Driving Big Bend Park • The Essential Itinerary

Santa Elena Canyon

Driving Big Bend Park • An Epic Texas Road Trip

After Sara accepted a job teaching in Odessa, Texas, the first thing we did was determine where the nearest national park was. Less than a three-hour drive south of Midland / Odessa, on the border between Texas and Mexico, lies Big Bend National Park. Big Bend is Texas’ largest National Park and the 15th largest National Park in the United States at over 800,000 acres. We spent two separate long weekends in Big Bend and this post contains my suggestions for the best driving itinerary and things to do in Big Bend.

Below is a basic map showing Big Bend’s main paved roads and the 3 main areas I’d recommend visiting in Big Bend National Park:

Big Bend Driving Map

Map of Big Bend Showing Best Driving Routes and Destinations

  • “B” represents the area of Rio Grande Village and the Boquillas Canyon / Border Crossing.
  • “C” represents the area around the Chisos Basin and the Chisos Mountains.
  • “D” represents the area around Santa Elena Canyon and the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive.
  • The two entrance roads to the north represent the Highway 118 (west entrance from Terlingua) and Hwy 385 (east entrance at Persimmon Gap).

Note: Big Bend is BIG. If you want to walk, hike, or take the time to enjoy view points, you will need a minimum of two days to explore the park. We backcountry camped in the Chisos Mountains and camped in Terlingua when we visited Big Bend.

Driving to Big Bend • Highway 118 or Highway 385

If you have the time, I would recommend entering Big Bend Park on one highway and departing on the other to make a loop.

Drivers arriving from the east may be tempted to enter and exit Big Bend on Highway 385 to save time, but I quite like the towns of Terlingua and Alpine and would recommend visiting them, if you can. The scenery along Highway 118 is also quite different from that on Highway 385. Big Bend State Park is also beautiful to drive through so another option is to drive Highway 170 to Presidio and connect with Highway 67 north (or vice-versa).

Highway 385 Big Bend

Driving South on Highway 385 to Big Bend Park

If you plan to stay outside of Big Bend National Park, I would highly recommend the “ghost town” of Terlingua, which is just west of Big Bend National Park on Highway 118.

Alpine is the closest large town (pop. 5905) but is 80 miles (130 kms) north of the park on Highway 118. If you need to stock up on supplies before entering Big Bend, Alpine is likely your best bet.

Be forwarned that gasoline and diesel are scarce and expensive around Big Bend. While fuel is usually available at Panther Junction and in Study Butte / Terlingua, I’d still recommend filling up in Alpine, Marathon, or Presidio before driving towards Big Bend NP to save time and money once in the park.

Note: As soon as you head south of Highway 90, there will be lots of border control personnel and checkpoints. If you do not have a US Driving License, I highly recommend carrying your passport. 

Rio Grande Village, Langford Hot Springs and Boquillas Canyon

Driving east of Panther Junction takes you towards the Rio Grande Village Visitor Center. The scenery along this road is beautiful and there are several stops and viewpoints along the drive.

Big Bend Drive Scenery

Tunnel on the Road to Rio Grande Village Visitor Center

Langford Hot Springs

Before reaching Rio Grande Village Visitor Center, there is a turn-off south to Hot Springs Road. Hot Springs Road is a two-mile gravel road that descends down a rough narrow wash into the Hot Springs Historic District. We managed to drive it safely in our 2WD car but a high-clearance vehicle would have been better. Motorhomes and oversize vehicles are prohibited on the one-way sections of the Hot Springs Road.

Hot Springs Road

Road to the Hot Springs Historic District

Once at the parking lot, it’s a 1-mile (1.6km) round-trip walk to the Langford Hot Springs. It’s not a difficult walk and we managed to do it in our sandals without a problem.

The Langford Hot Springs are a wonderful 105° F (41° C) and carry loads of dissolved mineral salts reputed to have healing powers. Even in the mid-day sun Sara and I enjoyed the hot springs, though they’d be much more enjoyable in cooler ambient temperatures. Thankfully, the Rio Grande was high enough that we were able to safely dip in the cool river for hot/cold cycles.

