If you’re ready to leave civilization behind, explore both mountain and desert landscapes, and experience some of the darkest night skies in the world, look no further than Big Bend National Park.
Located in far west Texas along the Rio Grande, Big Bend is known for its remote location and diverse plant and animal life. This area of the Chihuahuan Desert is home to over 1200 plant species and over 60 different types of cacti.
My husband and I spent a week hiking and exploring Big Bend National Park in late March of 2025. We loved how remote and rugged this area was- it didn’t feel like Texas at all!
This park is absolutely massive with lots to do. There are over 150 miles of hiking trails across an area that is larger than the state of Rhode Island. Since Big Bend is so remote and large, you won’t find large crowds here which is always a plus in my book.
This post explores the 14+ best things to do in Big Bend National Park.
Chisos Basin Construction Update
Over the last few years, the NPS had planned to tear down the Chisos Basin Lodge and rebuild a new lodge to better serve the growing needs of the park.
The original lodge was built on clay soil, which eventually caused the foundation to move and damaged the structure past the point where it was reasonable to maintain. During construction, the entire Chisos Basin section of the park was to close for multiple years, making a trip to Big Bend less desirable.
As of May 2026, the lodge construction project has been cancelled. While it isn’t great news that a much-needed new lodge won’t be built anytime soon, this also means that the entire park will be open if you are planning a visit soon.
We prioritized visiting here last year right before the Chisos Basin area was set to shut down since it was supposed to be a multi-year closure.
If Big Bend is high on your list of parks to visit, I’d recommend going sooner rather than later while this section of the park is open. You never know when/if they will get funding in the future to rebuild the Chisos Basin Lodge!
As always, make sure to check the NPS website for the most up-to-date information on this project before planning your trip.
The Best Time to Visit Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park is best visited in late fall through early spring, with December through February the most ideal time. Winter brings mild temperatures during the day (typically in the 70s) which is perfect for hiking and soaking in the hot springs.
Any other time of year means incredibly hot temperatures where it is dangerous to be outside for any length of time. Most of the trails in the park don’t have much shade, so you will get a lot of sun exposure.
Mid-March is usually a busy time to visit, as Big Bend is a popular spring break destination. Don’t worry too much about crowds here though- the park is large enough that it seldom feels crowded.
Do yourself a favor and plan a winter getaway to Big Bend. It’s one of the few parks that is fantastic to visit in January or February.
We visited Big Bend at the end of March and by 2 pm it was almost unbearable to be out hiking in the sun. The wildflowers and some species of cacti were in bloom though!
How Many Days Do You Need at Big Bend National Park?
Big Bend is a huge National Park and it will take you a long time to get here, so plan to spend at least 3-4 days here at minimum to make the trip worth your while.
Driving between the different areas of the park can take an hour or more, so you’ll want to give yourself enough time to explore without feeling rushed or spending all day in the car.
Big Bend National Park has 3 main districts, and ideally you would spend at least one day in each area.
Additionally, Big Bend Ranch State Park sits just west of the National Park and is definitely worth a day trip. We thought the state park was just as (if not more) beautiful than the National Park!
You can easily spend a week in this area, especially if you enjoy hiking.
How to Get to Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park is located in far west Texas along the Rio Grande and border with Mexico. Getting here is an adventure in itself!
The closest airports to fly into and rent a car are Midland/Odessa and El Paso.
Both airports are relatively small and will likely require a layover when traveling. Other larger airports, like Dallas or San Antonio, are an 8-hour drive from the park. You can decide if the longer road trip is worth the tradeoff of a layover and extra flight.
We flew into Midland, but had a layover in Dallas. The cost and time required was about the same compared to driving from Dallas, so we opted for the extra flight.
Big Bend National Park is about 4 hours from Midland and 4.5 hours from El Paso. You’ll take I-10 or I-20 south to one of the handful of US highways that will lead you to one of the two entrances to the park: Persimmon Gap or Maverick Junction.
