General Info for Big Bend National Park
Big Bend is located in the the southwest part of the big ol’ state of Texas. It’s remote so you’ll need to do a little planning in order to have fun, but it’s totally worth the drive. (Marfa and Marathon, where this tiny Target are located, are good places to stop the night before your Big Bend adventure.)
What’s so great about it? Well, for starters, it has both desert, mountains, the Rio Grande and over 800,000 acres (801,163 to be exact) for you to explore. In addition, it’s the 15th largest park in the NPS system!
Visitor Centers
There are 5 visitor centers in Big Bend:
Persimmon Gap
This visitor center is located at the northern most entrance to Big Bend.
Castolon is located on the west side near the Rio Grande but is closed in the summer (the store is open all year.)
Chisos Basin is centrally located and is one of two visitor centers with wifi. It’s also where the lodge is.
Panther Junction is also home to Park Headquarters.
Rio Grande Village is the eastern-most closed in the summer but like Castolon, the store is open all year. There is also wifi at this site.
Rules
There are bears and mountain lions in this park so store your food safely! For more info on bear safety, head here.
A fishing license is not required but a free permit is. They can be obtained at any ranger station.
Pets are not allowed on the trails or or on the river. They must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet long.
Drones are not allowed.
Though this area is rich with fossils and artifacts, you are not allowed to take or collects plants, animals, rocks or arrowheads. In addition, you may not dig to look for these items.
Border Information
Did you know that the deepest channel of the Rio Grande river acts was the international border between the US and Mexico? You don’t need a passport to go out on the river. Here’s what the NPS newspaper, the Paisano has to say:
“Passports are not currently required for river trips, but stepping onto the Mexican bank of the river, then returning to the U.S., constitutes an illegal border crossing. U.S. Border Patrol allows for exceptions to be made under emergency situations only, i.e., scouting, portaging or lining.”
To go across the border into Mexico
ou can use the Boquillas Port of Entry. It is open Wednesdays to Sundays from 9:00am – 6:00pm in the summer and 8:00am to 5:00pm in the winter. Passports are required for everyone however kids under 16 with US and Canadian citizenship can get across with just a birth certificate or another form of citizenship.
After going through the Port of Entry you can either take a ferry for a small fee or walk across. From there, you can walk to the nearby village which is about a quarter of a mile away or get a ride for another fee on a horse or in a car. Upon arriving in Boquillas you must check in with Mexican immigration. If you want to stay overnight you will need to apply for a temporary visa.
Big Bend National Park Phone Number
432-477-2251
432-477-2370 TTY
Park Website
Best Things to Do in Big Bend National Park
Float the river!
There are 245 miles of the Rio Grande that are available for recreation. Be sure to get a river float permit before getting on the water.
Check out a canyon!
We love Dog Canyon Trail in particular which is located at the northern end of the park.
Go birding.
Bring a pair of binoculars and get still. There are over 450 birds species in this park to see!
Visit the new Fossil Bone exhibit.
There are all kinds of dinosaur bones and fossils, posters and life size replicas at this exhibit. We think this is a great place to visit at the beginning of your adventures because it gave us an entirely new appreciation for all that we were about to see in the park! It’s also self-guided which means you can go as fast or as slow as you want. In addition to having information with which to learn more about the park, there are also picnic tables, a vault toilet and a short trail that leads to an overlook as well as a small fossil-like playground for kids.
Hike to Balanced Rock
There are so many great trails in this park. In fact, there are over 200 miles of trails in Big Bend. One of our favorites hikes (and most instagrammed) is Balanced Rock. Though you’ll have to drive down a dirt road for about 45 minutes to access the trailhead, it’s worth it! The view from the top is amazing and the rock itself is really cool.
Visit the Hot Springs
The trail to the hot spring is only a quarter mile long. It’s totally worth it! The hot spring is semi-contained in some rocks but the entire spring and sitting area is actually in the Rio Grande! Use caution at all times, especially when the river is high.
Look at petroglyphs!
A 2.4 mile hike (4.8 miles roundtrip) to the Chimneys will lead you to some petroglyphs. They are located on the southern most chimney, about 3 feet high on the rock and visible (with some squinting) from the trail. If you go up close to see them, be sure not to touch them since the oils from your fingers can damage them.
See a sunrise or sunset at The Window.
