The Sun Rises.......

The sun rises on the Rio Grande and the Chisos in Big Bend NP.

In addition to the sunrise starting a new day it also marks the start of my new website. After blogging here for several months I took the next step and got a domain.

As such I'll be changing how often I'll post here. I do not want to say this is the last post, but they will not be a regular as I was doing. So I still should put up an occasional image. After all-notice I chose a sunrise and not a sunset.

So you can expect there to be an occasional addition here. I'll also make some posts on The Traveling Camera. You will also find that in addition to the website featuring galleries of my work that it has a companion blog for my travels. Hope you follow along.

Check it all out at:

www.wildernessphotographer.net

Happy trails!

-D

Rio Grande in Santa Elena Canyon

Rippled water in Santa Elena Canyon-Big Bend National Park.

On a hike into Santa Elena I noticed the ripples on the water and the shadow of the canyon wall. It had a certain simplicity to it so I made this image with a bit of rock in it for good measure.

Rio Grande Sunset from the Big Hill

The Rio Grande looking west from the top of the Big Hill at sunset.

The ribbon of river comes out of the distant Colorado Canyon and makes it way downstream toward the small canyon at the Big Hill.

The view from the hill is great anytime and only gets better at sunset. Hope for some clouds and then take in the show. I got a great one this day. I sat here until the land went dark and the river glowed with the last light of the day.

The Hot Springs

The hot springs in Big Bend National Park are right on the Rio Grande. As you can see in the picture, they were walled off some time ago. The water flows out at a perfect 105 degrees and fill the old foundation of the ruin before spilling over the low spot in the wall into the river.

I am standing in the middle of the "pool" and the image is taken looking downstream toward Hot Spring Canyon and the Sierra del Carmen.

Looking to Mexico

Here is a viewpoint overlooking Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park at sunset.

The far side of the river is Mexico. In the distance the tiny village of Santa Elena sits on the plain. The mountains are the start of the massive Sierra Ponce wall that Santa Elena Canyon carved out back upstream from here.

Santa Elena Canyon

The view from deep inside Santa Elena Canyon. This is one of the narrowest points in the canyon. There is a trail that goes into the canyon but as you can see the walls and river only allow it to go so far. Beyond that it is only for rafts and canoes.

Colorado Canyon

Colorado Canyon is a canyon of red igneous rock (Colorado is Spanish for red). This is the last free turn before the river makes the full passage of the canyon.

This is just one of many canyons on the Rio Grande in the Big Bend region. Float trips are possible on this section of the river.