Due to dry conditions and gusty winds, Big Bend National Park is currently under a fire ban. All open-flame fires (including charcoal grills) are prohibited. Liquid fuel camp stoves are permitted. Smoking is prohibited in the Chisos Mountains.
With over 100 miles of paved roads, 150 miles of dirt roads, and about 200 miles of hiking trails the park offers nearly limitless opportunities for scenic driving, hiking, camping, backpacking, mountain biking, horseback riding, bird watching, wildlife observation, and stargazing. Additionally, the Rio Grande borders the park for 118 miles providing options for half-day floats to extended excursion by raft, canoe, or kayak.
One app, every park at your fingertips. The NPS App offers tools to explore more than 400 national parks nationwide.
Join A Park Ranger: Guided Programs
Fun, Informative, and FREE. Discover the fascinating nature, science, history, and culture of Big Bend National Park with a ranger as your guide. Check the weekly schedules of Ranger-led programs posted throughout the park.
See what there is for kids to do online and during your visit to Big Bend National Park.
Pardon Our Dust
Work on two large construction projects in the Chisos Basin will begin in late Spring 2025 and continue for approximately two years. Disruptions in visitor access to the Chisos Basin area of the park are expected.
Are you a "Passport to Your National Parks" cancellation collector? Big Bend National Park has a cancellation stamp to commemorate your visit in your passport book.
Far away from most city lights, Big Bend National Park preserves pristine darkness. Take this chance to stargaze, and experience the half of the park that many of us miss - nighttime.
The Rio Grande is accessible from a number of places in Big Bend National Park, and a variety of hiking trails provide even further opportunities to get up close and personal with our watery border with Mexico.
The trail begins at the end of the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive to Santa Elena Canyon, and is one of the prettiest short trails in the park. The trail crosses Terlingua Creek, takes you to the river’s edge inside the canyon and continues farther winding among large boulders until it ends abruptly where the canyon wall meets the river.
Visiting the small village of Boquillas, Mexico through the park's Boquillas Crossing Port of Entry is an option for visitors possessing a valid passport.
Topics:Canyons and Canyonlands, Foothills, Plains and Valleys, Plateaus and Mesas, Forests and Woodlands, Geology, Mountains, Natural Sounds, Night Sky, Scenic Views, Trails, Wilderness, Animals, Birds, Archeology, Photography, Fossils and Paleontology, Latino American Heritage, River and Riparian, Rock Landscapes and Features, Water Trails, Wetlands, Freshwater Springs, Hispanic American Heritage, Mining, Roads, Routes and Highways, Climate Change, Explorers and Expeditions, Ancient Seas, Fish, Ruins, Hot Springs, Native American Heritage, Homesteading, Astronomy
Activities:Backcountry Camping, Bookstore and Park Store, Junior Ranger Program, Biking, Birdwatching, Astronomy, Scenic Driving, Paddling, Hiking, Guided Tours
With a week or more to spend in Big Bend, endless possibilities are open to
you. You’ll have plenty of time to explore the roads mentioned in the previous
sections, and will also have time to hike or to drive some of the “unimproved”
dirt roads.
Topics:Animals, Birds, Archeology, Photography, Fossils and Paleontology, Geology, Latino American Heritage, Trails, Canyons and Canyonlands, Plateaus and Mesas, Natural Sounds, Night Sky, River and Riparian, Rock Landscapes and Features, Wilderness, Water Trails, Wetlands, Freshwater Springs, Scenic Views, Climate Change, Explorers and Expeditions, Forests and Woodlands, Ancient Seas, Fish, Ruins, Hot Springs, Native American Heritage, Homesteading, Astronomy
Activities:Bookstore and Park Store, Junior Ranger Program, Birdwatching, Astronomy, Hiking, Guided Tours
With three days to spend in Big Bend, you can explore the major roads more
thoroughly and still have time for some awesome hiking.
