This National Park Is Bigger Than Rhode Island and Contains an Entire Mountain Range

If you look at a map of Texas, the very left point is El Paso. From there, let your eyes wander southeast. You see that dip in the Texas border along the Rio Grande? That dip is called the Big Bend. And within this area, you’ll find one of the largest, most remote national parks in the continental U.S.

Big Bend National Park is bigger than Rhode Island and the only national park that contains an entire mountain range, the Chisos Mountains. The skies are dark, the roads to the park are long, and there are very few amenities in the actual park. Majestic Big Bend National Park is fabulous for hiking, scenic car rides, and the Fossil Discovery Exhibit — but, you’ll want to plan a day or two in the surrounding area, including Big Bend Ranch State Park, for experiences like horseback riding and river floating.

“There’s a lot here to see and to unpack on any visit. Every American should come to Big Bend at least once in their life because it’s really unlike anywhere else,” Tom VandenBerg, the chief of visitor services at Big Bend National Park, says. To help you understand what you’re in for, here’s everything you need to know about visiting Big Bend National Park.

Tom VandenBerg is the chief of visitor services at Big Bend National Park. He’s lived and worked in the area for over 15 years.

Adam Brower has visited the park almost every year, multiple times a year, for 20 years. He runs The Big Bend Guide.

Lou LaGrange is a custom trip consultant at MT Sobek, specializing in the Big Bend area.

How to Get There

“There’s no easy airport to fly into. Even from Midland or El Paso, you’re still in for a little bit of a drive to the park,” says Adam Brower. Out-of-state visitors typically arrive via two main airports: Midland-Odessa, which is about a two-to-three-hour drive to Big Bend, or El Paso, which is further away at around 4.5 hours. Your best bet is to rent a car at the airport and drive those long stretches on bumpy desert roads or sign up with a local tour guide who can handle logistics for you.

Alternatively, you can take a train to Alpine, but that will still put you an hour’s drive away from the park, and you’ll still need to rent a car. Many in-state travelers drive. From Houston or Austin, it’s about a nine-hour drive. If you’re a high flier, you can also fly into the private airport at Lajitas Golf Resort, the only luxury hotel in the area.

The fun part is that if you have wheels, you’re also a stone’s throw from other interesting places like the artsy town of Marfa with its famous “Prada store,” where you can visit galleries and take an art tour (though many attractions are only open on weekends). As far as gateway communities, your options are somewhat limited: Alpine is a larger community with grocery stores and other full-service amenities; Terlingua is a small community just outside the park’s west entrance with a spooky history, a few services, and a famous chili cookoff in the fall; and Marathon has a handful of hotels, shops, and galleries.

Know Before You Go

“This is an adventurous trip. It’s rural, rewarding, and fascinating, and it feels like you’ve gone away from it all. But adventure is the key word here,” Lou LaGrange says. As mentioned, Big Bend is extremely remote and takes hours to reach from any major city or airport. There’s also limited cell service and Wi-Fi, which is part of its charm but also a challenge if you aren’t prepared.

“People are surprised at how long it takes to get here. It’s hours and hours and hours from anywhere. That’s what makes it great. It’s a good place to disconnect and leave it all behind for a while,” says VandenBerg. But he also warns it’s not a place to show up without a plan. Lodging and camping spots fill up quickly, especially during holidays. You may have to backtrack long distances to find accommodations if you don’t plan.

Download maps in advance, expect stretches of highway without amenities, and always keep your gas tank full. There’s a gas station in the park and one in Terlingua, but they’re expensive and sometimes run out of fuel during busy times. Plan to fill up in Alpine or Marathon before heading into the park.

“A quick trip is minimum two days. I would say a three-day trip would be good. A four-day trip would be best,” Brower says. This way you can fully explore both the national park and the adjacent state park, “which can be just as charming,” he says.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit Big Bend National Park is November through April when temperatures are mild and comfortable for hiking and camping. However, the park gets crowded during holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and Texas spring break, as visiting during these times is a long-standing tradition for many Texans.

Winter can also bring occasional ice storms and snow, which might close roads or restrict trail access. “You can get locked out of the mountain range if there’s snow,” Brower says, so have a backup plan to avoid disappointment if your dream hike gets dashed. Arrive early for popular trailheads since parking lots fill up fast, often by 8 a.m.

Avoid summer unless you can handle the heat. “June or July is a splendid time to visit a lot of national parks, but maybe not a desert park,” VandenBerg says. “We’re in the heart of the Chihuahuan Desert. It’s one of the hottest, driest areas in the United States.” May through September are extremely hot months, and temperatures can reach 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Some visitors, like Texas native Brower, enjoy the summer for the solitude, but he doesn’t recommend it if you’re unaccustomed to desert heat.

Wildlife

The Chihuahuan Desert has some pretty cool wildlife. “The desert is a challenging place to live, so they’re not always just out front and center under the spotlight. They live fairly secretive lives, so you have to be observant, especially early in the morning or late evening,” VandenBerg says.

Creatures people see regularly include bobcats, gray foxes, mule deer, coyotes, reptiles (though not in winter), and collared peccaries, which resemble small pigs and travel around in little family groups eating cacti. Birdwatching is also a major draw with over 450 bird species, including some like the Colima warbler that you won’t find anywhere else.

A population of about 40 black bears lives in the park. They came from Mexico and repopulated the park in the late 80s and 90s. “It’s one of the great success stories of Big Bend,” VandenBerg says. There are also mountain lions, though they’re pretty elusive.

Best Things to Do

Take a scenic drive.

There are over 120 miles of paved roads for scenic drives accessible to all vehicles. For example, the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive has stunning views of volcanic formations and informative signs explaining the area’s geological history. You can take a 4x4 tour into the backcountry if you’re extra adventurous. “Probably make arrangements before you show up,” VandenBerg advises.

