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It isn’t the most beautiful park, that’s not why people come there. In fact only in the evenings and in the mornings is the park truly beautiful. When that morning sun begins to illuminate Casa Grande and when the sun sets and casts it’s golden light onto every surface of the park, that’s when it’s gorgeous. Also nighttime. When the stars are shining so brightly that when you stand up you feel like you’re truly within the universe, not just on earth. You’ve got your feet on the ground and your head in the stars, which is honestly the best way to live, just barely grasping the realms of society. Just barely hold onto it enough to live comfortably and seemingly normally within it’s confines. Those stars make you think. They make you think about time and space and the meaning of all of this. You’ll feel alone and then you’ll notice a satellite streaking through the sky and realize that no matter what, here in this world, you’re never truly alone. If you camp on the desert floor you’ll hear coyotes howling and remember that this is as much their land as it is yours. You’ll feel surrounded by them and wonder where they all go during the day. You’ll wonder what they’re communicating to each other. During the day you’ll hike and drive through out the park, the bright sun will bleach the colors of the desert and you’ll only find beauty in the sheer scale of how tiny you are in comparison to how huge the canyons and mountains are. You’ll remember that humans are temporary on this earth, like every species we will one day be endangered and then gone, but these mountains and these canyons will likely be here eons longer until erosion moves them into something else. If you’ve come to the park alone you may start to feel uneasy towards the end of your trip, being alone and nearly silent for days can do that. If this is the case you may find comfort in the town of Terlingua, an old ghost town with beautiful ruins. The ground is scattered with old broken pottery and weathered broken glass, their edges now smooth from being beaten by wind and desert sand. The starlight theatre here is a place to meet others like yourself, others who understand exactly where to find beauty within this park. Others who understand it isn’t so much about aesthetic beauty but more about the beauty of a spiritual journey that is uniquely yours. Speaking of going by yourself, I highly recommend you go alone your first time because it’s best experienced free from distraction of companionship. Silent meditation (wether that be during a hike, drive, or perched on the edge of a mountain) is a must if you want to experience the epic metaphysical journey that is possible in Big Bend. Think of your first trip to big bend as being similar to starting a new computer for the first time, it has to warm up, it has to process all of the newness, it has to become accustomed to its new settings. After you’ve set it up the first time it can stay on for a while before it needs to be restarted. When you restart it, it kind of refreshes everything, and in a way cleanses it from little problems, but is no where near as complex as starting it for the first time. Coming to Big Bend is the same, your first time can be an enlightening experience if you allow it, you’ll reprogram your mind and you’ll ride that high for a while before needing to come back and hit the restart button.