The gorgeous deserts and canyons of this US national park stretch into Mexico.
cull a interior park is all about countersink : Do you want deserts , timber , mountains , or piddle ? Since everything ’s self-aggrandising inTexas , Big Bend National Parkhas it all . Cacti - strew comeupance shift to the wooded incline of imposing wad before again changing to spectacular river canon where greenish water flows .
you may find Big Bend right next to the border , close to the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Coahuila . Texas ’s biggest ( and bendiest ) interior park spans over 800,000 acres and holds the largest protect area of the Chihuahuan Desert in the US . Which mean it ’s a journey to get to .
As is the standard way of engender places in Texas , arriving at the natural marvel require a good amount of drive . Even if you fly into one of the skinny airports ( either Midland or El Paso ) , you ’re still at least 235 miles away from the park home base , so get thoseroad tripsnacks and playlist quick . Because Big Bend ’s remoteness is one of its main attraction . stray and vast , this park substantiate what’sso captivating about West Texas : It ’s a restrained post where you may easy find solitude and apprise what it intend to be such a small part of our big , beautiful universe .
It’s a watery desert forest mountain.|magraphy/Shutterstock
In the last couple of years , more and more people have been hold the misstep to see Big Bend ’s magic — a truthful will to its admiration given the aforementioned distance that must be traversed to get there . In 2021 , the park welcomed a platter turn of visitors : 581,221 to be precise . That ’s quite something , view that just 1,400 visitors come in 1944 , the year the park first opened . And that number count even advantageously when you take into account the match million that headway to themost crowded national park .
If you ’re ready to see for yourself what the big deal is about Big Bend , here ’s what you need to know to make the most out of your slip .
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Half the crowds, double the fun.
Know whennotto go
Since Big Bend is site predominantly in the Texas desert , it should come as no surprisal that summer here can get scorching . From June through August , the temperature can well extend to the 90s in some parts of the parking lot . “ Some ” is worth specifying because temperature by the river and in the park ’s low desert arena can be around 10 to 20 degrees warmer than areas in the lot .
Factoring that in , the best time to visit the park is sometime between October and April , when the weather is cooler and you may camp and tramp without sweating buckets . Needless to say , the vacation weeks and weekend during this reach ( Thanksgiving , Christmas , spring rupture , etc . ) are when people come in droves , so unless you require to share with the crowds , it ’s well to direct clear of those specific periods .
Speaking of crowds , timing your trip to forefend the park ’s engaged point is n’t just make water your communing with nature as peaceful as possible — it strike logistics too . Since there ’s special parking at the most popular spots , there are time when it becomes “ one - in , one - out ” to manipulate the dealings . Who wants to look for some people to finish their fun before you’re able to have yours ?
It’s so refreshing when it’s not scorching.|Paul Leong/Shutterstock
Choose your own adventure through deserts, water, or mountains
Some people refer to Big Bend National Park as “ three Mungo Park in one ” because of its distinct environments : desert , mountain , and river . While the Chihuahuan Desert cover a majority of the parkland ’s orbit , the striking mountain portion of the park ( which would be the Chisos Mountains ) run properly through its middle . Fun fact : it ’s the only heap scope in the US that ’s all contained within a exclusive national Mungo Park . The river environments , meanwhile , exist along the tortuous Rio Grande , which marks the Mungo Park ’s winding , southern moulding .
When tackle this wide - straddle landscape painting , you might be comforted to know that Big Bend has not one , not two , butfive visitor centers . Northernmost is Persimmon Gap Visitor Center , which is the first one you ’ll impinge on if you ’re driving into the parkland through the town of Marathon . Next is Panther Junction Visitor Center , which is turn over the “ primary ” visitor shopping centre and functions as the ballpark headquarters with a stake office . Also at the heart of the Mungo Park is the Chisos Basin Visitor Center , which dish out as a great starting point for some of Big Bend ’s best hikes . Then there ’s the Castolon Visitor Center in the west and the Rio Grande Village Visitor Center in the E .
Must-do hikes amid towering rocks
So where should you even beginhikingwhen the ballpark has over 150 geographical mile of trails to explore ? One way to narrow it down is to decide if you want to be in the desert , amid the mountains , or by the river .
For those who need to feel the enchantment of the Chihuahuan Desert , the Chimneys Trailis an essential option . This moderately difficult trail is 4.8 miles full , there and back , and deliver you to the aforesaid “ chimney , ” a stretching of volcanic dam establishment ( if you require to get all expert about it ) looking like unusual , rocky pillar . One of the coolheaded thing about this hiking is not of necessity what you pass along the way , but what you may see when you contact your goal : millennia - quondam pictographs and petroglyph on the rock nerve of one of the chimney .
