The Big Bend Country of West Texas, located within the great southern arc of the Rio Grande, contain an amazing diversity of plants and animals more like those in adjacent Mexico than within the United States. The heart of this fascinating area is Big Bend National Park, more than 800,000 acres of rugged terrain that contain the greatest number of birds (555) and butterflies (177) than can be found in any other national park north of the Mexican border. The centerpiece of this wilderness park is the Chisos Mountains, the southernmost mountain range in the U.S. Also, in the northern portion of the Big Bend Country are the Davis Mountains, even higher than the Chisos and with an additional dozen butterfly species not found in Big Bend National Park.
            More than six dozen butterfly species residing in the Big Bend Country are specialties, never or rarely found elsewhere in the United States. Many of these are Mexican species whose range barely enter Texas. The most-wanted of all these species include Poling’s and Sandia Hairstreaks, Hepburn’s and ‘Chisos’ Nais Metalmarks, Chinati Checkerspot, Chisos Banded-Skipper, Drusius Cloudywing, Chisos Skipperling, Sunrise Skipper, and Mary’s, and Ursine Giant-Skippers. Many of these specialties, as well as 75 to 85 additional species are possible in a few days in late spring.
      
Day 1. Friday. The tour begins this evening at the airport in Midland, Texas.  We will spend the night in Midland.

Days 2 - 5. Saturday – Tuesday. An early morning drive will take us from Midland to Big Bend National Park and the famous Chisos Mountain Lodge, located at 6400 feet elevation within a woodland of Mexican pinyons and junipers. These four days will be spent butterflying within the very large park. We will visit most, if not all, of the following areas.           

       Chisos Basin & Adjacent Trails
Located in the center of the mountains, and one of the most scenic locations in all of Texas, we will search roadside and trailside wildflowers for specialties such as Poling’s and Sandia Hairstreaks, Texas Roadside-Skippers and Chisos Skipperlings, as well as more widespread species such as Mead’s Wood-Nymphs, Common Streaky-Skippers and Great Purple Hairstreaks. Also, keep watch overhead for Zone-tailed Hawks and Golden Eagles.    
          
       Green Gulch
Probably the most diverse site in the park, this drainage runs from the desert lowlands to Panther Park in the mountain woodlands. On side-roads and trails we may find Two-tailed Swallowtails, Lyside Sulphurs, Juniper Hairstreaks, ‘Nais’ Chisos Metalmarks, Tiny and Elada Checkerspots, Texan Crescents, Red-spotted Purples, Tropical Leafwings, Golden Banded-Skippers, Desert Checkered-Skippers, and Acacia and Python Skippers. Ornythion Swallowtails, Cyna and Rita Blues, Sleepy and Rocky Mountain Duskywings, and Taxiles and Umber Skippers are also possible.

       Blue Creek Canyon & Sam Nail Ranch
This deep canyon on the west side of the Chisos Mountains offers a fascinating assortment of highland and lowland butterflies. By walking along the canyon bottom we may find Sleepy Oranges, Reakirt’s Blues, Mormon Metalmarks, Theona and Chinati Checkerspots, Empress Leilias, Desert Cloudywings, and White-barred Skippers.  Arizona Hairstreaks, Acmon Blues, Fulvia Checkerspots, Drusius Cloudywings, and Saltbush Sootywings are also possible. Blue Creek Canyon also is an excellent site for Lucifer’s Hummingbirds and Black-capped and Gray Vireos.      

       Rio Grande Village & Dugout Wells
Located in the southeastern corner of the park along the Rio Grande, the area contains riparian habitat, a cottonwood grove, and mesquite thickets. Nearby is Boquillas Canyon, with walls that rise to 1500 feet above the river. Surveying this area, we may find Western Pygmy-Blues, Fatal and Palmer’s Metalmarks, Phaon and Pearl Crescents, Mourning Cloaks, Viceroys, Tawny Emperors, and Small Checkered-Skippers.

       Lower Chisos Basin & Window Trail
Another day in the highlands with a 4-mile round-trip hike to The Window and along Oak Creek Canyon. This area is another of the park’s best butterfly-finding sites with beautiful scenery as well. We might see Poling’s and Sandia Hairstreaks, “Dark” Tropical Buckeyes and Common Mestras. Arizona Powdered-Skippers, Rawson’s Metalmarks, Meridian Duskywings, and Oslar’s Roadside-Skippers are also possible.

Days 6 - 7. Wednesday - Thursday. Wednesday morning we will drive out of Big Bend National Park, heading for the Davis Mountains. The Davis Mountains are larger than the Chisos Mountains, with higher peaks and an extensive ponderosa pine forest. The butterfly fauna of this region, therefore, is somewhat different. Among many others, we may see Juniper Hairstreaks, Acmon Blues, Rawson’s and Mormon Metalmarks, Chinati Checkerspots, Canyonland Satyrs, Desert, Northern, and Drusius Cloudywings; Golden-headed Scallopwings; and Simius, Bronze, Oslar’s, Texas, Slaty, and Nysa Roadside-skippers. Also possible are Melissa Blues, Painted Crescents, Texas Powdered-Skippers, Mexican Sootywings, Edward’s Skipperlings, Sunrise and Uncas Skippers, Orange-headed Roadside-Skippers, and Ursine Giant-Skippers (but don’t hold your breath for this last species).  Nights in Fort Davis.      

Day 8. Friday. After butterflying the Davis Mountains in the morning, searching for species that we may have missed on Thursday, we will drive to Midland in the late afternoon.  Night in Midland.

Day 9. Saturday. The trip ends this morning at the Midland International Airport.

Leader will be Ro Wauer, past Chief Naturalist at Big Bend National Park, Chief Scientist of the National Park Service, and author of numerous nature books, including Butterflies of West Texas Parks and Preserves, Naturalist’s Big Bend, and Birding Texas.

Cost of the trip is $1895/person from Midland, Texas.  Cost includes double-based accommodations, all meals, ground transportation, airport transfers, tour leader fees and entrance fees.  Not included are alcoholic beverages, laundry services, and other items of a personal nature.  Single supplement is $325. This trip is limited to 8 participants.

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