The prospect of free entrance into the National Parks, even for just one day, was too tempting to pass up; so on a Saturday in late August I threw all my backpacking gear together and headed west. First stop was Carlsbad Caverns. I stuck around the visitor’s center until the bat flight at the cavern’s natural entrance. Half a million Brazilian free-tailed bats roost in Carlsbad and, just as they do in Austin, every night they emerge impressively from the cave. At least a hundred people had gathered in the amphitheater, but pictures aren’t allowed at the bat flight (as a precaution for the bats) which was pretty relaxing. Free-tails are just one of thirteen bat species in the Carlsbad area.

            After the bat flight I drove out a dirt road to the trailhead for Rattlesnake Canyon, spotting mule deer, black-tailed jackrabbits, and common poorwills along the way. I hiked down by the light of my headlamp, and Sunday morning it was remarkable to see the slopes of the canyon around me that I just couldn’t see the night before. A walk before breakfast turned up a javelina that was very surprised to see me and a lot of canyon wrens. After hiking out, it was down to Guadalupe Mountains National Park headquarters to snap a picture with El Capitan…..from below, unfortunately, as I didn’t have enough time to climb it this time.

            I started down the Bush Mountain Trail at around midafternoon. Just half a mile down trail the valley was a flurry of bird activity, with a whole family of phainopeplas, rock wrens, and rufous-crowned sparrows to name a few. Bush Mountain treats to spectacular views of the grassy mountains around you and the Guadalupe Mountains stretching north. At the highest point of the trail I could look into both Dog Canyon that I’d left behind and West Dog Canyon. Markus primitive campground was empty except for me, as all the trails had been that day. As the sun disappeared and the stars became visible, I was treated to the complete stillness of the wilderness.

            The next day I got up two hours before dawn and started hiking out. Two hundred fifty feet up I stopped to make breakfast and watch the sunrise. It was an easy downhill hike back to my car and the wildlife showed up. A Pygmy short-horned lizard was warming up on the trail and I added kestrels, black-chinned sparrows, and a black-headed grosbeak to the bird list. Eventually I made back to the car and headed home. It was a quick trip, and featured fewer trees than I imagined, but Guadalupe Mountains is beautiful from any angle you look at it.