Langford Hot Springs

Langford Hot Springs

Rio Grand Village Visitor Center

There is an NPS Visitor Center, small store, and campground around the Rio Grande Village. The NPS put on a free BBQ when we visited so we stopped for lunch but unless you need information, there is not a lot to see or do.

Boquillas Border Crossing

A short drive east of the visitor center exists the Boquillas Border Crossing. If you’re interested in quickly visiting Coahuila, Mexico, and have your passports with you, this is the place to do it.  We didn’t cross over since I always face scrutiny entering the US due to having worked in Yemen, but it would be a great adventure.

After crossing the border, you’ll need to pay $5/person for a row boat across the Rio Grande River and another $5/person for a truck ride into Rio Grande Village. I’ve read that there are lots of souvenirs available for tourists to buy and that Jose Falcon’s Restaurant is a great place for Mexican food. If you do visit, please let me know how it goes in the comments section below!

Boquillas Canyon Overlook and Trail

Further east, you’ll find a side road south to the Boquillas Canyon Overlook or you can continue driving to the Boquillas Canyon Trail. We elected to hike the 1.4-mile (2.3km) round-trip trail into the stunning rocky canyon.

Boquillas Canyon

Boquillas Canyon

The best part is you’re essentially hiking along the US / Mexico border. The Rio Grande River divides the countries and thus Mexico is a stone’s throw away.

Rio Grande River

Me Standing in Texas with Mexico in the Background

Boquillas Canyon

Sara is All Smiles in the Boquillas Canyon

Chisos Basin and the Chisos Mountains

In central Big Bend National Park, there is a beautiful mountainous area called the Chisos Mountains. Down in the basin below the mountains, there is a visitor center, convenience store, campground, and lodge. The Chisos Mountains Lodge is the only accommodation outside of camping within the national park so it would be a convenient place to stay if money is not a concern.

If you’re interested in backcountry camping within Big Bend, check out my post about camping in the Chisos Mountains. For longer hikes, I’d also highly recommend the South Rim and/or Emory Peak hiking trails.

Even if you don’t plan to stay in Chisos Basin, or hike in the Chisos Mountains, I would still recommend driving to the visitor center. The drive is beautiful and you can do a short 0.3-mile round-trip walk on the Window View Trail. The convenience store also sells cold beers from Big Bend Brewing Co. so it makes for a great place to picnic lunch.

Window View Chisos Mountains

View From Window View Trail

Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive

Off the main road from Highway 118 to Panther Junction, in the west part of Big Bend Park, there is a beautiful scenic drive south on the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive.

Cerro Castellan Big Bend National Park

Cerro Castellan (Castolon Peak), Big Bend National Park

The scenic drive goes to Santa Elena Canyon, but there are also plenty of beautiful stops along the way. This road is best enjoyed slowly so take your time and enjoy the views. We stopped numerous times to take photos and soak in the desert landscape.

 

Castolon Peak

Castolon Peak with Santa Elena Canyon in the Background

Santa Elena Canyon Overlook and Trail

Near the end of the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, there is a picnic area and overlook of the Santa Elena Canyon. We had a picnic lunch at the covered tables but it was still exceedingly hot. Most visitors would only jump out of their air-conditioned vehicles for a few quick photos before continuing on.

Santa Elena Canyon

View from Santa Elena Canyon Overlook

If you follow the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive right to the end you’ll be able to access the Santa Elena Canyon Trail. The temperatures were so hot when we visited that we were only able to quickly walk a portion of the trail before heading back. It was so hot that the water in our water bottles was like a hot tea after only twenty minutes!

Santa Elena Canyon

Santa Elena Canyon

If you do plan to walk the trail, be prepared and carry lots of water as well as a hat and sunscreen.

Santa Elena Canyon

Views from the Santa Elena Canyon Trail

From Santa Elena Canyon, the fastest route back to Highway 118 is along the Old Maverick Road. Unfortunately, when we visited, there were signs indicating this improved dirt road was closed to 2WD traffic. Rather than risk it in our car, we doubled back along the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. If you have a high-clearance vehicle, I would certainly recommend also exploring the Old Maverick Road and driving the loop.

