Big Bend National Park Parks and Outdoors Travel Guide

Big Bend National Park Parks and Outdoors Travel Guide

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Parks and Outdoors Destinations Near Big Bend National Park

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Grand rock formations in Big Bend National Park, Texas
Grand rock formations of Big Bend National Park, Texas (Eric Leonard/courtesy, National Park Service )
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Big Bend National Park Parks and Outdoors Travel Tips

By Laurie Roddy

  • Big Bend may well be the most anonymous of the national parks in the Lower 48. If it's solitude you seek, you'll find it here. Besides serving up quiet in big, Texas-size portions, Big Bend boasts geologic wonders, unique wildlife, and plenty of room for hikers and campers to spread out.
  • Varied topography, numerous springs and seeps, interesting canyons, and endless sky make the trail along Smoky Creek a popular route for more experienced hikers. As long as you avoid spring break time, the trail offers plenty of solitude for much of the year.
  • Some of the Lone Star State's most scenic drives traverse the Big Bend National Park, offering views of west Texas' wide, sweeping vistas and its dramatic and rugged terrain. Although many of these roads (including the ones described below) are paved, others are more primitive, and some of these are suitable only for 4-wheel drive vehicles.
  • Established in 1944 to preserve 12,000 square miles of the Chihuahuan Desert, Big Bend is home to more than 450 kinds of birds. Big Bend is best known for the birds in the Chisos Mountains.
  • The extreme temperatures and geographic isolation of the park have given rise to animals specifically adapted to the area's many environmental niches. The Colima warbler, the greater long-nosed bat, and the Sierra del Carmen Mountains white-tailed deer are found nowhere else north of Mexico. The endangered Big Bend mosquito fish lives only here. And although this isn't the only place in the world to spot mountain lions or black bear, sightings of these gorgeous creatures are always a delight for park visitors.

Big Bend National Park Overview

Big Bend may well be the most anonymous of the national parks in the Lower 48. If it's solitude you seek, you'll find it here. Besides serving up quiet in big, Texas-size portions, Big Bend boasts geologic wonders, unique wildlife, and plenty of room for hikers and campers to spread out. Read More

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Hotels

La Posada Milagro

100 La Posada Ln.
Terlingua, TX 79852 Map

Distance: 20.7 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: Not Yet Rated
expert favorite hotel
Expert Rated & Recommended
5.0

Holland Hotel

209 West Holland Ave.
Alpine, TX 79830 Map

Distance: 80.5 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: Not Yet Rated
Expert Rated & Recommended
4.0

Antelope Lodge

2310 W. Hwy. 90
Alpine, TX 79830 Map

Distance: 80.8 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: Not Yet Rated
Expert Rated & Recommended
4.0
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Attractions

Chihuahuan Desert Nature Trail

expert favorite attraction
I-25 to Hwy. 70 East, exit Mesa Grande Rd., U-turn under hwy., right on Jornada Rd, follow Jornada 6.5 miles, left before Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park sign
Big Bend National Park, Texas

Distance: 0.0 mi. (from destination center)

Description: Located 6 miles east of Panther Junction on the road to Rio Grande Village (Dugout Wells Picnic... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
4_0

Dodson Ranch Trail

expert favorite attraction
Big Bend National Park, Texas

Distance: 2.8 mi. (from destination center)

Description: It's not a terribly long hike, but Dodson Ranch Trail can be arduous, particularly because of its... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
4_0

Laguna Meadows - Pinnacles Trail

Big Bend National Park, Texas

Distance: 3.3 mi. (from destination center)

Description: Follow Laguna Meadow Trail from the Chisos Basin to the meadow climbing 1,600 feet in 3.3 miles, or... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
4_0
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Airports

Major Airports near Big Bend National Park

Distance (mi.)
El Paso International Airport 256.8 map
San Antonio International Airport 288.9 map

Other Smaller Airports near Big Bend National Park

Distance (mi.)
Del Rio International Airport 140.9 map
Chihuahua Gen Fierro Villalobos Airport 171.0 map
Midland Odessa Regional Airport 195.8 map

Feature Articles

More Big Bend National Park Parks and Outdoors Feature Articles (6) »
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Trip Ideas

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