Be sure to check out my Top 5 Best Hike in Big Bend page, my How to Spend 1 Day in Big Bend page, our 2 week Texas and New Mexico Itinerary and the Southwest Region page for other ideas around the best things to do in Big Bend National Park!
*Last updated 2/24/2024
Best Things to Do in Big Bend National Park
Table of Contents
How Long to Stay at Big Bend National Park
While you could spend 1 day in Big Bend and have a great day, I would recommend a longer stay since there is a lot see and it is a bit out of the way to get here. 3-5 days would be ideal in my opinion as it is one of the bigger national parks. Additionally, there are 3 main areas of the park, so 3 days gives you a full day in each area.
If you are planning to fly, the nearest major city is El Paso, which is a 5-6 hour drive. However, I highly recommend driving the more scenic stretch of Presidio to Lajitas (or vice versa if you are heading out of Big Bend) as it is a beautiful drive through Big Bend State Park. Additionally, San Antonio is about a 7 hour drive.
We spent 3 full days (4 nights) and could have easily spent an entire week. We visited in January, where the days were beautiful, but the nights get cold. Additionally, the summer can get extremely hot, so that can impact the length of your visit and you will probably want to spend your time early morning or late afternoon to avoid the heat. Be sure to check weather conditions before your trip and utilize the current information from the park service.
Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park is one of the largest national parks in the lower 48 United States. It is known as “Texas’ Gift to the Nation”. Additionally, it is less visited than some other national parks due to it’s remoteness and distance from major cities.
The park has 3 distinct areas, each with it’s own campground:
- Santa Elena Canyon and Cottonwood Campground (west)
- Chisos Basin and Chisos Basin Campground (central)
- Boquillas Canyon and Rio Grande Village Campground (east)
Santa Elena Canyon (West)
Santa Elena Canyon is a beautiful, huge canyon spanning the Rio Grande. On the US side there is the Santa Elena Canyon trail, which traverses along the canyon wall. However, be aware that the beginning of the trail can get flooded when the river level is high, so be sure to check conditions with the visitor center.
Additionally, there are kayak/canoe/raft tours when the water level is high enough. Also, I have to imagine it would amazing to kayak through Santa Elena canyon. However, there is a boat entry ramp near Santa Elena canyon if you have your own watercraft.
The Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive is the road that ends at Santa Elena Canyon. Additionally, be sure you leave enough time to enjoy the views on this scenic drive. Additionally, you can stop in the historic Castalon area (and visitor center). Nearby, the historic La Harmonia Store was badly damaged during a fire in 2019.
Chisos Mountains (Central)
Chisos Basin campground is in the middle of the beautiful Chisos mountain range. As such, it’s campground fills up the quickest. However, it is mostly tent campers as larger RVs are not permitted on the road to up Chisos Basin.
Lost Mine Trail is the most popular hike in the park. It is a 4.8 mile roundtrip hike, with 2.4 miles mostly up and the return 2.4 miles mostly down. Be aware that due to is popularity, you will need to arrive early (8am at the latest) or the small parking lot will be full. If you aren’t a morning person or sleep in too late, plan to show up after noon as people are leaving.
Some other popular hikes are the window trail and window view trail. The Window View Trail is an easy and short loop to view the “window” gap through the mountains. However, the Window Trail is much longer and leads all the way to the actual “window”. Additionally, there is the South Rim and Emory Peak trails, which are much more strenuous.
We also hiked Grapevine Hills Trail, which leads to Balanced Rock, famous for people posing holding the giant bolder. However, be aware that the NPS site recommend high clearance / 4×4 for the unpaved road to the trailhead. There were no signs on the road so we unknowingly did it in an Odyssey minivan and also saw other non-4×4 vehicles. It is probably best to check with a ranger to check road conditions before driving out.
North of the Chisos Basin (towards the north entrance) is the Fossil Discovery Exhibit. It details many of the fossils that have been discovered in the area. It is a great stop for dinosaur-loving children.
Boquillas Canyon (East)
The Boquillas Canyon area has some great sights! The Hot Springs trail includes historical buildings, petroglyphs, and the hot springs themselves, where you can soak in the warm water with a view of the Rio Grande. Also, nearby you can view the Boquillas Canyon Overlook and hike Boquillas Canyon trail. Additionally, on certain days you can cross the border into Mexico and visit the town of Boquillas del Carmen (described below).
The are camping option is Rio Grande Village Campground. Additionally, we chose to camp there as it is seemed to be a little easier for towing campers than Chisos Basin. Rio Grande Village also has an area for RV hookups, which are the only hookups in the park. Also, there is a Rio Grande Village Nature trail that starts in the campground and has great views of the Rio Grande river. We hiked that trail numerous times during our stay.
Additionally, we saw some wildlife in the Rio Village campground including both coyotes and roadrunners! We looked for javalinas, a tusked, pig-like animal, which are known to frequent the area, but never did see one.
Additionally, there is Ernst Tinaja trail, a short 1 mile round trip hike, but we did not do this one as the NPS requires 4×4 high clearance to drive the road.
crossing the border to Boquillas del carmen, Mexico
Taking a row boat across the Rio Grande river and riding a burro over to the Mexican Pueblo town of Boquillas del Carmen is one of the most memorable experiences of my childhood. I distinctly remember going when I was about 10 years old, so it was fun to be able to give that experience to my children as well.
Things have changed a little. When I went over 30 years ago, the only electricity was a generator-powered refrigerator used to sell cold drinks to tourists. However, today there is a solar grid that supplies basic power to the village and you’ll even see tv satellite dishes lining some of the houses.
The town has a population of only about 200-300 people, so there is honestly not a lot to do other than the previously mentioned boat and burro rides. However, you can eat lunch at one of the two restaurants in town and do some souvenir shopping. To be honest, Boquillas del Carmen is not be the most exciting place to visit. However, introducing your children to new cultures can be an eye-opening and educational experience.
Lastly, the ferry rowboat is $5 round trip and the optional burro ride for the 0.5 mile to town is also extra. Be aware that when you cross the river, locals will offer to guide you around town. A guide is *not* required and it is not a problem if you respectfully decline. However, we did hire a guide thinking that maybe we’d get some inside information and help support the local tourism. Unfortunately, our guide did not speak great English and we felt a little rushed so if you are looking to take your time, I’d recommend skipping the guide.
Big Bend Ranch State Park
We drove from San Antonio, Texas, to Big Bend (about 415 miles). It’s a full driving day, but you should have enough time to arrive in time to set up your campsite.
Conversely, on the way out we drove to Las Cruces, New Mexico. The scenic route along the US-Mexico border through Big Bend Ranch State Park from Lajitas to Presidio is really spectacular. I highly recommend this drive. The gorges and mountains along the Rio Grande provide beautiful views.
Additionally, the Closed Canyon Trail is really fun hike. To the west of the state park is the headquarters. Be aware that there is a permit required that you can purchase at the visitor center or trailheads (cash only).
Big Bend for Kids
Also, like every national park, make sure to pick up a Junior Ranger Program from the visitor center. There are 5 visitor centers in Big Bend, but Panther Junction is the largest.
Best Big Bend Hikes
Additionally, be sure to check out my page on the Big Bend Top 5 Best Hikes!
Also Consider Nearby
Be sure to check out our 2 week Texas and New Mexico Itinerary! Also, consider visiting San Antonio, Big Bend Ranch State Park, Fort Davis / McDonald Observatory, White Sands National Park and Carlsbad Caverns National Park on your trip in the Southwest Region.