Overall, Big Bend is one of the most road trip worthy national parks I’ve visited. Although the hiking options are more limited than in other national parks, the huge canyons and desert mountains are stunning. Car and motorcycle enthusiasts should definitely add driving Big Bend to their bucket lists!

16 Comments on “Driving Big Bend Park • The Essential Itinerary”

  1. We are older and would just be driving a Suburban though the park, not hiking. Is it worth the drive?

    • Hi Nancy, I would definitely still suggest driving through Big Bend. Out of all the US National Parks I’ve visited, it is probably the best for driving as the heat and topography limit hiking options anyways. There are several shorter walks to nice viewpoints as well so be sure to try and stretch your legs! I would also suggest stopping or staying the night in Terlingua (https://baldpacker.com/terlingua-texas-travel-camp-bar) if you can…

  2. Thanks for this great information. My husband and I are looking forward to our trip next week. We are staying in the Chisos Mt Lodge. Will be there about 4 days. Looking forward to hiking and crossing into Mexico. Great tips!

  3. My family visited Big Bend in March 2018. We did cross into Mexico at the border crossing. We hiked our shorts up and walked across the Rio Grande. The kids rode donkeys the 1/2 mile into town for like $5 each. It was an easy walk for us into town. My husband and I had passports, but only birth certificates for the kids. You have to check in with Mexican border patrol upon arrival and they gave us a hard time about the kids not having passports. But per the US border patrol, we just mentioned we were there to spend money and have lunch and wha-la it was no longer an issue. There were several little make shift shops set up to purchase handmaid souviners. It only took about 2 hours to eat lunch, shop, and see the entire town. It was a fun experience and we felt completely safe. These people’s main source of income is visitors like us, they were very friendly.

  4. Thank you so much for this blog. It’s very helpful when planning a trip to Big Bend. I do have a question… you mentioned you camped in Terlingua and was wondering how bad was the drive from Terlingua to the different parts of the park you visited?

    • Hi Vanessa, thanks for reading!

      When you think of Big Bend and Texas you need to think BIG!

      Terlingua isn’t too far from Big Bend relative to typical driving distances in Texas but it can take significant time just to drive from one end of the park to the other, especially when stopping for photo ops! I’d suggest plugging your plans into Google Maps and seeing the estimated driving times – they’re typically quite accurate but be aware that Maverick Road can be recommended 4×4 access only so you shouldn’t necessarily count on driving it unless you are prepared to do so!

  5. Just for the record, the closest national parks to Odessa would be Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National Park. You can find great hiking trails in the Guadalupe Mountains and the autumn scenery is pretty awesome, too!

    • Yes, we quite enjoyed Guadalupe as well. We visited several times but I’ve only written about hiking Guadalupe Peak so far: http://baldpacker.com/guadalupe-mountains-hike-camp

      Carlsbad Caverns were also interesting but quite developed.

      A highlight from Guadalupe was hiking up to Pine Top and camping there – drinking a cowboy coffee while watching sunrise was life at its finest!

  6. This is a great blog post, I’ve been reading so many about the Big Bend since my family will be visiting this weekend, and this definitely gave one of the more clearer pictures on what to expect. and BEAUTIFUL pictures. So excited. Thank you.

    • Thanks Ana. I’m happy to hear the post was helpful. If you have any additional tips or feedback after your trip please come back and let me know!

  7. My boyfriend and I cannot wait for our trip to Big Bend! Beginning October we will be starting our journey to all 58 National Parks! Big Bend will be this coming January so the heat shouldn’t be an issue for us! Thanks for the post!! Great ideas!!

    • I’ve just updated the post with more information; hopefully it’s helpful. Don’t be surprised if it’s still plenty hot during the day, even in January.

      Traveling to all 58 National Parks is definitely on my bucket list. The NPS sells a really cool postcard collection for all 58 parks so you’ll need to pick that up. Enjoy your adventure!!

      • There are 59 National Parks now! I’m working on all of them and am up to 32 of 59.

        • Wow! Nicely done. I think I’ve only visited around 15. It’s definitely on my bucket list to visit them all though. Let me know how it goes!

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