This is an incredible place to see the day begin or end. The mountains literally create a picture window that frames the landscape behind it (and in front of it) so beautifully. The light is just magnificent as well. It was one of the best places we’ve ever seen a sunset. Don’t forget your camera!
Stay up, look up and stargaze.
I saw four shooting stars while in Texas. The light pollution in Big Bend is very minimal so your chances are good!
Take a scenic drive.
In addition to 200 miles of trails, there are also over 200 miles of dirt roads to explore. Be sure to check the map and/or ask a park ranger about current road conditions before setting out. In general, improved dirt roads are typically accessible to regular vehicles (except during rainstorms). Don’t want to go off-road? No worries. There are many miles to explore on paved roads. We love the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive!
Best Places to Stay in Big Bend National Park
Campgrounds at Big Bend
There are four campgrounds to choose from in Big Bend.
Rio Grande Village RV
25 RV sites at $36 a night and $3 per additional person.
Water, electric, sewer, picnic table.
We camped at the campground in the Rio Grande Village. From the center of the park, (The Window), it’s about a 45 minute drive to camp. In addition, the site was level and made of concrete. We had access to a sewer and water hookup right at our site even though we didn’t need them. There were 3 showers inside the main building that cost $2.00 for 5 minutes of hot water. In addition, there were coin laundry facilities. The Rio Grande Village RV campground is open year round.
Rio Grande Village
This campground is located near the Rio Grande and the Rio Grande Village RV park.
100 campsites at $14 a night.
Flush toilets, water, picnic tables, grills.
There are also 4 group campsites available. You must reserve these ahead of time.
All campgrounds at the Rio Grande Village are open year round.
Cottonwood
This campground is a great base camp if you are looking to stay near the Santa Elena Canyon.
There are 24 campsites at $14 a night. None of these can be reserved.
There’s also only one group campground which must be reserved in advanced.
Chisos Basin
This is an awesome campground for those who want to be centrally located and near some of the best trails including the Window. It’s also one of the most desirable campgrounds in the park.
There are 60 campsites at $14 a night.
There are 7 group campsites which must be reserved in advance.
Backcountry Camping in Big Bend
There are also numerous backcountry campsites that you have to hike to but that are free. You need a permit for them but they can easily be obtained at a visitor center. They range anywhere from a 1 mile hike to an 8 mile hike.
There are also several sites that you can drive to that are basically an open rock/gravel lot for you to park in. Campsites can be reserved from November 15 to April 15 by phone at 877-444-6777 or by going online to http://www.recreation.gov
The rest of the year, outside of November 15 – April 15, the campsites are first-come, first-serve.
Lodging in Big Bend
In addition to camping, you can also stay at the Chisos Mountain Lodge. There are 72 rooms. The rooms are a mixture of hotel-style, motel-style and cottages. All of the rooms are non-smoking. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Top Tips For Visiting Big Bend National Park
Carry a detailed, topographic with you as well as a compass if you are going hiking or camping in the backcountry. The map they give you at the entrance is not detailed enough.
In addition to carrying the proper navigational tools, also be sure to bring enough water with you. Though many maps show springs on them, carry your own with you in case they happen to be dry. There is free water at each of the visitor centers but there is a 5 gallon limit per person per day.
Bring your passport if you want to cross the border into Mexico.
The wind knocked the power out one night while we were visiting. We were told it wasn’t uncommon for this to happen. As a result, the gas stations weren’t pumping. Moral of the story: top off your tank and bring headlamps and extra batteries.
In addition to bears and mountain lions, there are also poisonous snakes in this park! Make sure you look before putting your hands and feet in places where you can’t see them.
Each person is limited to 5 gallons of water a day at the fill-up stations (visitor centers). Be sure to bring your own if you are worried about not having enough.
Cell Phone Service and Wifi in Big Bend National Park
We lost a cell phone signal miles before we even reached the park. We were able to get a clear signal in Marfa and even a pretty good signal in Marathon, Texas but after that it was 3G, 1x and non existent. Believe it or not, however, there’s wifi in Big Bend National Park.
For a wifi signal in Big Bend National Park, drive to the Chisos Mountains Visitor Center and the Rio Grande Village (it’s closed in summer).
Big Bend National Park Recap
If you’re planning on visiting Big Bend National Park feel free to pin or share this post for reference. There are so many unique things to do in this national park!
Have you been to Big Bend? If so, what’s your favorite things to see, do and eat? We’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below!
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