You might consider staying in Midland or El Paso on the day you fly and making the drive to Big Bend the next day. We did all of it in one day and it made for an extremely long travel day!
Fees & Passes Information
It costs $30 per vehicle to enter Big Bend National Park and the pass is good for 7 days. There are no reservations required and no limit to the amount of people that can enter the park on any given day.
If you plan to visit multiple National Park sites within a calendar year, I recommend purchasing the America the Beautiful National Park Pass. The pass costs $80 and will get you into any federally-managed park (National Parks, Monuments, Historic Sites, ect) for one year.
There is now a digital pass option for 2026, in addition to the traditional physical pass. Buying the annual pass is generally worth it if you plan to visit at least 3 National Park sites within a rolling 12 months.
14+ Best Things to Do at Big Bend National Park
1. Santa Elena Canyon Trail
The Santa Elena Canyon Trail is a classic Big Bend hike that you definitely shouldn’t miss. It’s a relatively easy trail at 1.7 miles with 236 feet of elevation gain and takes you to the opening of Santa Elena Canyon along the Rio Grande.
The limestone cliffs of the canyon tower 1500 feet above you and seem to get taller the closer you hike.
You will have to cross the Terlingua Creek to complete this hike. Most of the time, the water level isn’t an issue, but we were unlucky and had a lot of rain leading up to our visit to Big Bend. The Terlingua Creek can become impassable after rain which effectively closes the trail.
Needless to say, we hiked to the Terlingua Creek and still got a decent view of the canyon. Hopefully you can hike the entire trail during your visit and avoid flash floods!
The trailhead for the Santa Elena Canyon hike is located at the end of Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive.
2. Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive
The Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive is the most accessible way to see a lot of the most beautiful scenery in Big Bend National Park. The 30-mile drive is 100% paved and connects Highway 118 near the Chisos Mountains with Santa Elena Canyon along the Rio Grande.
A lot of the park’s best attractions are located along this road (and listed in this post as well) so you can spend an entire day here taking in the sights and hiking.
This is how we spent our first full day in Big Bend National Park. Plan to spend at least 3 hours even if you don’t plan to hike. Our favorite stops were the Sam Nail Ranch, Tuff Canyon, and Mule Ears Viewpoint.
The scenery here is otherworldly- the bluish landscape alongside the blooming orange ocotillo plants took us by complete surprise. We couldn’t believe we were in Texas!
3. Grapevine Hills Trail to Balanced Rock
Who can resist a short and sweet hike to a balanced rock within a National Park?
This 2-mile out and back trail starts off though a sandy wash before a short and steep climb up to the balanced rock. You will have to do a little bit of rock scrambling at the very end but it is worth it!
Seeing the balanced rock is awesome in and of itself, but the surrounding scenery is beautiful as well. There are some great photo opportunities here!
Note: You will have to drive 6.3 miles down a gravel, washboard road to get to the Grapevine Hills Trailhead. You will be fine in any high-clearance vehicle, but I might hesitate to take a sedan down this road.
4. Lost Mine Trail
The Lost Mine trail is hands-down the best hike in the park (other than maybe Emory Peak). At 4.8 miles with 1,145 feet of elevation gain, it’s definitely not the easiest hike but it is 100% worth it!
This trail takes you up through a saddle within the Chisos Mountains to a viewpoint that overlooks the larger Chisos Basin. The Chisos Mountains are the heart of the park, with the entire formation being contained inside the National Park boundaries.
I recommend doing this one in the morning so you’ll have shade on the way up.
Parking can be really tough at this trail- the lot is very small and you aren’t allowed to park on the road. We were able to park in a nearby turnout and walk to the trailhead, but even those spots were filling up by 8:30 am.
5. Mule Ears
This viewpoint is located off of the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. Once you look at it for a few seconds, you’ll understand why they call it “mule ears.”
There is also a moderate hike you can do to get a closer view of the mule ears. It’s 3.8 miles with a little over 400 feet of elevation gain via the Mule Ear Spring Trail.
