Unknown Slot Canyons in Big Bend

Big Bend is a truly majestic national park.  It is big, empty, and full of incredible scenery.  I have been visiting the park for over 25 years on numerous trips.  Of late it has been two to three trips per year to the park.

You might think that after all this time I would be bored with it, but it is really the opposite.  Every trip to the park I find something new.

Over my last few trips, I have been looking for out of the way places- here are a couple of them.

A couple of years ago, I was looking at Google Earth and found what looked like a little slot canyon.  I went exploring on my next trip and sure enough, it was!

I have visited that canyon a few times now and really like it.  

It is shallow and it has both narrow and wide spots.  At times the sun shines right through it.  Other times It gets nice reflected light.

I even ventured into it at Night one time to photograph the Milky Way from it.

It has become a favorite place to visit and this last spring, it was a place I spent a few hours one afternoon.

On another clear afternoon, I went exploring further in the area.  I knew that the rock in the area could form little slots so I wanted to see what I might find.

Imagine my thrill to find another one!

This one was very narrow and not even thirty feet long before it reached a pour-off.  However what it lacked in size it made up for in narrowness and charm.

I made my way in and set up a couple of photographs to capture the light.

Finding these off the map and unknown spots is always fun.  Having a spot that no one else has photographed is rewarding and so different then being at an overlook with 500 people like you get in the busier parks.

Being at the end of the road, Big Bend probably sees fewer people in a year than Grand Canyon gets on Memorial Day weekend.  It means a park I can have to myself and being able to find spots like these.