Buried under sand for decades, a historic rock wall estimated to be around 95 years old was uncovered by the Rio Grande during a series of high-water events earlier this summer. This sturdy rock wall was built during the heyday of the Hot Springs resort, which was operated by J.O. Langford and his family in the early 1900s. The resort included a trading post, a half dozen cabins, and a bathhouse, of which remnants still exist. If you visited the hot spring prior to July 2022, you probably remember the broad sandy bank enveloped by tall cane that the trail previously traversed. Due to a combination of removal of the invasive cane by park staff, as well as the high flows of the Rio Grande, this beautiful rock wall was revealed. Earlier this year, the dirt path to the hot springs was closed as the river flooded and exposed this historic trail. But the trail (and the hot springs!) is open now. Compare the photo taken in July when residual sand and debris covered the newly exposed wall, to the photo taken earlier this month after the path was cleared by Big Bend's Trail Crew. The next time you walk to the hot spring, take a moment to examine this rock wall and try to picture the hot spring bathers who traversed this same path almost a century ago. 📷: NPS/S. Hunnicutt and C. Negele #bigbend #bigbendnationalpark #langfordhotsprings