6. Emory Peak
Emory Peak is the tallest point in Big Bend National Park at 7,825 feet. You can hike to the top of the peak if you’re up for a very strenuous day hike.
The Emory Peak Trail is 10.1 miles round trip with 2,483 feet of elevation gain. You’ll want to get a very early start and avoid hiking in the summer as the trail is exposed with no shade.
Carry lots of water and understand your fitness level before hiking this trail.
7. Rio Grande Hot Springs
Did you know that Big Bend National Park has its own natural hot springs? The hot springs district of the park preserves J.O Langford’s homestead from the early 1900s.
Today, you can still soak in the 105-degree hot springs along the Rio Grande in the original foundation of the bathhouse.
The hot spring is not directly accessible by car- you will have to walk about a quarter of a mile to get to it so keep that in mind.
We were here midday and found it way too hot to think about soaking in a hot spring, but we saw a lot of people doing it!
Note: You will likely see people swimming in the river next to the hot springs, but the NPS warns against it due to unpredictable river currents. No alcohol is allowed here, either.
8. The Window Trail & Viewpoint
The Window is the single point in the Chisos Mountains where all water drains out of the basin. It is a dramatic, narrow pour off point that overlooks the surrounding Chihuahuan Desert.
You can view The Window from a distance via a short, paved trail to the viewpoint or you can get up close and personal with a longer hike.
The Window Trail is 5.6 miles with almost 1000 feet of elevation gain. You’ll hike down almost the entire way and have to climb back up on your way out. I’d prioritize doing this hike first thing in the morning so you have some shade on the way back up!
9. Kayak the Rio Grande
One thing about Big Bend National Park that really surprised us was how shallow and accessible the Rio Grande is from multiple locations in the park (I guess I pictured a much larger river since it is the Rio GRANDE after all).
If you’re looking to experience being on the river, you can rent kayaks or canoes and take a float trip on the river. There are lots of local outfitters that will shuttle you to and from the river, along with providing guided tours.
Trips range from a few hours to multiple days. If we had another day to spend in Big Bend, I would have seriously considered a float trip!
10. Boquillas Canyon Trail
This 1.4-mile trail takes you through the beautiful Boquillas Canyon right alongside the Rio Grande. You’ll climb over a small hill and then drop down into the canyon where you end up right next to the river.
This trail is located in the same area as the Rio Grande Hot Springs, so it’s easy to go for a soak in the springs after your hike (if it’s not too hot!). Hiking + a soak in the hot springs is one of the best things to do in Big Bend National Park!
Again, I can’t stress enough how important hiking early in the morning or evening is. We hiked this trail at 2 pm in late March and it was HOT!
You will also likely see Mexican crafts set along this trail for purchase. Purchasing these items is technically illegal, and you’ll see signs around the park not to.
Fun fact: This trail is where we learned that Big Bend National Park is home to “wild” horses! They’re not technically wild, but they are owned by Mexican residents and are allowed to freely graze near the Rio Grande. We saw 2 of them when we hiked this trail!
11. Visit Boquillas, Mexico
If you’ve got a valid passport and a desire to cross the border into Mexico, put Boquillas del Carmen on your list of things to do in Big Bend!
There is a parking lot in the Boquillas section of the park with a port of entry. You will pay a small fee to be ferried across the river in a rowboat over to Boquillas del Carmen. There are a couple of restaurants and a handful of small gift shops where you can (legally) purchase Mexican crafts.
US dollars are accepted here and it is recommended to bring cash.
If this is something you want to do, make sure to check out the NPS website before your visit for the latest information.
We chose not to do this since we aren’t big on crafts and would rather spend our time elsewhere in the park, but I’ve heard the restaurants in town are great!
12. Ernst Tinaja Trail
This short, easy 1-mile trail takes you through a sandy wash to a large tinaja, a natural basin in the rock that collects water and snowmelt year-round.
You will have to drive 5 miles down the rugged Old Ore Road to get to the trailhead. The NPS has this road listed as maintained for high-clearance 4×4’s only.
