Visiting Big Bend National Park: The Complete Guide for 2024

Nestled in the rugged terrain of West Texas, Big Bend National Park is a vast and diverse landscape that beckons adventurers with its dramatic canyons, expansive desert, and lush river valleys. Straddling the Rio Grande, this park offers a unique blend of natural beauty and rich cultural history. Whether you’re planning to hike the scenic trails, explore the river by canoe, or discover the park’s abundant wildlife and ancient rock formations, we’ll provide you with all the essential information and tips to ensure an unforgettable journey in this extraordinary national park.

If you are planning a trip to Big Bend National Park and need some help planning your trip, this is our starter guide for visiting Big Bend National Park. We often have detailed, in-depth guides to Big Bend National Park trip planning and will link to these where appropriate to make your trip planning as easy as possible.

The article will discuss all aspects of visiting Big Bend National Park, including:

• Maps of Big Bend National Park
• General Information about Big Bend
• How to Make the Most of Your Visit
• Best Things to do in Big Bend
• Nearby National Parks

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

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Articles about Big Bend National Park

Big Bend National Park Lodging

• Camping in Big Bend National Park

Itineraries for Big Bend National Park

• One Week in Big Bend National Park

Downloadable Itineraries for Big Bend National Park

• Mini 1-Day Big Bend National Park Itinerary
• Mini 2-Day Big Bend National Park Itinerary
• Mini 3-Day Big Bend National Park Itinerary
• Mini 7-Day Texas and New Mexico National Parks Itinerary
• Mini 10-Day New Mexico and Texas National Parks Itinerary
• All Access Pass, including all Current and Future Digital Downloads

Looking for an itinerary specially designed for you? Let National Park Obsessed’s founder design the perfect itineary just for you. Get a Custom National Park Itinerary Here. Or do you just want to chat 1-on-1 with a Natioanl Park planning expert? Book a National Park Travel Consultation.

Other Articles featuring Big Bend National Park

• Best National Parks to Visit in the Fall
• Best National Parks to Visit in the Spring
• Best Day Hikes in the National Parks

Map of Big Bend National Park

Click on the Big Bend Map above to download the official brochure map. If you’d like a PDF copy of this Big Bend Map click here.

Big Bend National Park Basics

• Region: Southwest
• State: Texas
• Park Size: 801,163 acres (1251.82 sq miles) (3242.19 sq km)
• Location: Brewster County
• Closest Cities: Alpine, Texas
• Busy Season: October to May
• Visitation: 509,129 (in 2023)
• Funniest 1-Star Review: And to top it off we never got to see any bears or mountain lions. You’d think with a park that size and such low populations of those critters they could train them to hang out 100 yards or so from the trails and stuff, but apparently our government is too incompetent to even pull off some basic services. Thanks a lot Obama.
• Official Website: NPS.gov

How much does Big Bend National Park Cost?

Big Bend National Park costs the following:

• 7-day Passenger Vehicle Pass – $30
• 7-day Motorcycle Pass – $25
• 7-day Individual Pass – $15

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Get free admission to all 116 fee-charging National Park Units with the America the Beautiful Pass.

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When is Big Bend National Park Open?

Big Bend National Park is open year-round.

Are dogs allowed in Big Bend National Park?

Yes, pets are welcome in Big Bend National Park but are limited to developed areas such as roads, parking areas, picnic areas, and campgrounds. Pets are not allowed on the trails in the park. Please review the Big Bend Pet Policy before bringing your dog to Big Bend.

• Pets are not allowed on trails, off roads, or on the river. Your pet can only go where your car can go.
• Pets are not allowed to go into Mexico at the Boquillas Port of Entry.
• Pets need to be on a leash no longer than six feet in length (or in a cage) at all times.
• You may not leave your pet unattended in vehicles if it creates a danger to the animal, or if the animal becomes a public nuisance.
• If you plan to hike or take a river trip, someone must stay behind with the pet, or you will need to make arrangements with a kennel service. There is no kennel service in the park.
• Pet etiquette and park regulations require that you always clean up after your pet and dispose of waste in trash receptacles.

Where are Big Bend National Park’s visitor centers?

