Big Bend National Park Travel Guide

"Remote and massive, this southwestern Texas park is larger than Rhode Island and uniquely contains the entire Chisos Mountains. I come for dark skies, long scenic drives like Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive with volcanic views and interpretive signs, passport-in-hand crossings of the Rio Grande by tiny boat for a quick bite in Mexico, soaks in the historic hot springs, and leisurely floats through three 1,500-foot limestone canyons. Visits are best November through April; holidays are busy, winter storms can close roads, and summer heat can soar to 115°F. Plan carefully: cell service and Wi‑Fi are limited, amenities are few, gas can be pricey or run out in and near the park (I fill up in Alpine or Marathon), and lodging and campsites book up fast; I give myself at least two days, ideally three to four, often adding time in the adjacent state park. Wildlife rewards patient eyes—bobcats, gray foxes, mule deer, coyotes, and collared peccaries, plus more than 450 bird species including the Colima warbler; about 40 black bears have returned, and mountain lions remain elusive. Hiking spans three distinct environments: desert routes like Lower Burro Mesa Pour‑off and Chimneys, Chisos classics like the must‑do Window Trail and the more primitive Lost Mine, and river‑canyon favorites like Hot Springs, Boquillas, and the iconic Santa Elena Canyon." - Carrie Dennis Carrie Dennis Carrie Dennis is a New York City-based writer and editor with more than a decade of content strategy experience. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Gothamist, Time magazine, Men’s Journal, Redbook, and Thrillist. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines