The Ultimate Guide to Camping in Big Bend National Park

Jennifer Melroy
Last Modified January 27, 2024
First Published on November 19, 2019

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you book or buy something through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you! Read the full disclosure policy here

Big Bend National Park is a hidden gem along the United States / Mexico border. This massive park is a diverse mix of desert, mountains, and rivers. It is a geological wonder that charts the movements of tectonic plates like no other national park. The park is home to the tail ends of both the Appalachian Mountains and the Rocky Mountains and been further shaped by volcanos and rivers. The park is covered with the diverse plant life of the Chihuahuan Desert, Chisos Mountain range, Rio Grande River valley. Get a jump on exploring the park by camping in Big Bend National Park.

Here is everything you need to know about front-country camping in Big Bend National Park.

Planning a Trip to Texas? Download your free Texas National Park Map HERE.

Does Big Bend Trip Planning Leave You Feeling Overwhelmed?

Jump right into booking your Big Bend National Park trip with our expertly designed, pre-made, downloadable National Park itineraries.

Get Yours Today!

Big Bend National Park Camping

Things to Know about Big Bend Camping

All campgrounds are open year-round. Reservations are available from November 15 – April 15. All sites are first-come-first-serve for the rest of the year.
Only Rio Grande Village and Chisos Basin Campgrounds have ADA specific sites. The Rio Grande RV Village has paved sites for RV users. All campgrounds have ADA accessible toilets and other campsites are level and may be usable by people in wheelchairs.
Reservations are released 6-months rolling basis. Make your reservation as early as possible. Space can fill up fast, especially around spring break.
RV’s are limited to the Rio Grande Campground and RV Park. RV’s under 24 feet and trailers under 19 ft are allowed in Chisos Basin Campground.
Quiet Hours are from 8 pm to 8 am. Generator use is limited to specific sites or the RV Park.
Most campsites can have up to 8 people. You are allowed a maximum of one-wheeled camping vehicle and one tent or four tents and two passenger vehicles per site. Please note some of the smaller sites are unable to accommodate eight people.
All wood and ground fires are PROHIBITED including pressed wood logs or wood chips. Charcoal grills and gas grills are permissible, provided they are attended at all times. Do not place charcoal grills on tables.
Store all food items in your car or bear box. Please do NOT leave any food, utensils out, or any scented items. This includes toothpaste, toothbrush, chapstick. Pretty much put everything but what you are going to sleep in your car. Big Bend National Park is in bear country. Properly secure all items so no wildlife can get it.
Be prepared for gusty winds. Ensure all items are properly secured. These winds have been known to blow tents around.
Pay attention to the weather. Low areas near the Rio Grande River are subject to flooding.

Getting to Big Bend National Park

The closest airport to Big Bend is the Midland/Odessa Airport (MAF). Midland/Odessa Airport is located about 3 hours from the park’s Persimmon Gap entrance. The closest mid-sized commercial airport is El Paso International (ELP). El Paso is about 4.5 hours from Big Bend.

While there is no public transportation to Big Bend National Park, Amtrak’s Sunset Unlimited and Greyhound buses stop in Alpine, Texas. You can rent a car in Alpine and make the hour drive to the park.

Estimated Drive time to Big Bend National Park

Alpine, Texas – 1 hour
Midland, Texas – 3 hours
El Paso, Texas – 4.5 hours
San Antonio, Texas – 6 hours
Dallas, Texas – 8 hours
Houston, Texas – 9 hours

Planning on going camping in Big Bend National Park? Confused about which campsite to pick. National Park Obsessed's Ultimate Guide is here to help you pick the very best campsite. Big Bend national park vacation. Big Bend national park | Big Bend national park vacation | Big Bend national park photography | Big Bend national park itinerary | Big Bend hikes | Big Bend itinerary

Where to camp in Big Bend National Park?

Big Bend Campground Map

Campgrounds in Big Bend National Park

Chisos Basin Campground
Cottonwood Campground
Rio Grande Village Campground
Rio Grande Village RV Park

Campgrounds near Big Bend National Park

Big Bend Resort and Adventures
Big Bend State Park
BJ’s RV Park
Longhorn Ranch Motel
Marathon Motel and Trailer Court
Maverick Ranch RV Park
Rancho Topanga Campgrounds
Stillwell’s RV Park/Store
Study Butte RV Park

Camping at Big Bend National Park

** All Campground prices are valid as of 19 November 2019.

Big Bend Campgrounds

Chisos Basin Campground

Chisos Basin Campground is the prime campground for those looking to explore the Chisos mountains. The campground is located on a small plateau in the mountains with an epic view of the desert. The campground is perfectly located for hikers looking to hike the Window Trail, Lost Mine or Emory Peak. The sites are fairly private and most of the sites have a covered shelter for shade.

The road to the campground is narrow and windy. Vehicles are restricted to 24 ft in length and 19 ft trailers.

