The Rim drive in Lincoln National Forest is a not to be missed “improved” dirt road that tracks the the western most part of the Guadalupe Mountains. The dispersed camping sites along the escarpment are unbelievable! The views off the 1,500 -2,500′ escarpment include: Davis Mountains to the south, Guadalupe Peak to the east, the white colored salt flats to the south, and the lights of El Paso to the southwest. We passed only four other souls during the entire day: a handle barred mustached driver of an extremely large John Deere road grader, two motorcyclists, and two ranch hands in a pick up truck doing chores.
We saw numerous Mule Deer, almost got the K2R2 a new Roadrunner hood ornament, and some javelina. The solitude that engulfed us as we pulled out to check out various promising campsites along the rim was the definition of wilderness. It is hard to accept that you could park your camper along something that so resembled the South Rim at Big Bend National Park minus the maddened crowds within a day’s drive of Austin. We will be back with a fully provisioned K2R2!
The Campground at Dog Canyon had opened on Sunday two days before our arrival after being closed since April. The wildlife was used to having the run of the place and seemed surprised to see humans. Two foxes sporting their puffy winter coats approached to within ten feet of the back of K2R2 before calmly marching off towards the draw in front our campsite. The Merlin was busy the entire time snatching Dark-eyed Juncos off the road and flying to a low perch to enjoy a nice meal. The mule deer paraded through the campgrounds paying the few campers little attention. On the slopes above, the Aoudad sheep came out in the late afternoon to munch on agarita berries and other vegetation. It had the felling of a safari park where you don’t have to drive. Not at all like some of the more crowded National Parks that are so well trammeled. “We’ll be back.”
