Big Bend NP - Mariscal Mine

Hi Blog!

On Monday, February 3, 2020, we spent the morning driving along the east end of River Road in Big Bend National Park. Earlier that day, we stopped at the Ranger Station to check on road conditions. The Park Ranger we spoke with said the road was in good condition and recommended we leave time for a stop at the Mariscal Mine Site. When we saw the size of the old mine site, we understood why we need a little time to explore.

As we drove into the old town site, we passed a number of abandoned buildings.

The road up to the actual mine was closed and turned into a hiking trail. The driver of this car failed to observe the road closed sign.

Martin Solis discovered Cinnabar, red mercury sulfide, here in 1900. Ed Lindsey developed the mine and packed his red mercury ore by burro to Terlingua. W.K. Ellis bought the mine in 1916, constructed furnaces to refine the mercury, and shipped out 894 flasks of refined mercury before the price dropped following World War I. Several owners later, the mine was closed in 1943.

The higher we climbed, the more infrastructure we could see. As we reached the top of the drainage, we could see that the mining operations spread further back into the hillside.

Since mercury is toxic, we didn't want to get too close as we explored the various structures.

Most of the mining machinery was sold and taken off the site in the 1940s and 1950s. A significant amount of mercury was recovered from the brick lining of the furnace. The remaining structures are roofless and doorless. This tall chimney stack stands a a silent sentinel to the once busy mining operation.

Mine shafts were dug into the side of Mariscal Mountain. The park service has gated and fenced in the most dangerous openings.

Here's another cool mine opening.

Kathy stops to examine one of the larger mine shafts.

The views down the mountain side were expansive.

Here is our best view inside one of the mine shafts.

After lunch at the Mariscal Mine site, we drove back to camp via Glenn Spring Road. We drove up the side of this wash as we worked our way over the shoulder of Chilicotal Mountain.

We expected to find a natural spring behind the fencing.

What we found was a giant concrete bathtub! To provide a better water supply, H.E. Glenn dug out, and walled, the largest spring. Mr. Glenn was killed by Indians near the spring that bears his name.

Glenn Spring assumed its place in history because it was a reliable water source in an arid land. It lies on one branch of the Great Comanche Trail. Flint chips and bedrock mortar holes throughout the area indicate that Indians used Glenn Spring not only as a water stop during their raids into northern New Spain, but also for more permanent stops as well.

Looking at Glenn Springs today, it is hard to imagine that anything ever happened here or that, in 1916, there were nearly 80 people living here in a busy little village. 

Glenn Springs Road winds its way between the Chisos and Chilicotal Mountains.

Before leaving Glenn Spring Road, we passed under the shadow of Nugget Mountain, a prominent feature of western Big Bend National Park.

Back on the asphalt, we made our way back to camp. Having a Jeep has given us the opportunity to visit parts of Big Bend that we couldn't reach in 2013 with our big truck. Stay tuned for more Jeep adventures ahead.