Season	Year Around
Number of Sites	60 individual sites & 7 group sites (ADA individual sites available)
Fee per night	$14 per individual site $3 per person for group sites
Reservations Available	Yes, 26 sites are reservable November 15 – May 31
Max RV Length	24 ft
RV Hook-up	No
Restrooms	Flush Toilets – Year Round
Water	Cold Running Water
Showers	No
Max Length of Stay	14 Days
Wheelchair Accessibility	Yes – site #37 is fully accessible for wheel chair users. Other nearby sites are flat and may be suitable for wheelchair users.
Wifi on Property	No
Laundry Facilities	No
Pets Allowed	Yes, but please review the Big Bend National Park Pet Policy
Typical Fill Time	Walk-in typically fills early afternoon on the weekends. The campground typically doesn’t fill during weekdays outside of spring break season.
Closest General Store	Camp store in Chisos Basin by the visitor center.

Cottonwood Campground

Cottonwood Campground is the smallest campground in the park. This campground is a tent-only campground near the Rio Grande River and Castolon Historic District. The campground is set in a stand of cottonwood trees and provides shade.

Season	Year Around
Number of Sites	24 individual sites & 1 group sites
Fee per night	$14 per individual site $3 per person for group sites
Reservations Available	First-come-first-serve
Max RV Length	N/A
RV Hook-up	No
Restrooms	Vault Toliet
Water	Cold Running Water
Showers	No
Max Length of Stay	14 Days
Wheelchair Accessibility	No – the toilets are wheelchair-accesible. The campsites are not accessible but some are level and may be useable by people in wheelchairs.
Wifi on Property	No
Laundry Facilities	No
Pets Allowed	Yes, but please review the Big Bend National Park Pet Policy
Typical Fill Time	Typically fills early afternoon on the weekends. The campground typically doesn’t fill during weekdays outside of spring break season.
Closest General Store	Camp store in Castolon by the visitor center. **Note, the store is currently closed due to construction in the Castolon Historic District.

Rio Grande Village Campground

Rio Grande Village Campground is located near the Rio Grande River and the Mexican town of Boquillas. This large campground is has a fair amount of shade and some sites offer great privacy.

This campground tends to be really hot during the summer.

Season	Year Around
Number of Sites	100 individual sites & 4 group sites (ADA individual sites available)
Fee per night	$14 per individual site $3 per person for group sites
Reservations Available	Yes, 43 sites are reservable November 15 – May 31
Max RV Length	N/A
RV Hook-up	No
Restrooms	Flush Toliets
Water	Cold Running Water
Showers	Yes
Max Length of Stay	14 Days
Wheelchair Accessibility	Yes – site #14 is fully accessible for wheel chair users. Other nearby sites are flat and may be suitable for wheelchair users.
Wifi on Property	No
Laundry Facilities	Yes
Pets Allowed	Yes, but please review the Big Bend National Park Pet Policy
Typical Fill Time	Typically fills early afternoon on the weekends. The campground typically doesn’t fill during weekdays outside of spring break season.
Closest General Store	Camp Store is located in Rio Grande Village area

Rio Grande Village RV Campground

The Rio Grande Village RV Campground is a concessionaire run RV park with full hookups. The RV Campground is basically a parking lot for RV’s. The lot is surrounded by cottonwood trees but the trees don’t provide any shade in the campground.

This campground tends to be really hot during the summer.

Season	Year Around
Number of Sites	25 individual sites (ADA individual sites available)
Fee per night	$33 per double occupancy with a $3 per additonal person
Reservations Available	Yes, 20 sites are reservable
Max RV Length	40 ft
RV Hook-up	Yes
Restrooms	Flush Toliets
Water	Cold Running Water
Showers	Yes
Max Length of Stay	14 Days
Wheelchair Accessibility	Yes, the sites are all paved
Wifi on Property	No
Laundry Facilities	Yes
Pets Allowed	Yes, but please review the Big Bend National Park Pet Policy
Typical Fill Time	Typically fills early afternoon on the weekends. The campground typically doesn’t fill during weekdays outside of spring break season.
Closest General Store	Camp Store is located in Rio Grande Village area

Get help planning your trip to Big Bend National Park

Get your National Park Obsessed gear!

Jennifer Melroy

Jennifer is a long time national park blogger and the founder of National Park Obsessed. She is a dedicated National Park lover who is working on visiting all 63 US National Parks. She has currently been to 58 of the National Parks. She is dedicated to sharing her knowledge of the Parks with others and helping them learn to love the parks as much as she does.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF LAND

On this site, we promote travel to the United States and beyond that are the traditional lands of Indigenous and First Nations peoples.

With respect, I make a formal land acknowledgment, extending my appreciation and respect to these lands’ past and present people.

To learn more about the people who call these lands home, I invite you to explore Native Land.

DISCLAIMER

National Park Obsessed assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this site (NationalParkObsessed.com). The information contained in this site is provided with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness. You are encouraged to conduct your own due diligence before acting on the information provided on this site and should not rely on the opinions expressed here.

There is an inherent risk in all outdoor recreation activities, the reader assumes all responsibility for their own personal safety.

DISCLOSURE

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Select stock photography provided depositphotos