. When you meet him, he asks for tips for the songs and asks if you have any songs you would like him to sing for you."
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heehawhardy

Adventurering
Wonderful coverage!

When we did Ol Ore few months back we only saw two vehicles. First was a Hummer H1 about 20 minutesinto the trip, and the secone was a F150 coming down from Rio Grande Village where Old Ore ends.

How long did it take you to complete the road?

When you went to the Hot Springs I see that you saw the handmade items. Did you see the cutout in the brush where he comes across and hides? Very creepy feeling of thining you are being watched.
 
Wonderful coverage!

When we did Ol Ore few months back we only saw two vehicles. First was a Hummer H1 about 20 minutesinto the trip, and the secone was a F150 coming down from Rio Grande Village where Old Ore ends.

How long did it take you to complete the road?

When you went to the Hot Springs I see that you saw the handmade items. Did you see the cutout in the brush where he comes across and hides? Very creepy feeling of thining you are being watched.

It took us about 3 hours to complete the 26 miles of Old Ore Road. We stopped and took pictures of all campsite names on the Old Ore Road. I need to probably post those pics so it can help some people plan.

It is interesting to hear that road is not very populated. I wonder when does it really get buys? I would like to go there when it gets busy to meet many people on the trails or campsites.

Oh, I never noticed the cutout in the bush. But I know we wondered a lot how those mexicans do get their money if someone was to pick up something and make a payment. But now I see that if we had touched it, they would have appeared from the bush. That is interesting.
 
All campsites on the Old Ore Road. From one end to the other end (where Hotsprings is).

1- McKinney Springs
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2- Roys Peak Camp
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3- Telephone Canyon
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4- Willow Tank
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5- Ernst Basin
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Then we meet the only car we came across on our 3 hours drive on the trail.
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6- La Noria
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7- Ernst Tinaja
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8- Camp de leon
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And we make it to the end of the Old Ore Road trail
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