If you like remote, wild, pristine places, consider a vacation to Big Bend and Guadalupe National Parks. Unknown to most East Coasters and many Mid Westerners, these two parks sit in remote opposite corners of the desert terrain of West Texas. Although less than a day's drive from the major cities of Dallas and Houston, the entry point for a fly/drive vacation is El Paso. Much smaller in size than the big cities of East and Central Texas, El Paso is easy to navigate, very Texan, and worth an overnight stop if your itinerary permits. There are several museums, a compact downtown area, and lots of restaurants offering great Tex Mex and Bar B Q chow. Ciudad Juarez is the companion Mexican border town. Unlike other border towns I have visited with my kids, (Nogales, Tijuana), I cannot say that this is one of my favorites. There is little shopping or sightseeing; it appeared people crossed the border only for commercial reasons.

Guadalupe National Park is an easy 2 ½ hour drive from El Paso. This is one of the most remote parks in the U.S. There are no overnight or concessionary facilities within the park, only a few ranger stations. There is also no park entry fee! The park "closes" (entry gates are closed) at 4:30 in winter, later in summer. The closest place to stay is Whites City, New Mexico, an adorable little one-street town about 45 minutes north of the park. As we strolled down the street after nightfall, admiring the Western sunset, a herd of big-eared deer came down from the hills and scampered through town. Whites City is also the jumping off point for Carlsbad Caverns, a major tourist attraction only minutes away. During certain months of the year you can view one of nature's great spectacles at Carlsbad: The twilight flight of millions of bats as they emerge from their caves to seek food for the night.

For our one-day visit to Guadalupe we chose the full day in and out hike of McKittrick Canyon. The first ten minutes was spent bracing ourselves against the biting December winter winds rushing down from the hills of the canyon, and then as we emerged into the protective canyon, we were greeted by a light snowfall. Two hours later we were stripping off parkas, hats, and gloves as the Southwest sun began warming our bodies. The contrast of desert cacti and snow was a photographer's delight. Weaving in and out of the trail is a desert stream with lush foliage on its banks. We even discovered rainbow trout swimming in the stream, enjoying their little piece of paradise. Guadalupe is not for everyone. Its beauty is stark and subtle, unlike the knock-your-socks-off scenery of Glacier or Zion National Park. And there are no roads through the park; you have to hike in. But for those who enjoy this type of park, the experience is very rewarding and peaceful.

Next on the agenda was Big Bend National Park, located on the bend of the Rio Grande, hence its name. There is one lodge within the park, the Chisos Mountain Lodge, which are motel units at $100 a night but you are paying for location. You can also find more moderate priced accommodations in the town of Study Butte, right outside the west entrance to the park. If you are interested in horseback riding, try the Terlingua Ranch Resort, about 45 minutes north of Study Butte, which offers basic, clean, neat accommodations for about $40-$45 a night.

Big Bend National Park is huge. Several roads crisscross the park and trails branch out from the roads. If you are spending a couple of days or more in the park, I recommend doing a sampling of short (1/2 hour) to medium hikes (2-3 hours) in the park to experience the range of scenery and wildlife. The rangers can help you plan an itinerary that covers the various locales. On one late afternoon hike, we walked next to a group of javelinas munching on prickly pear cacti. Javelinas are unusual looking animals, native to West Texas, that are best described as skinny, dark-colored, furry creatures with oversize pig-like heads, but they are not pigs.

As we left Big Bend one night for a one hour drive in the dark across the park, we stopped to get out of our car to admire the stars that extended down to the horizon, giving us a glimpse of the Milky Way that appeared like a cloud, but was, in fact, millions of stars. Shortly after we got back into the car, we noticed some two bright white lights following us about ¼ mile back. Eventually the lights split and then one rose up into the air. At first we thought it was two motorcycles following us but soon we realized we were witnessing some unexplained phenomena. Hearts racing, we sped into town and told our story to everyone we could find. Our lodge owner explained to us we had witnessed the Marfa Lights, common in those parts, and witnessed by the Native Americans for hundreds of years. Reluctant to call them UFOs, for fear of ridicule, they were named Marfa Lights, for the nearby town. There were books and Web sites on the phenomena, we were told. In the end, we decided it was a really cool experience, but chose not to drive down that road in the dark again.

West of Big Bend National Park is Big Bend State Park. I highly recommend a wonderful trail called Closed Canyon. Right outside of the park is a former fort with docents offering walking historical tours. The fort originally was built on the Rio Grande, which now meanders more than a mile away. From Big Bend it is an easy drive of six hours or less to the beautiful city of San Antonio. This is a great family vacation area. The city offers the Riverwalk, a tourist Mecca, offering restaurants and shops. Be sure to take the cruise down the river; the guides are quite entertaining. In addition there is the fabled Alamo, plus an Imax Theatre, El Mercado for great shopping and many other attractions. Outside the city are Seaworld and a Six Flags amusement park.

We hope your family has a rip-roaring time in Texas. YaaaHooo!

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