Riding to Boquillas, Mexico across the Rio Grande river from Big Bend State Park, Texas, USA

We slept like stargazers in a sea of flying saucers - our last night in Roswell (see Landing in ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO – UFOs, Aliens, Burgers & Americana on the Outskirts of Reality) was surreal in the best way. Between the cow-abducting dreams and Zog (our souvenir grey alien) perched on the nightstand, it was hard not to chuckle as we packed up and fired up Shehzadi for the next leg of our epic journey.

We waved goodbye to the high desert quirks of New Mexico and again steered Shehzadi south on US-285, toward the heart of Far Western Texas. Our destination? The far-off frontier town of Terlingua, perched near the Mexican border, nestled against the mighty spine of Big Bend National Park. But first, we stopped in the proud little town of Pecos, Texas, for lunch - and unexpectedly, to meet a legend.

Pecos Bill and the Rodeo That Time Never Forgot

Pecos Bill's Cowboy Boots at West of the Pecos Museum, Pecos, Texas

Now, let’s get one thing straight: Pecos Bill wasn’t just a cowboy, he was the cowboy - so wild he used a rattlesnake for a lasso, wrestled mountain lions to death and rode tornadoes for fun. Legend also has it Pecos Bill, the mythic "king of cowboys", wrestled a 10-foot diamondback rattlesnake as a child. According to lore, this showdown proved his toughness, earning him a place in Wild West legend.

That’s the kind of tall tale that only Texas can pull off with a straight face. There is a statue in Pecos, Texas depicting Pecos Bill mid-brawl with a massive rattlesnake.

Statue of Pecos Bill wrestling a gigantic diamondback rattlesnake, Pecos, Texas

In Pecos, we found another monument to the legend himself: Pecos Bill, sculpted in full rodeo regalia, proudly overlooking the town that claims to be the Birthplace of the Rodeo. Just across the way stood a giant pair of bronze cowboy boots as tall as Shehzadi’s hood. We took turns posing in front of the boots like kids in an old Western poster. Americana doesn’t get more authentic than this.

Another pair of Pecos Bill's cowboy boots, Pecos, Texas

The Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame nearby was a fascinating stop - a tribute to bronc busters, barrel racers and dusty legends who carved rodeo history into the soul of the Southwest. We strolled through rows of memorabilia, yellowed photographs of mustachioed riders mid-air and tales of epic rides etched into plaques. These were the cowboys who wrestled bulls and danced with danger under stadium lights, while crowds roared and the scent of dust and leather filled the air.

Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame, Pecos, Texas

After grabbing some sizzling fajitas at a roadside diner (bless Texas for its portion sizes), we got back on the road, spirits high and bellies full, heading deeper into highway US-67 and the desolate magic of Far West Texas.

Terlingua Ranch - Where Earth Ends and the Sky Begins

Ghost farmer and tractor on unpaved dirt road to Terlingua Ranch, Texas

As US-67 turned quieter and the land grew lonelier, we found ourselves climbing into the Chisos Mountains, a dramatic sweep of ancient stone shaped by millions of years of geological upheaval. These aren’t your ordinary hills - these are the Dead Horse Mountains, Christmas Mountains and the fiery cliffs of Sierra del Carmen in the distance.

Rustic Mountain Cabin at Terlingua Ranch

Late that afternoon, we arrived at our Terlingua Ranch lodging - an off-the-grid oasis tucked between rugged ridgelines and a sky that stretched forever. The ranch felt like stepping into a western myth - rustic wooden cabins, roaming jackrabbits and a silence so deep you could hear the wind whisper to the cacti.

This area has deep roots - not just in Western lore, but in Native American history. The Chisos and Apache peoples once called this desert home. Their legends speak of the “singing wind” that echoes through the canyons and spirit animals guarding the springs hidden in the mountains. Artifacts found in the area date back over 10,000 years, marking this land as one of the oldest continuously inhabited regions in North America.

Rustic Mountain Cabin at Terlingua Ranch (panorama)

As the sun dipped, the rocks around us glowed red-orange like burning embers. We dined at the ranch’s cozy little restaurant just before closing time - grilled mesquite chicken and a slice of Texas pecan pie that might have been made by an angel (or at least someone’s grandma).

Big Bend: A Journey Into Earth’s Memory

Big Bend National Park, Texas

The next morning, we woke up to the hauntingly beautiful sight of clouds cascading over the Chisos Mountains, like cotton waterfalls drifting into the desert. Driving into Big Bend National Park, we watched the terrain transform from barren moonscape to lush river valley.

Big Bend National Park, Texas

Everywhere we looked, nature sang. We spotted wild horses trotting across a distant ridge and javelinas rustling in the creosote bushes.

Wild horse at Big Bend National Park, Texas

Ancient Ocean

Big Bend National Park information board

Long before it was a rugged desert wonderland, Big Bend National Park lay beneath the waves of a vast Cretaceous sea.

