Big Bend National Park

Big Bend National Park lies in Brewster County in West Texas, where the Rio Grande makes a large bend along the border with Mexico. Covering about 3,240 square kilometres, it is one of the largest national parks in the United States and one of the least visited for its size.

The area was home to Native American peoples for thousands of years, and later to Spanish, Mexican and American settlers, ranchers and miners. Texas created a state park here in 1933 and transferred the land to the federal government, and Big Bend National Park was established in 1944.

The park contains three main landscapes. The Chisos Mountains, the only mountain range entirely within a US national park, rise to Emory Peak at about 2,387 metres and are reached by trails from the Chisos Basin. The Chihuahuan Desert covers the lowlands, with cacti, ocotillo and wildlife such as roadrunners, javelinas and black bears. Along the river, Santa Elena Canyon has nearly vertical limestone walls, and Boquillas Canyon and the Hot Springs Historic District are popular stops. The park has very dark skies and is an International Dark Sky Park.

An entrance fee applies. Distances are long and services are limited, so fill up with fuel and carry plenty of water. Summer temperatures in the desert are extreme; autumn to spring is the main season.

What does Big Bend cost to visit? Entry costs USD 30 per private vehicle, USD 25 per motorcycle and USD 15 per person on foot or by bicycle, each valid for seven days, according to the National Park Service. Visitors under 16 enter free. A Big Bend annual pass costs USD 55 for US citizens and residents, and non-US residents can buy the USD 250 America the Beautiful nonresident annual pass.

The developed campgrounds at Chisos Basin, Rio Grande Village and Cottonwood charge USD 16 a night, and backcountry permits cost USD 10 a night. Chisos Mountains Lodge is the only hotel inside the park. Rooms and campsites fill months ahead for spring break and the Thanksgiving to New Year period.

Getting there. The nearest commercial airports are Midland International, about 370 km north, and El Paso, about 520 km north-west. Alpine and Marathon are the nearest towns with hotels and shops. Panther Junction, the main visitor centre, sits in the middle of the park, and the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive runs 48 km from the Chisos foothills to Santa Elena Canyon. Cell signal is weak or absent across most of the park, so download maps before you arrive.