West Texas is my favorite part of the state. The crown jewels of Texas backcountry adventure, Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks, are favorites of mine (and everyone else). Recently, I had the chance to explore a third, less popular but no less spectacular corner of West Texas: the Buffalo Trail Scout Ranch in the Davis Mountains.
BTSR, as it is known, is a 9,000 acre property owned by the Buffalo Trail Council of the Boy Scouts. Situated in the steep canyons of the Davis Mountains, BTSR is home to winter and summer camp programs. During the year, its extended backcountry is open for backpacking to scout troops. Austin BSA Troop 33, my son’s troop, spent three days and two nights backpacking the BTSR backcountry over MLK weekend.
On Saturday we left Austin early, rendezvoused at Balmorhea State Park for a last bathroom stop, then drove the final 30 minutes to BTSR. Total drive time was right at 6 hours 30 minutes. After a short meeting with the friendly BTSR ranger, the boys divided themselves into two crews and were off up the mountain, with the adults following.
That night we had a blue norther come in and it gusted to 35 mph while the temps dipped into the 20s. We all got to test whether the ratings on our sleeping bags were accurate. Or not. The next morning the boys planned a few easy miles in the morning along the rim of the canyon.
Then after lunch they dropped down into the canyon, where our second campsite awaited.
During this trip the scouts were learning and, in some cases, relearning how to use a map and compass, how to take bearings, and how to follow trails. BTSR contains a good mix of easy to follow trails, harder to follow trails, and basically no trails. It is an outstanding place for practical navigation experience. Getting lost – or at least losing the trail – happened to our crews multiple times.
Water was a bit of a challenge on this trip. Up on top there are no springs, but there are muddy stock tanks. The stock tanks did provide water, but they repeatedly clogged our water filters. Down in the canyon there are pools of clear spring water.
Perhaps the best thing about BTSR is that over the popular MLK weekend the only people in the 9,000 acres of backcountry were the eleven scouts and eight adults from our Troop. That is solitude (to the extent one can call hiking and camping with a bunch of 6th to 9th graders solitude).
If you work with a scout troop in driving distance of West Texas that is looking for a great opportunity for a legitimate, uncrowded backcountry experience, BTSR should be on your list.
Vamonos Baby! 