Casa Grande peak view from parking lot
A view of Casa Grande.
  • I pictured my May trip to Big Bend to be picturesque and peaceful but it wasn't really.
  • I thought I'd see the Rio Grande in all its glory, but I mostly saw a lot of dry ground.
  • Hiking in the heat was tough, and I eventually realized this national park is not for everyone. 

When my fiancé said he had a few days off from work at the end of May, we quickly planned a trip to Big Bend National Park.

Summer was nearing, and I imagined the flowing waters of the Rio Grande against picturesque canyons, fields of desert cacti, and glorious mountain peaks meeting fresh blue Texas sky.