We visit the two highest mountain ranges in Texas on this trip-the Guadalupe mountains and the Fort Davis Mountains, an oasis in the middle of the desert. Guadalupe Pass is one of the highest highways in Texas. We climb to over 5,500 ft. elevation on several of the roads on this trip. We climb back and forth from desert to mountains and back to desert again. Also, we view various vegetation along the passes such as ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, and southwest white pine.

River Road is described as the most scenic drive in Texas. Ride this twisting highway through canyons and up & down through mountain country along the Rio Grande.

Stay at the Chisos Mountain Lodge for two nights in Big Bend National Park.

On this trip we visit three national parks and the largest state park in Texas, Big Bend Ranch State Park. One day we eat lunch at Balmorhea State Park. Here we can swim in one of the largest fresh water spring fed swimming pools in the U.S.

Some of the additional activities available to us, when we're not biking or hiking, include: horseback riding, jeep tours, river rafting on the Rio Grande (water level permitting). Lajitas is a privately owned resort retirement community which replicates an old historic town. Also, view the set of the movie Dead Man's Walk.

Marfa, the town where Giant was filmed, is famous for it's mystery lights. The city court house was built in 1886 on the town square.

Carlsbad Caverns is referred to as the 8th Wonder of the World. Within the park is a world class cave known as Lechuguilla Cave. Existence of life in this cave, with its completely dark existence and little organic matter, has been used for comparison research to Mars.

We stay at five famous old hotels on this trip.

Big Bend National Park is 801,163 acres of preserve in the Chihuahuan Desert Wilderness Preserve. It contains the entire mountain range of the Chisos which consists of rugged mountains and desert canyons. This is the site of the oldest mammal fossils in Texas. Hike the Famous Window Trail (voted by Backpacker Magazine as one of the ten best day hikes in the country). On this trip you may get the opportunity to view unique wildlife such as black bear, javelina, deer, ringtail cat, sandhill crane, elk, antelope, and maybe even a mountain lion.