Big Bend National Park, Texas

Over 100 million years ago, marine life swam where canyons now cut deep into stone - and today, fossilized shells and ancient coral embedded in the limestone cliffs are haunting reminders that this desert was once an ocean floor. 🌊🦴🌵

Big Bend National Park, Texas

The Beavertail cactus, a charming chap with velvety paddles, doesn't brandish the typical sharp spines, but those sneaky glochids? They'll make you rethink your life choices.

Beavertail Cactus

As for prickly pear, keep an eye out around late summer into early winter for their sweet, if slightly treacherous, fruit - a true taste of the wild, if you can navigate the prickles!

The Ocotillo, with its spindly, spiny stems that reach skyward like candelabras, may look barren most of the year - but come spring, usually between March and May, it bursts into fiery life.

Ocotillo, Big Bend National Park, Texas

At the right time, brilliant red-orange tubular flowers crown its tips, attracting hummingbirds and painting the desert with flame-like blossoms - a dramatic and fleeting desert bloom show that’s pure magic in the Big Bend. 🌵🔥

Santa Elena Canyon, Big Bend National Park, Texas

We wound our way through Santa Elena Canyon, its vertical walls rising hundreds of feet from the Rio Grande. The rocks here are volcanic in origin, shaped by ancient lava flows and continental shifts.

Big Bend National Park, Texas

Standing there, watching the river shimmer below cliffs that date back over 100 million years, we felt both humbled and infinite.

The Southernmost Point – Wading into Boquillas, Mexico

Boquillas Crossing Port of Entry, USA

Eventually, we reached the Boquillas Crossing, a little-known international border station where travelers can legally cross the Rio Grande river on foot or by rowboat - no bridge, just a slow, timeless float across a bend in the river.

Welcome to Boquillas del Carmen signage and information on US side

We opted a rowboat, but our boatman opted to wade and made it seem so easy! Yes, he took off his boots, rolled up his jeans and pulled our little boat across the muddy Rio Grande by foot - a fitting way to mark the southernmost point of our 9,000-mile journey from and to Hyattsville, Maryland.

Crossing the Rio Grande river to Mexico on a rowboat at Big Bend National Park

On the other side waited Boquillas, Mexico (officially Boquillas del Carmen), a tiny, sunbaked village located within the Chihuahua Desert, clinging to the Mexican mountainside, nestled in the vast, rugged desert landscape of northern Mexico surrounded by dramatic limestone cliffs and arid plains.

Mexican side of Rio Grande River at Big Bend National Park Border Crossing, Texas

There we were met by mule handlers, who greeted us with smiles and led us gently on their mules into town just 0.65 miles from the Mexican side of the Rio Grande river.

Mule ride in Mexico from Rio Grande river to Boquillas village

Boquillas is like a dream from a different century - colorful homes, friendly locals and the kind of tacos that change your life. We sat under a tree, devouring tortillas filled with grilled cactus and spicy chorizo, washed down with Mexican Coca-Cola in glass bottles. No Michelin stars needed - this was real food, made with love and history.

Boquillas Restaurant

Boquillas has a distinct Desert Oasis Vibe 🏜️. No cars, just sand streets, roaming burros and a handful of family-run eateries (try the enchiladas de Santa Maria at José Falcon’s!). Otherworldly scenery (think desert silence + starry skies), authentic Mexican culture far from tourist crowds and the possibility of hiking to the abandoned mercury mine for epic desert views make Boquillas a very lucrative experience for travelers like ourselves. It was also very hot in July!

A dog takes shelter from the heat below a pickup truck at Boquillas del Carmen, Mexico

Back to the United States and into the Sunset

After soaking in the peaceful rhythm of Boquillas, we retraced our steps, crossing back over the Rio Grande - barefoot, sun-kissed and profoundly moved.

As we drove back through Big Bend, the land seemed to glow with a parting gift. The sunset lit the cliffs ablaze, turning every shadow into poetry. Shehzadi purred softly as we climbed back toward Terlingua Ranch, her wheels spinning beneath a sky that now held a slice of Mexico in our memories.

Gravel road to Terlingua Ranch

We reached our cabin just before twilight melted into night and dined once more at the ranch’s café - quietly, gratefully, with hearts full and hands dusty. We had touched the soul of the Southwest.

Watch Shehzadi's dashcam recording of the drive back from the Boquillas border crossing to our mountain cabin at Terlingua Ranch:

The Road Back East Awaits

The next morning, we would begin our long journey back east, leaving the high desert and winding toward the riverside charms of San Antonio, Texas, where mariachi music and blooming bougainvillea await.

But for now, under a blanket of stars above Terlingua, we listened to the desert breathe and gave thanks - for legends, landscapes and the kind of road that dares to stretch across borders and time.

Shehzadi rested outside, proud and silent. And we? We slept like mules in Boquillas - tired, fed and full of wonder.

Next up: Stars, Milky Way & Misty Mountains of Rustic TERLINGUA, TX to Modern Urban Glitz of SAN ANTONIO, TX Riverwalk.

Reference route map of The Vagabond Couple's 9,000-mile USA & Mexico overland roundtrip: Map-1 and Map-2.

- The Vagabond Couple and Shehzadi