Cross the Rio Grande into Mexico.

Pack your passport and take a two-hour drive from the park to the Rio Grande, where a tiny boat waits to ferry you to Mexico. Buy a gift and a snack from some local entrepreneurs, and then head back. You can theoretically do this independently, but it’s better with a guide.

Hang out in the hot springs district.

These springs were once part of a spa established in the early 1900s because of their rumored healing capabilities, and remnants of the bathhouse and old structures remain. You can’t reach the hot spring by car, but it’s only a 0.5-mile round-trip loop from the trailhead.

Go for a horseback ride.

You can’t horseback ride in the park proper, but there are plenty of ways to see the sights from the saddle in the surrounding area. Local outfitters can take you on a day trip or a journey that lasts several days.

Float down the Rio Grande.

This river doesn’t have much in the way of rapids — instead, it offers a leisurely float. “It’s an amazing experience,” VandenBerg says. “Big Bend is home to three 1,500-foot canyons cut through limestone, and the river winds its way through.” River conditions change frequently, so consult with local outfitters about water levels and trip availability. “If people come with their own gear, we can give them a river permit,” he says.

Visit McDonald Observatory.

In the Fort Davis Mountains, about two hours away from Big Bend, you can stargaze in a private session and observe the night sky through one of the largest telescopes in the United States.

Best Hikes

Big Bend’s trails range from easy little paved loops to 30-mile, multi-day outings. “Some of the trails are pretty rugged, so it’s a good idea to talk to a ranger in the park, and they can match your abilities and interest to different trails,” VandenBerg says. “We want to make sure people don’t overestimate their abilities or underestimate the desert.” He suggests you do multiple short hikes rather than one big long hike, making sure to drink plenty of water in between.

Big Bend offers the chance to experience three distinct environments in one visit. In the middle of the park, find vast expanses of the beautiful Chihuahuan Desert on trails like the Lower Burro Mesa Pouroff Trail or the Ward Spring Trail.

In the center of the park are the Chisos Mountains, where you can hike the well-known two-to-three-hour Window Trail. “I think everybody should do The Window,” Brower says. “It’s not too short, but at the same time not too long, and it has a cool payoff at the end.” Also in this area is the 4.8-mile round-trip Lost Mine Trail, which has incredible views. “It’s more of a primitive trail, so not for everybody,” Brower says.

Then there are the river canyons, which you can explore on trails such as the Hot Springs Trail, Boquillas Canyon Trail, or Santa Elena Canyon Trail. Brower especially likes the latter: “You can walk up to the face of this prominent canyon, where a fault line rises like a wall, and the canyon is carved right into the landscape. It’s a pretty iconic view,” he says.

Places to Stay

Hotels

Tenbits Ranch

Brower loves staying at this rustic, family-friendly lodging in Terlingua, just 20 minutes north of the park’s west entrance. “It feels like an Old West town,” he says. “You get nice sky views, and they have a fire pit.”

Chisos Mountains Lodge

Chisos Mountains Lodge is the only lodge in the park. In typical years, you need to reserve well in advance as it fills up quickly, but take note that the lodge and its restaurant are about to undergo a total renovation starting in May and won’t be available for a stay for two years or so.

Cibolo Creek Ranch

“It’s closer to Marfa, so you’d have a pretty long drive into the park,” says LaGrange. He recommends staying here if you really want to make a meal of your trip with onsite activities like horseback riding, hunting, yoga, and spa treatments. The ranch even has its own landing strip.

Lajitas Golf Resort 

This luxury resort also has its own landing strip, but it’s much closer to the park than Chibolo Creek Ranch. Expect stunning views of the Chisos Mountains and the Rio Grande, an 18-hole championship golf course, a full-service spa, tons of outdoor activities, and an array of accommodations, including villas and an RV park.

The Gage Hotel

Just north of the park in Marathon, find The Gage Hotel, which offers a pleasant Texas experience and upscale amenities, including the high-end 12 Gage Restaurant, a barbeque restaurant, and a bar.

Campgrounds

There are several park-maintained campgrounds. You need to reserve campsites in advance, and many have a first-come, first-served policy for permits, except for those in more remote areas. Check out our Big Bend National Park camping guide for an in-depth guide to all your options.

Airbnbs

The Big Bend area has a seemingly endless array of Airbnbs. Some are rustic, some funky, some luxurious. You’ll find interesting bubbles, domes, and yurts, many new in the last five years. One standout? The Perch, an entirely off-grid house on a limestone plateau.

Places to Eat

Aside from a handful of convenience stores, the park has limited food options. For now, you still have the dining room at the Chisos Mountains Lodge. “We highly recommend that on your drive in, you have a cooler and buy yourself food for the next couple of days,” LaGrange says.

Beyond the park and DIY, there’s, of course, Lajitas Golf Resort, which has several cafes and restaurants. Other options include Marathon’s cozy White Buffalo Bar for craft beer and tequila and its neighbor 12 Gage Restaurant, which serves high-end West Texas cuisine like bone-in ribeye and buttermilk fried quail.

In Terlingua, the historic Starlight Theater shines. “One of my favorite places to eat is The Starlight Theater, and I’ll be honest, I can’t go to Terlingua without visiting it,” Brower says. “If I had a hard day hiking, I reward myself with their ridiculously big burger.” In the evenings, locals and tourists gather on this old theater’s porch to relax, play guitars, hang out with their dogs, and drink beer. It’s a unique, eclectic place with great food that captures the spirit of the town. Just don’t complain about the service. “You’re going to have to leave that kind of stuff at home if you visit Terlingua,” Brower says.  

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