Guide to Visiting Big Bend National Park
"Bigger than Rhode Island and the only national park that contains an entire mountain range, the Chisos Mountains, this park is extremely remote, with dark skies, long roads, and very few amenities inside the boundaries. It’s excellent for hiking, scenic drives, and the Fossil Discovery Exhibit, though visitors are advised to plan at least a couple of days to explore both the national park and adjacent state park for activities like horseback riding and river floating. Tom VandenBerg, the chief of visitor services, emphasizes planning: “There’s a lot here to see and to unpack on any visit. Every American should come to the park at least once in their life because it’s really unlike anywhere else.” Expect limited cell service and Wi‑Fi, gas stations that can be expensive or run out during busy times, and the need to download maps and keep fuel topped up; as Lou LaGrange warns, “This is an adventurous trip. It’s rural, rewarding, and fascinating, and it feels like you’ve gone away from it all. But adventure is the key word here.” The best visiting window is November through April for mild hiking and camping conditions (arrive early at popular trailheads), while May–September can hit extreme desert heat (temperatures have reached 115°F). Wildlife highlights include bobcats, gray foxes, mule deer, coyotes, collared peccaries, over 450 bird species (including the Colima warbler), a population of about 40 black bears that recolonized from Mexico in the late ’80s and ’90s, and elusive mountain lions. Notable drives and routes include over 120 miles of paved scenic roads such as the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive with volcanic formations and interpretive signs; more adventurous visitors can arrange 4x4 backcountry tours. River experiences include leisurely floats down the Rio Grande through three 1,500‑foot limestone canyons (river permits are possible for those with their own gear), and crossings into Mexico are possible with passports and preferably a guide. Trail options span desert lowlands, the Chisos Mountains (the popular Window Trail and the 4.8‑mile Lost Mine Trail), and river canyon hikes such as the Hot Springs Trail, Boquillas Canyon Trail, and Santa Elena Canyon Trail—“I think everybody should do The Window,” Adam Brower says, calling it “not too short, but at the same time not too long, and it has a cool payoff at the end.” Plan at least a two‑ to three‑day visit (four days is ideal) and consult rangers to match trails to ability so you don’t overestimate yourself in the desert." - 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
