“A stunning solitary mountain range”
Big Bend's busy season is generally November through April, and the park camping and lodging is often full to capacity during 3-day holiday weekends, Thanksgiving week, the Christmas holiday season, and spring break (mid March). Advance reservations for camping and lodging are highly recommended. To maximize your visit, plan ahead and have a flexible itinerary during the park's busiest times. There is a place in Far West Texas where night skies are dark as coal and rivers carve temple-like canyons in ancient limestone. Here, at the end of the road, hundreds of bird species take refuge in a solitary mountain range surrounded by weather-beaten desert. Tenacious cactus bloom in sublime southwestern sun, and diversity of species is the best in the country. This magical place is Big Bend. While Big Bend is famous for its natural resources and recreational opportunities, the park is also rich in cultural history. Native peoples lived in and/or passed through this area for thousands of years. Their presence is evidenced by pictographs and archeological sites. In more recent history (the last 500 years) Texas has been claimed by six different nations!The Big Bend has been a home to people for many centuries, but knowledge of the Rio Grande among non-Indians dates back less than 150 years. Spanish people crossed the Rio Grande in the 16th and 17th centuries searching for gold, silver, and fertile land. Comanche Indians crossed the river in the 19th century, traveling to and from Mexico with their raiding parties.Mexican settlers began farming on both banks of the river’s floodplain around 1900. Anglo-Americans joined in the farming after 1920, when boundary unrest ended. Cotton and food crops were grown around Castolon and what is now Rio Grande Village even after the park was established.
Big Bend is a must see. Chisos Mountains hiking. Ross Maxwell scenic drive to Santa Elena Canyon. The Rio Grande along the unpaved River Road. Mariscal Mine. And miles of desert views. Check out my blog about it with little kids at oneshot1001.blogspot.com
I spent 3 days in Big Bend and really LOVED the park!
Hiked to Hot Springs and found this manmade pool by the Rio Grande where i could enjoy a nice warm river bath, the trail to the Balanced Rock is beautiful and quite, and the view is amazing. The best part to me was the Ross Maxwell scenic drive leading to the Santa Elena Canyon, where you can hike into the canyon via the Santa Elena Canyon trail (do it til the end), not easy to find but totally worth the detour, you won't regret it, it's mystical, i found a bit of Heaven there. Will go back to Big Bend!
The Big Bend National Park could easily be considered as one of the greatest natural wonders of Far West Texas, a place where someone can discover his stamina limits and find out things about his inner self and nature that can barely find in any other part of the USA.
Tough, pure, challenging, spectacular, dangerous, mystical, amazing, great are only few of the characterizations that fit to what Big Bend is really all about.
Be aware that this place is for very experienced and tough hikers who are looking for challenging places. If you are into luxuries of the modern world, then this place is NOT for you.
While there, the best places to visit are Boquillas Canyons, the Window Trail, the South Rim hike and the old village. The nights there are magical and the skies are totally dark with millions of bright stars. This was my favorite part of the 5 day hiking..!!!! Nature at its best !!!
BORDER PATROL CHECKPOINTS. Leave the goodies at home. Really like this park! Great for hiking, window trail and hot springs trail are especially cool. Takes a little while to navigate the park and some roads are inaccessible. Cool camping spots and amazing sky gazing.
A magnificent proof that nature is big wonder. Lovely scenic drive and lot of spots to stop and click. One may need one full day to have a complete visit at this park.
Breathtaking scenery and a change from the everyday city life
If you are a Texan, a park enthusiast, love nature or even if you're not, Big Bend is a great destination. Entering the Chisos basin is unforgettable. Camping is fantastic here and the basin has a lodge and restaurant with a beautiful view of 'The Window', a parting between the mountains facing west (so beautiful sunsets abound). Hiking is definitely not for the super beginner, make sure you take plenty of water as the day heats up very quickly. The park can also be experienced by car and there is fuel available in Panther Junction.
Amazing place to visit! we hiked several trails and spend 3 days in the area. Check out Flatlander's revolt E4 for our experience at Big Bend.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXfThedUmiM&t=719s
Wonderful National Park!
Took a motorcycle ride with a friend to the Chisos Mountains. What an awesome ride. We took our Harley's on this ride starting from San Antonio, Texas.
The weather was outstanding and the views were out of this world. Being on a bike on this ride really gives you the feeling of freedom. If you have access to a bike, you need to do yourself this favor and go explore. Best ride I have ever taken. The mountains were totally awesome and while there, stop in at the Chisos Mountain Lodge. They have a great restaurant with awesome buffalo burgers. What a great way to end the ride for the day. It doesn't get better than this.
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Big Bend National Park
Hours
- Sun - Sat: 12:00 am - 11:59 pm
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Credit Cards Accepted
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Pet Friendly
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Public Restrooms
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Outdoor Seating
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No Wifi
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Private Parking
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Yes Parking
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