What to do in Big Bend National Park in a Week
I’m not sure if it’s the honeymoon period of the first couple weeks back on the road, but it’s safe to say I’m obsessed with Big Bend National Park. In fact, it quickly earned a spot on my list of top 5 favorite national parks. I’m sure the folks at Big Bend will be thrilled—after all, it’s a very prestigious list 😉
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“Big Bend” refers to the 90 degree turn that the Rio Grande River makes in southern Texas and northern Mexico. Located on the border of the US and Mexico, Big Bend has a port of entry and day trips to Mexico are easy and really fun (it’s almost assuredly the quickest US border crossing you’ll ever do).
Big Bend National Park is the epitome of diverse terrain—mountains, desert, and river are all found here, and each have their own unique landscape. It’s the only national park to contain an entire mountain range within its boundaries.
History is plentiful here as well. Dinosaur fossils, geology, and human history abound. If you’re into wildlife (hello javelinas!) or bird watching, it’s the place to be. Big Bend is a hotspot for birding due to migration routes with over 450 species of birds having been spotted here.
Best Time of Year to Visit Big Bend National Park
We visited Big Bend National Park in late March—the weather was perfect and the spring blooms insane. It was my first time seeing a desert bloom and I feel like a changed woman. For real, the vibrant and plentiful colors of the wildflowers and cacti are awe-inspiring.
Based on my research methods (googling and discussing the weather with about a half dozen locals) if you visit Big Bend National Park from fall through spring you should have the best weather—warm but not scorching hot. Of course, the winter months will have cooler temps—especially at night. If it was a particularly wet year, you might luck out and see a super bloom in March or early April.
It’s worth mentioning that March is the busiest month in Big Bend as it’s a popular place for families on spring break, however we didn’t find the park to be overly crowded. It seems that it’s so large and spread out that people aren’t all congregated in one area at any given time. Also, visitation at Big Bend National Park isn’t extremely high like it is in other parks (ahem, Zion).
Where to Stay in Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park Camping (front country)
There are four front country campgrounds in the park. Some have hook-ups and some don’t. See the Big Bend camping page for more information on each.
Big Bend National Park Camping (backcountry)
Throughout the park there are numerous primitive sites along unpaved roads. These sites can only be reserved up to 24 hours in advance by visiting the backcountry permitting office.
The park staff monitors the primitive sites and assigns them on a first come, first served basis. They filled up every day when we were there—probably because they’re a great deal and provide peaceful camp spots with incredible views. For $12 you can purchase a backcountry permit that allows you to stay at these sites up to 14 days.
Your best bet at getting a site is to arrive at the permitting office when it opens and/or plan to spend a night outside the park (like we did) and book for the next day. Note that these sites are primitive—meaning there aren’t amenities of any kind including bathrooms, garbage, or water. Be prepared to use Leave No Trace Principles if you want to camp here. Always poop responsibly friends.
Big Bend National Park Lodging
If you’re looking for plumbing, electricity, and fresh linens in the park, the Chisos Mountains Lodge has 72 rooms, a dining room, and camp store.
Camping Outside the Park
If you’re going in and out of the park, most people stay in the Study Butte/Terlingua area. There are multiple campgrounds and ranches to choose from including this RV park and Inn that gets great reviews.
We spent a night at Stillwell’s north of the park. If you opt for dry camping here, it is exactly that—just a cleared plot of land in the desert without access to bathroom facilities. They do have a hook-up area that is much closer to their bathrooms and showers.
Hotels/Lodges Outside the Park
There are also many hotels and cabins in Study Butte.
Things to do in Big Bend National Park
We spent a full week here and there were plenty of thing to do in Big Bend National Park to fill our time. We actually didn’t want to leave and have many more things still on our “next time” list. Here’s what we got up to in a week in Big Bend National Park.
East Side of Big Bend National Park
Panther Junction Visitor Center
Stop here on your way into the park to get a map, chat up the rangers, check-out the exhibits, and watch the short movie. This visitor center also has a water fill station and WiFi.
Fossil Discovery Exhibit
They say everything is bigger in Texas. Apparently, that’s been true since the time of the dinosaurs. Fossils from one of the largest dinosaurs known to have existed—the Alamosaurus—were discovered in Big Bend. At this exhibit you can learn about the many giant dinosaurs that lived here over a hundred million years ago. Remember the Alamo-saurus!
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Trail at Dugout Wells
Get an introduction to the plants of the area on this easy half-mile hike that boasts views of the Chisos Mountains in the distance.