If the mountains are calling your name , then you ’re in for a real treat with the South Rim trail . There ’s no deny that this hike is a difficult one . It ’s 12 to 14.5 international mile round trip , plus there ’s a 2,000 - metrical foot ALT gain — but anyone who takes on the challenge will be pay back with dead unbelievable views of the undulating elevation and valleys of the Chihuahuan Desert all the way toMexico . Many would agree it ’s the most scenic hike in the whole park . If you have enough Department of Energy , tack on the side trip to Emory Peak , the high full point in the Chisos Mountains , and you ’ll palpate like you ’re on top of the world .
It’s so refreshing when it’s not scorching.|Paul Leong/Shutterstock
Anyone who is console by the tranquil hatful and sound of water as they hike up must do the Santa Elena Canyon Trail . It ’s gloomy exploit and mellow reward with this one , seeing as it ’s just 1.7 miles round trip of relatively easy walk , which intend it ’s also pretty intemperately trafficked . The views are frankly stunning as you find yourself flanked by tower canon walls , and the river cuts its room through the impressive rock shaping . If ever there was a classic Big Bend photograph opp , it ’s here .
See miles of scenic roads and countless stars
Aside from tramp , another direction to bask this monolithic commons is just bydriving its various scenic roadstead . For good example , the 30 - mile - longRoss Maxwell Scenic Driveholds up to its name , require you by noteworthy touch likethe Mules Ears viewpoint(where you’re able to see two jagged rock formation that jut up , resembling donkey ’s ears ) , Sam Nail Ranch ( a historical homestead construct in 1916 ) , and Santa Elena Canyon ( get those tv camera ready ) . If you ’re lucky enough to have a high - clearance 4WD vehicle , then you could check out the most remote part of the already very outside Big Bend by drive the 51 international mile ofthe River Road . Do n’t get confused by the name — you wo n’t get to see the Rio Grande along the way , but the raspy road does generally espouse its curves . commend though , off - road drive is n’t allow !
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Stargazingis another must - do while natter Big Bend . Not only is the common designate as an International Dark Sky Park , but accord to the NPS website , it really has the least light pollution of any other interior Mungo Park in the continental United States . Basically , you wo n’t have to try very operose or go anywhere special to witness the dazzling display , but one particularly lovely way to go about it is to spend an eventide hit it up in the warm pee atthe Hot Springsand looking up at all that beauty above .
Where to stay in and around Big Bend
Since it make a long time to attain the parkland — and then once there , you may drop a good amount of time just getting around within the commons — it ’s not a dependable idea to expect to find a bivouac when you arrive ; book in advance is crucial if you plan oncampingat Big Bend . severely , reservation for the recrudesce campgrounds are ask . These campgrounds are pretty much guaranteed to be full every nighttime from November through April , and there ’s no first - come , first - serve situation here .
You by all odds do n’t want to be that someone who just spend who knows how many hours drive to Big Bend to substantiate you ’ll have to get an minute or more back out to recover somewhere to stay because there are no overflow bivouac . And do n’t even think about set up camp in a parking passel or along the parking lot roads , because you will get in worry — lamentable ‘ bout it .
So , on to the options ! For camping within Big Bend , you have four develop campgrounds to opt from : Chisos Basin , Rio Grande Village , Cottonwood , andRio Grande Village RV Park . you may reserve your site up to six calendar month in improvement , so get to planning . If you ’re someone who waits a little bit longer before create a move , therearea special phone number of sites available for reservation up to 14 24-hour interval in advance , but again — plan ahead pays big time with this out - of - the - way of life home car park . There are alsobackcountry campsites , and you ’ll need a license for those .
Landscapes with so many choices.|Tim Speer/iStock/Getty Images
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If there are no developed encampment within the parking lot available during the clip of your planned sojourn , do n’t put on your big Big Bend encampment adventure is dashed . There are stillsome bivouacking options outside the parkin nearby areas like Study Butte , Terlingua , and Lajitas .
require to be in the heart of the action mechanism but rather not rough it ? Then check out theChisos Mountains Lodge , with its simple but prosperous rooms and bungalow . It ’s actually the only file useable in the whole car park , so really it ’s either that or staying somewhere outside the green . In terms of the latter , you’re able to findsome somewhat cool accommodations in Terlingualike cunning casitas , unparalleled tipi , vintage trailer , and luxurious bubble domes .
You could go one mile, you could go 150 miles…|Tim Speer/E+/Getty Images
Big Bend is the least light-polluted national park.|Wisanu Boonrawd/Shutterstock
I’ll pitch my tent on the top left.|Delaney Van/iStock/Getty Images
