Delaware Mountain Wind Turbines

The Delaware Mountains are due south of of the Guadalupes. They drop off steeply to the west and are very windy.

That wind has drawn the interest of alternative energy and the summits are now lined with wind turbines.

Flying home from El Paso late in the day, I saw the turbines as little white sticks as we fly over the Delawares. The turbines are huge in reality but so small out the window so we must already be up over 25,000'.

Dozens of turbines spinning and generating clean quiet power.

Closed Canyon-Dry

Closed Canyon in Big Bend Ranch State Park is a true hidden gem. It shares alot of characteristics with what one might find in Utah. I would even go as far to say it often reminds me of the Narrows in Zion National Park minus the running water.

Even though it is dry, the signs of past rains and flood are readily visible. The walls are mostly red and rough, but the bottom 6 feet or so is gray-white and smooth. Yes, the water has roared through here 6 feet deep or so. Rocks, gravel, and sand occasional are found along the bottom.

The sun rarely strikes down this deep in the canyon making it cool. It only adds to the sense that water has, can, and will wash this canyon clean. It is only dry temporarily.

Closed Canyon

Closed Canyon is a narrow canyon found in Big Bend Ranch State Park. The rock is reddish. The walls are high. The canyon is sometimes 15-20 feet across. It looks more like something you would find in Utah rather than Texas.

It is a great hike anytime but especially cool on a hot day. It is also a great place for the sleep in photographer as the best photography light is closer to mid day.

One morning I photographed the sunrise in Big Bend National Park, caught breakfast, and then went over to hike Closed Canyon in the mid day.

Normally I put the cameras away between 9am and 4pm, but with the reflected light bouncing off the canyon walls opened up new daytime photo possibilities.

I liked this place so much, I made a second trip back the next day. Go see it. It is that neat.

Brokeoff Mountains

The Brokeoff Mountains are really hills that spill west of the Guadalupes near the New Mexico state line.

One afternoon on a flight into El Paso I got a great view on the approach.

It is empty and dry looking but it also looks to have great potential to explore.

Salt Flats

The salt flats west of the Guadalupes are flat and almost plantless.

On the same cold morning I could see the Sierra Diablos I turned to see the moon setting and the pink glow of the clear sky and just took this quick snap.

The powerlines add leading lines by mere chance. Talk about luck.

Sierra Diablo Dawn

The Sierra Diablo are a range southwest of the Guadalupes. The are dry and on private land. Your best chance to get a good view of them are to drive on Hwy 54 or US 180.

One cold winter morning that was severe clear I was on the salt flats off US 180 and watched the light strike the Diablos. I liked the way the flatness of the salt gives way to the warm reddish light on the distant range.

The road to Van Horn

As you leave the Guadalupes and drive south towards Van Horn you pass through this great valley.

To your east is the Delaware Mountains. To your west is the Sierra Diablo. Behind you to the north is the great prow of the Guadalupes.

As I was driving to Van Horn and breakfast at Chuy's I saw some mules and a few horses near the road. I stopped to see if I could get a picture of them with the Sierra Diablo. Well when I stopped they came over toward the fence and I was able to get an image with the Guadalupes and the Patterson Hills behind them.

As you can see this is dry desert country, but wow what a view. It's almost like being on the set of a John Ford movie.

The Prow

This is the prow of El Capitan as seen from the Salt Basin Overlook trail in Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

The hike around the mountains is rocky, open, and very deserty. There is no shade and it is easy to get sunburned, wind burned, and drenched.

I got all three on a single afternoon. On a late summer afternoon I hiked out around the basin overlook trail. It was sunny and windy at first but the clouds kept building and on the hike back it rained pretty heavy.

This image is on the way back a few minutes before the sky opened up.

The Guadalupe Grasslands

The eastern side of the Guadalupes is a high grassland. The mile high elevation is a bit cooler and a bit wetter than the lower western deserty side. They can be quite lush at times of rain, or just dry yellowy grass. I was here in late August and found the grass to be rather lush.

One early predawn I was out on the grassland watching the stars above the peaks. At first I was photographing star trails but as the light was slowly starting to signal the end of night I got a few images when the camera would record the sky, the stars and put a hint of color in the clouds.

El Capitan rises sharply on the left. Guadalupe Peak (highest point in Texas) is the first highpoint to the right of El Cap(the camera angle makes does not show its true height). This is the heart of Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

El Cap

The Captain is one of neatest photographs in Texas. Jutting out like a wedge (or maybe the prow of a ship) from the Guadalupe Mountains it looms over the desert below.


When viewed from the top of Guadalupe Peak, it is like looking over the bow of a ship. Hence the name.

When viewed from east, west, or south it is visible from many miles away. It truly stands out. It also has no bad side. It looks good morning and evening.

This image is a morning view from the east side. When the light first strikes the rock it glows with a wonderful orange. I never tire of visiting this park and watching the sunrise and sunset on these cliffs.