West Texas Road Trip Wrap-Up--things to know before you go.

The carful of kids spent six days exploring the Big Bend Region of West Texas. The first and the last day have the most driving but I tried to break those up with interesting stops, like Fort Lancaster State Historic Site.

The carful of kids stayed at the Indian Lodge, a small hotel inside the Davis Mountains State Park. It was great, but make reservations early. Though we did not stay there this time, San Solomon Springs Court inside the Balmorhea State Park would be great too-- especially after it warms up and you can enjoy the legendary pool.

If you don't have the time to make it all the way to Big Bend, then stay in Fort Davis or Marfa. Between exploring the Fort Davis National Historic Site, the McDonald Observatory and the Marfa art scene, it's a couple of days of fun.

The carful of kids spent close to two days in Big Bend National Park. We toured the park from the comfort of our over-packed SUV--making lots of stops. We hiked about two miles, earned a Junior Ranger badge and identified the plants and  animals we saw along the way. This is a successful adventure with my kids, aged 7, 10 and 12.

The park is vast--over 800,000 acres, making it one of the largest parks in the National Park System but without the crowds that the other parks have.  It is incredibly scenic, but it does not have the iconic park buildings that you find in Yellowstone or Yosemite National Parks. I have added Big Bend National Park to my list of the most majestic parks along with Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Rocky Mountain, Yellowstone and Acadia.

Things to know before you go:

• Make reservations for lodging or camping before you leave home.  The tiny towns around Big Bend National Park have limited services--this includes gas, lodging and cell phone coverage.
• The busiest times are Christmas and Spring Break.
• Pack enough water and food for several days--there are a limited number of restaurants, often with irregular hours and long waits.
• Bring your passport or passport card for a trip across the border to Boquillas Del Carmen.
• If I had an older group, I might consider tent camping but it's really COLD in the desert at night.  
• For those not interested in roughing it, there are several historic-boutique hotels.
• The longer hikes seemed interesting, definitely take a closer look. 
• There is an amazing amount of wildlife along the highways especially east of the park, if this makes you uncomfortable. Don't drive at night.
• The closest hospital is over 100 miles away from Big Bend National Park, pack a first-aid kit.
• Pack for layers, especially if you plan to attend any outdoor night activities, like the McDonald Observatory.  

This concludes the carful of kids trip to West Texas. Up next--a recap of our Summer 2014 road trip up the Eastern Seaboard and through the Canadian Maritimes.