The trailhead for the Dorgan-Sublett Trail, a 1 mile roundtrip to the old Dorgan and Sublett farmsteads at Big Bend National Park.
An interpretive sign at the trail reads as follows:
"GRAND CANYON FARMS
These are remnants of a stone farmhouse owned by James and Melissa Bell Sublett, settlers who first came to Castolon in 1913.
Sublett is recognized for introducing mechanized farming into the Big Bend. In 1914 the Subletts moved into the Alvino house in Castolon, cleared much of the land, and install the areas first irrigation system supplied by a waterwheel. Sublett hired Mexican laborers to plant the new fields with sorghum, corn, alfalfa, and other livestock feed crops.
By 1918, with the growing farm business in place, Sublett purchased 2,560 acres in this area and called it Grand Canyon Farms. He built a large adobe house on top of the hill to the southeast, at a smaller house below, known today as La Casita (follow the trail to see these and other ruins). While little remains of the Sublett’s adobe house, their stone farmhouse and La Casita survive, and have received historic preservation treatments."
From the Trek Southwest website: (
visit link)
"The Dorgan-Sublett Trail – Big Bend National Park
in BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK HIKING TRAILS
The Dorgan-Sublett Trail is one of the newest trails in Big Bend National Park, being turned into an official trail in 2008.
They had to turn this area into an official trail since the ruins of the old ranch could be seen by passersby on Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. People would see the ruins, stop their cars and make their own paths up to explore the site. All of this unmanaged foot traffic created a bunch of random trails through the brush to the extent that, in some areas, was even leading to erosion.
The trailhead for Dorgan-Sublett is now easily accessible in any vehicle, being at the new pull-off on Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive between Cottonwood Campground and Santa Elena Canyon.
To get to the trailhead for Dorgan-Sublett Trail (29.154145, -103.579765), take a left out of Park Headquarters at Panther Junction drive about 13 miles to the turn off on the left for Castolon and Santa Elena Canyon. From there you’ll drive approximately 28 miles to to the pull off for the trail on the right. On your way there you’ll pass Castolon Store and Cottonwood Campground. You’ll also see a road sign pointing to the trailhead, so it’s hard to miss."