Day 8 – May 30th, 2025 - Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Woke up at 7 a.m. feeling truly rested for the first time on this trip. Packed up and walked straight to the Guadalupe Peak trailhead, just steps from my campsite. I brewed coffee and planned to have breakfast after hiking for a couple of miles.

The weather was cloudy, and as I climbed, I could feel myself entering the clouds, the moisture on my face, the mist in the air. At around mile two, I broke through the cloud layer and took some amazing photos.

I met a fellow hiker named Nathan. We talked about how lucky we were to have this view on our hike. We swapped cameras for photos. He hiked ahead, but I passed him about half a mile before the summit, which I reached around 10 a.m.

We spent a while chatting at the summit. Nathan is on a three-week trip, originally from Maine, now living in Maryland. He’s a musician and blogs about his travels. He gave me a sweet rice snack. We took a selfie and exchanged on social media. You can follow Nathan’s blog here: njhcomposer.blogspot.com.

I made a quick descent (as usual) and ran a mile down, greeting dozens of hikers on the way. One family asked if they were close to the clouds, and I told them it’d be another two miles.

Back at the parking lot around noon, I prepared for the final stretch: driving to Big Bend National Park. It was about 5 hours of driving. I had a full tank and didn’t stop until I reached Marfa, Texas, a small town with a heavy police presence. I got gas, snacks, water, a burrito from Angel’s Restaurant, and some canned food from Dollar Store.

Before reaching Big Bend, there was heavy construction and loose gravel. A rock flew up and chipped my windshield—which really pissed me off. Maybe I was just exhausted from the long drive, but Big Bend felt like it was in the middle of nowhere. Almost unreal. It took forever just to reach the entrance sign.

The visitor center was closed—it was past 5 p.m. Campsite options were limited, but I secured a primitive roadside spot at Paint Gap. After a bumpy drive on gravel, I got there—completely alone, surrounded by silence. I couldn’t hear or see another soul for miles. Most people were camped at Chisos Basin, about 10 miles away.

                                         

I organized my gear, cooked dinner, and took a walk into the open wilderness—no trails, just space. By the time I returned, it was too late to set up my tent. So, I slept in the car. I’d seen signs warning of mountain lions and javelinas, but I felt safe.

My sleeping setup in the Corolla Cross was very comfortable (Not the first time). That night, I got exactly what I needed: total silence and peace.

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