Desert Paradise

These nearly 8,000-foot-tall mountains border the park; they are called “sky islands” because they rise dramatically up from the surrounding desert. Here in the Chihuahuan Desert is a land of unique contrast and beauty. Big Bend National Park offers 150 miles of hiking trails and stretches 118 miles along the Rio Grande. It is one of the largest and most remote parks in the United States. It is also among the least visited. While the uncompromising landscape may appear inhospitable, the park is home to 1,200 species of plants and 450 species of birds. There are a surprising number of places to stay and to eat, but one of the most remarkable is pilot-owned. The Summit at Big Bend was started and is owned by Brent Pickette, an active GA pilot, former instructor at ATP schools, and owner of a Cirrus SR22. He and his partners have established an other-worldly landscape of star-gazing dome hotel rooms and hotel rooms carved into mountain caves, which take advantage of the fact that Big Bend was named an International Dark Sky Community in 2012. This means the area is “free from all but the most minor impacts of light pollution.”

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