I went to Big Bend to do some photography. 

I arrived just before noon. The plan was to spend 2 nights camping at the Boot Canyon hike in camp ground. I planned to spend some time doing some photography. Everything I read said that you really need at least a gallon of water per person per day so I left my car at the amphitheater parking lot with 9 liters of water. 

I took the Pinnacles Trail to get to the Boot Canyon camp site. 

The hike up is beautiful. I was able to watch my progress relative to the mountains on the north-ish side of the basin (me being on the south side of the basin). 

It took me about 3-4 hours to reach the camp site. When the assent starts, it is brutal. There are a lot of switch-backs, and significant elevation is gained relatively short milage. 

Once at the top (just at the base of emory peak trail) views into Texas seem nearly endless, only limited by haze. Truly stunning views. 

From this point there is a decent for most of the rest of the trip to the Boot Canyon camping area. I stayed at Boot Canyon 1. There is a composting toilet that this camp site is closest to. There is a sign that asks that you not "pee" in the toilets. There are 2 metal containers to keep your snacks safe in the event that the javelinas or black bears decide to show up. 

When I arrived at the campsite I realized that I had consumed all but about 1.5 liters of my water that I packed in. Maps and GPS units show that there is a spring near the camp sites at boot canyon. I was unable to actually locate it though.

The site itself was well shaded. The ground is hard and I did have some extra trouble getting my tent stakes to seat securely but I did manage. Many of the spots to set down a tent were on enough of a slope that I found them unsuitable, but there were several spots that were well suited to my 2 person tent. 

After dinner I was down to just under a liter of water. This combined with the fact that I was unable to locate the spring led to my decision to not stay another night. 

I spent a couple of hours enjoying the company of some birds and then was evidently so tired that I slept fully 13 hours. I awoke to a couple of white tail deer investigating my set up, had breakfast and descended. 

Weather was good. It was sunny with mild temperatures.

The  hike  was brutal with a 50 pound pack, but it was fully with every step and the campsites are very nice. There is no water access so take in what you need.