The Ultimate Guide to Big Bend National Park

There are plenty of great hikes near Big Bend, and the Closed Canyon Trail is one. This slot canyon in nearby Big Bend Ranch takes you down to the Rio Grande and back. It's only 1.4 miles round trip, so it's a quick and easy journey. If it's rained recently, prepared to be walking and wading through puddles in the canyon on your way down.

The Gage Hotel in Marathon, TX is home to the White Buffalo Bar, which, with its saloon-like ambiance, is a great place to grab dinner or drinks. Their menu isn't extensive (think burgers, enchiladas, nachos, and not much else) but it's solid, and they make some killer cocktails that really speak to the bar's setting.

Marfa is known for being weird and artsy, and the best representation of its culture is Prada Marfa. The abandoned Prada store in the middle of nowhere is a strange art installation that has intrigued many... and inspired several robbery attempts, some successful. It's a must-see photo op!

The closest major town to Big Bend is the funky, artsy little community of Marfa, TX. One of the most Marfa places you can eat is Food Shark, a collection of trucks, converted school buses and outdoor seating that serves up Mediterranean-style grub... perfectly light and healthy and won't weigh you down in the heat or before a hike.

Pro tips: they're cash only (and give change with dollar coins) although they've been known to barter on occasion. Also, they serve food until they run out, and since this is a super popular joint, get there early enough. Plus, the plan is for them to re-open their famed Food Shark Museum of Electronic Wonders and Late Night Grilled Cheese Parlour sometime soon as well!

Back in Marfa, you can add a bit of the unexplained to your adventure. The Marfa Lights have been an unsolved mystery for decades. The unexplained phenomenon is most often described as an orb or serval orbs that glow intensely and can either remain stationary, dart around, or even split into multiple orbs-- they're often white or yellow but have been seen as green, blue, and red. They often are first mistaken for car headlights... until they start moving in unnatural ways.

There's an official viewing center off Highway 90 where you have a good chance of seeing it for yourself.

While you're in Marfa, head to Planet Marfa. It's a tiny little beer garden with a vintage school bus, a tepee, and tons of games like ping pong. They offer some bar bites and mostly domestic beers, so expect a chill, fun evening if you journey out here.

El Cosmico has furnished trailers, tents, yurts, and teepees that you can stay in, plus a hammock grove and hot tubs for rent. To make it even better, the people there are amazing-- you never know what event they'll be hosting or what they'll have up their sleeves.

Big Bend is a desert, but in a hidden oasis, you'll find an unexpected sight: a waterfall, Cattail Falls. The lush greenery around the falls is blissful, and since it's a little tricky to find, the feeling of arriving here is one of triumph and delight.

For kayakers, Santa Elena Canyon is another must. Overnight and multi-night backcountry camping trips are popular with kayakers looking to spend time exploring the river as it winds through the canyon, with its incredibly huge 1,500 foot walls. You can also paddle upstream to Fern Canyon and then float back to the put-in for a day trip.

In true Texas fashion, you can find Wild West ghost towns dotted in the region around the park. The main one is called Terlingua, a former mining community. You can see the abandoned Chisos Mining Company buildings, where they dug up cinnabar to extract mercury in the late 19th century. Terlingua is most known for the chili-cooking competition they hold each year!