We originally planned to do this trail since the reviews were great, but ultimately we didn’t feel comfortable taking our rental car down this road so we unfortunately had to pass on this trail for now.
13. Stargazing
If you’re looking to stargaze, Big Bend National Park is THE place to be. It has the lowest light pollution of any of the National Parks in the lower 48 states. If you’re lucky, you might be able to catch a ranger-led stargazing program within the park.
The McDonald Observatory star parties are also an excellent way to experience the dark night skies near Big Bend. The observatory is a good 2 hours from the park, but it will be on your way if you’re heading back to the El Paso or Midland airports on your way to or from Big Bend.
We originally wanted to do a star party at the McDonald Observatory, but they were unfortunately closed on the day we were passing through.
We did find another stargazing opportunity with Dark Texas Skies in Marathon (much closer than the McDonald Observatory). The group meets at the Marathon Motel and RV Park and is led by astronomer Bill Ramey.
Bill is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the dark skies and we had an incredible time learning from him (just don’t tell him you think the Earth is flat!).
We saw the Milky Way, Mars, and Venus, along with many other constellations. Our group was relatively small and we all got a chance to look through the telescope multiple times and ask questions.
I highly recommend booking your spot in advance and planning your trip around the phases of the moon as this was one of our favorite experiences from our trip!
14. Fossil Discovery Exhibit
Learn more about the geology of Big Bend National Park at the Fossil Discovery Exhibit.
Located 8 miles north of Panther Junction, the exhibit has replicas of ancient plants and animals that once inhabited this area over 130 million years ago.
BONUS: Big Bend Ranch State Park
Did you know that there is an incredible State Park located just west of Big Bend National Park?
Big Bend Ranch State Park is just as impressive (if not more impressive) than the National Park and many people skip it. The scenery here rivals the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive and there are some fun, short trails along the way as well.
Spend a day driving the main park road and taking in the scenery. I also recommend hiking the Closed Canyon Trail and visiting Fort Leaton in Presidio.
BONUS: Terlingua Ghost Town
Terlingua used to be a large mercury mining district back in the early 1900s. The mines closed in the 1940s, leaving behind an abandoned ghost town.
You can explore the ruins of the Chisos Mining Company and some of the original town buildings via a self-guided tour.
Don’t forget to have dinner at the Starlight Theater and shop at Terlingua Trading Company for souvenirs. This can be a fun way to spend an evening after exploring the park.
Where to Stay Near Big Bend National Park
The best place to stay when visiting Big Bend National Park is Terlingua, Texas. Terlingua is a small, tourist town located just 10 minutes from the park boundary.
There are a lot of local hotels, Airbnbs, and restaurants to choose from- you won’t find any chain businesses here.
We did find the lodging in Terlingua to be on the more expensive end, though. We stayed in one of these A-frame cabins and had a great experience.
Alpine or Marathon are other decent options, but they are each about an hour drive from the northernmost park boundary and an hour and a half from the Chisos Basin area of the park. Lodging prices here tend to be a bit lower than Terlingua, so you’ll have to decide if the cost savings is worth the extra time in the car for you.
Big Bend is a huge park and you will spend a lot of time in the car just driving to different sections of the park. I do think it’s worth spending more money to stay in Terlingua vs. Alpine or Marathon because it will save you hours of driving.
If you really want to maximize location convenience, Big Bend does have one in-park lodge, the Chisos Mountain Lodge. At the time of writing, it is open with a limited capacity but the on-site restaurant is closed for renovations (they do have a food truck on-site while the restaurant is closed).
The location is super convenient, but it can be difficult to snag a reservation and there are limited amenities. If you can get a reservation and don’t mind eating at the same restaurant or driving to Terlingua for dinner multiple days, the lodge is a great place to stay.
I hope this post helped you understand just how many cool things there are to do in Big Bend National Park!
What are you most excited for during your trip? Let me know in the comments below!
-Megan
