Big Bend National Park
Explore the mountain cliffs, desert expanses, and towering river canyons of Big Bend.
The desert abounds with numerous trails from short and very well developed to long and rugged and remote with exceptional views. Back-country roads are available with private back-country camping sites availble for both drive in and backpacking options with a permit. Historic sites and ruins and numberous opportunities for solitute are many.
Choose Your Own Adventure
The Chisos Mountains are high elevation hiking, with trails for all skill levels. The famed South Rim has both a dramatic drop-off and an unobstructed view to the horizon line on a clear day. Boot Canyon contains the largest trees in the park and some of the largest of their species in the country. Emory Peak Trail has just undergone a complete reroute an has dramatic new views of both the south and north sides of the mountain. Birding is excellent in the mountains especially in the spring and the fall.
Spring sees the arrival of the Colima Warbler a bird found only in the Chisos Mountains in the United States. Campers in the Chisoa Basin will enjoy develeopment boosts, including a newly rehabbed campground with much improved facilites and new, night sky friendly lighting. Also, a newly rehabbed poarch at the lodge serving outdoor meals is ready to serve both day vistiors and campers alike.
Explore On Foot, On Horse, Or On Bike
Pretium With over 150 miles of back-country dirt roads and 200 miles of trails, walking, hiking, mountian biking and horseback riding are popular options for exploring the park. Some of the more popular hikes include the Window View Trail in the Chisos Basin, which is wheelchair accessisble and perfect for a mountain sunset; Rio Grande Village Nature Trail offers some of the best birding in the region; The Chihuanhan Desert Nature Trail at Dugout Wells features native plane life identified along this half mile plath.
The 118 miles of the Rio Grande that border the park wind through the Santa Elena, Boquillas, and Mariscal canyons. A river trip by raft or kayak is an unforgettable way to encounter the remote wilderness of Big Bend. Leisurely half-day floats to multi-day camping trips are available. Santa Elena is the most populare outfitter trip with dramatic 1,500-foot canyon walls. Boquillas is a 2-night/3-day trip on average but great for families with its class 2 or less rapids at average water levels and many side hiking opportunties.
Threre are three developed campgrounds in the park: Chisos Basin Campground, Rio Grande Village Campground, and Cottonwood Campground all with water, restrooms, and some with primative shelters. There is also an RV Park at Rio Grande Village, the only location in the park with full hookups. Public showers and laundry facilites are available at the Rio Grande Village Store. Most of the campsites operate on a first come first serve basis and fill up quickly in March, April and during the holiday season.