• Panther Junction – year-round
• Chisos Basin – year-round
• Rio Grande Village – November – April
• Persimmon Gap – November – April
• Castolon – November – April

Land Acknowledgment

The park, now known as Big Bend National Park, is on Jumanos, Coahuiltecan, Mescalero Apache, Chiso, and Pescado land.

Thank you to the Native Land Digital for making the Indigenous territories accessible to all. They have mapped the known territories to the best of the current knowledge and is a work in progress. If you have additional information on the Indigenous nations boundaries, please let them know.

Native Land Digital is a registered Canadian not-for-profit organization with the goal to creates spaces where non-Indigenous people can be invited and challenged to learn more about the lands they inhabit, the history of those lands, and how to actively be part of a better future going forward together.

How Much Time Should I Spend Visiting Big Bend National Park?

If you have a couple of hours in Big Bend National Park, drive the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive

If you have one day in Big Bend National Park, hike Lost Mine Trail or Windows Trail.

If you have two days in Big Bend National Park, hike to Balanced Rock and visit the Hot Springs.

If you have three or more days in Big Bend National Park, cross the Rio Grande River and visit Mexico.

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!

Things to do in Big Bend National Park

Hiking in Big Bend National Park

• Santa Elana Canyon – 1.4 miles (round trip) – 150 ft elevation gain – Hike along the Rio Grande River into this spectacular canyon. May be impassable when the Terlingua Creek floods.
• Balanced Rock Trail – 2 miles (round trip) – 250 ft elevation gain – A mostly flat trail with a steep climb at the end to a group of balanced rocks. The road out to the trailhead is very rough.
• Lost Mine Trail – 4.8 miles (round trip) – 1,130 ft elevation gain – A moderate trail through the Chisos Mountains with superb views of Pine Canyon and the Sierra del Carmen in Mexico.
• The Windows Trail – 5.2 mile (round trip)-950 ft elevation gain – Follow Oak Creek as it winds through a canyon before ending at a pour-off with a panoramic desert view.

Best Things to Do in Big Bend National Park

• Soak in the Hot Springs
• Float down the Rio Grande
• Junior Ranger Badge
• Chihuahuan Desert Nature Trail
• Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive
• Tuff Canyon Trail

Best Things to See in Big Bend National Park

• Fossil Bone Exhibit
• Rio Grande River
• Boquillas Canyon Trail
• Sam Nail Ranch
• Mule Ears Point
• Soltol Vista

Best Guided Tours of Big Bend National Park

Big Bend National Park Wildlife

• Black Bear
• Javelina
• Desert Bighorn Sheep
• Greater Roadrunner
• Common Black-hawk
• Western Coachwhip

Where to stamp your National Parks Passport Book in Big Bend National National Park?

The National Park Passport Book is the BEST and cheapest National Park souvenir. Every National Park Obsessed person should have one of these books.

IMPORTANT: Do NOT stamp your government-issued passport.

There are six official Stamps for Big Bend National Park. Here is the list of National Park Passport Stamps you can get in Big Bend National Park:

• Big Bend NP
• Castolon
• Chisos Basin
• Panther Junction
• Persimmon Gap
• Rio Grande Village

Bonus Stamps

• Image of Cactus
• Junior Ranger

Big Bend National Park Passport Stamp Locations

Here are all the locations to find the Big Bend National Park Passport Stamps. Not every stamp is available at every location.

• Castolon Visitor Center
• Chisos Basin Visitor Center
• Panther Junction Visitor Center
• Persimmon Gap Visitor Center
• Rio Grande Village Visitor Center

National Parks Near Big Bend National Park

National Park Service units within a 4 hours drive

• Amistad National Recreation Area
• Carlsbad Caverns National Park
• Fort Davis National Historic Site
• Guadalupe Mountains National Park
• Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River

National Park Service units within an 8 hours drive

• Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument
• Chamizal National Memorial
• Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
• Lake Meredith National Recreation Area
• Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park
• Padre Island National Seashore
• Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument
• San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
• Waco Mammoth National Monument
• White Sands National Monument

Final Thoughts on Big Bend National Park

Do you have any questions about Big Bend National Park, let us know in the comments below or need help planning your National Park trips. Let me know in the comments or join me in my National Park Trip Planning Community!

Pin for Later: The Complete Guide to Visiting Big Bend National Park in 2024