Rio Grande Village Nature Trail
This is another great hike to do early in your visit to Big Bend National Park. It’s a .75-mile trek up a hillside to views of the Rio Grande River.
Boquillas Canyon Trail
While you’re in the area, check out this trail along the bank of the Rio Grande. We even came across some horses on this hike, keeping cool in the shady canyon.
Hot Springs on the Rio Grande
A flat .75-mile trail will bring you to these natural hot springs right at the edge of the river that creates the natural border between the US and Mexico. The mineral laden water has long been thought to have miraculous healing powers. We recommend a dip in the early morning or evening when temps are cooler for optimum soaking enjoyment.
Day Trip to Mexico via Boquillas Crossing
There’s a port of entry right in Big Bend National Park, which means you can day trip to Mexico. The colorful little town of Boquillas del Carmen is just a quarter of a mile from the border and caters to national park visitors. Going to Boquillas del Carmen was one of the highlights of our time in Big Bend and a really unique experience that I highly recommend. You can read the full story of our day trip to Boquillas del Carmen here.
Balanced Rock Hike
At the end of the bumpy Grapevine Hills Road you’ll find this 2.2-mile hike to an impressive boulder and expansive views of the desert landscape.
The Chisos Mountains
Window View Trail
This short paved trail is a nice start to the Chisos Mountains area. You’ll be able to see the “Window” in the mountains from a distance.
Basin Loop Trail
Add-on this 1.8-mile hike to get even more views of the mountains from Chisos Basin.
Window Trail in Chisos Basin
This is my favorite hike that we did in Big Bend National Park. It starts in the forested mountains, drops down into a canyon, and follows Oak Creek until the pour-off at the Window in the rocks. From the Window you can see thousands of feet down to the desert sprawling out below.
Lost Mine Trail
This is the only place in the park where crowds were a bit of a problem for us. It wasn’t that the trail itself was crowded, just that there’s limited parking for this hike and it’s a very popular one—for good reason. It took us three tries before we got here early enough to snag a parking spot (try to get there before 8 am), but the views were worth the effort. Looks like three times really is the charm.
West Side of Big Bend National Park
Town of Terlingua
This one is actually outside the park, but totally worth a visit. The site of an old mining operation, Terlingua is labeled as a ghost town on the map. However, today it’s home to a small community of artists, musicians, and free thinkers—as the sign at the edge of town stated. Another sign claimed Terlingua is the Chili Cook-off Capital of the World. While we didn’t find any chili there, for a small donation we got a self-guided tour brochure and walked around the various historic sites of the ghost town.
Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive
This is a lovely drive that skirts around the edge of the Chisos Mountains through the Chihuahuan Desert landscape and down to the Rio Grande River. Our advice is to get an early start and drive to the end—Santa Elena Canyon—and work your way back. The area by the river is the warmest in the park and you likely won’t want to hike it during the hottest part of the day. The following things to do in Big Bend National Park can all be found along the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive.
Homer Wilson Ranch
Hike down the hillside to visit the site of this historic ranch beneath the Chisos Mountains.
Lower Burro Mesa Pour-off
A 1-mile flat hike leads to a majestic dry falls area. Well, dry unless there’s been a massive rainstorm. It’s a cool shady alcove with towering rock walls all around.
Mules Ears Spring Trail
This trail is more about the journey than the destination. It’s a 3.8-mile moderate trek to an unexpected spring in the middle of the arid desert. The highlight of this hike is the beautiful mountain and desert views along the way.
Castolon Historic District
This is a good place to stop for a snack break. There’s a small store, covered picnic tables, and exhibits about the human history of the area.
Santa Elena Canyon
By the time we got here, it was the hottest part of the day so we didn’t hike the canyon trail (see note above and learn from our mistakes friends)—merely stopped at the overlook and contemplated jumping right in the water. We’ve heard that this hike is stunning so if you plan your day better than we did, definitely check it out and let us know what it was like!
What to Pack for Big Bend National Park
Here are a few things we found essential while visiting Big Bend National Park.
- Passport – So you can take the trip across the Rio Grande to the town of Boquillas del Carmen.
- Portable Shower – After a long day of dusty hiking, it was great to wash off in our summer shower.
- All-Purpose Biodegradable Soap – Always use soap at least 200 feet away from water sources.
- Sun Hat – Even in the cooler seasons, the sun is intense here.
- Hydration Backpack and Bladder– Dehydration is the biggest danger in the desert.
Has anyone else been to Big Bend National Park? What was your experience like? Which area of the park was your favorite?
Related Posts:
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- Day Trip to Boquillas del Carmen, Mexico from Big Bend National Park
- 13 Road Trip Essentials
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