Ominous warning at Boquillas - Big Bend N.P.

9/15/09: Here's a picture at the parking lot in the Boquillas area of the Big Bend National Park. There’s a story to tell about the Mexican nationals that cross the border into the park from Mexico. Maybe this activity has been going on since this area became part if the United States. I don't know. The park service and border patrol don’t take action except to put up this warning sign in the picture. I had decided to spend another night in the park down at the Southeast corner near Boquillas. I left the 1st campsite at the western end of the park and got another at the eastern end with the hope of getting the canoe into the water and seeing the tall canyon walls at Boquillas. I'd read that there was a breathtaking view from the river. Unfortunately there was no easy place to launch the canoe and exit downstream. Paddling upstream to the other canyon area was difficult and ultimately too shallow. After reading the warning sign, I decided to take a chance and venture on foot over toward the canyon walls. From the literature, it appeared a view of the walls was possible after a short one mile hike. Though I tried to keep my truck in view, there were a number times when I couldn't see it, and I could tell that as I hiked closer to the canyon, I would not be able to see the truck for at least a 15 or 2o minute stretch. Across the river I could see a small farm. There were fenced areas with a dozen burros grazing. And a small farmhouse. I decided this was too large a risk to the truck. I walked back to the truck. All was safe, but it felt unfair that I should have to keep such a close eye on my truck inside a national park area. Truth be told, I didn't like the idea of people from another country posing the threat. I jumped into the truck and drove back to the trailer. It was undisturbed and I felt relieved. I packed up and readied to leave the park. Where I was headed exactly, other than to the North, I didn't know. Then I heard something peculiar. From behind a dune I could hear the braying of a burro. "Hee Haw, hee haw". Was this some secret communication between my Beverly Hillbillies styled trailer and a donkey? Or had someone crossed the Rio Grande with their eyes on dear Ellie Mae? I assumed the latter. Knowing that people crossed the border into the park to vandalize the vehicles of park visitors, and knowing that the accustomed mode of transportation for this purpose was the donkey, I feared the worst. I'm sure I would have been a victim of a theft had I not left the park at that time. It's also possible that someone would have approached the trailer to sell trinkets. I had also heard that this was not uncommon activity. The park literature states that park visitors who buy from nationals are breaking the law. Maybe I worried too much, but the warning sign back at the parking lot was indeed an ominous warning. What a shame that we must stand guard over our valuables in our own US national park.