We are Ryan and Monica Hoffmann, proud parents of special needs children. It took a long time to get here, but we have been to 33 US states in the past 4 years and we are just warming up.
Along with Carlsbad Caverns, Big Bend National Park in Texas is the strangest of our US National Parks. The landscape has the appearance of Mars, an amalgam of the Valley of Fire, Superstition Mountains, and Saint George, Utah. If you are visiting Big Bend National Park, you are going to be surprised.
Because the rules of geology are broken here, monolithic mountains spring forth from the desert in haphazard, comical abundance. One mountain may appear as a pilgrim’s hat; another like an ankylosaurus buried on its side.
In the distance, the Chisos Basin broods like a massive, darkened citadel.
All of it is wild; a circus of the countryside; arbitrary, indiscriminate, and odd.
The goal of this article is to give just enough information to inspire you. The internet has more comprehensive articles about what to hike, where to stay, etc., but they will take much, much longer to read. We’re just gonna stick to the good stuff and hope you enjoy.
The park measures 1250 square miles, making it larger than the state of Rhode Island. The three major parts include: Chisos Basin, Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, and the Rio Grande Village area.
The nearest US town, Terlingua, is 50 miles from Ross Maxwell and Rio Grande Village (in different directions), and 30 miles from the Chisos Basin.
Chisos Basin is a fortress-like mountain range rising darkly at the center of Big Bend. Here you will find many of the trailheads, the visitor center, gift shop, and lodging. Parking is limited and fills during busy times of the year.
Related Article: 10 Tips for Guadalupe Mountain National Park
Its hard to believe that out here in the desert of Mars exists a basin full of pine trees and greenery. And believe it or not, within the Chisos Basin live 40 bears and two-dozen mountain lions.
Approximately 130 mountain lion sightings are reported annually — signs throughout the park advise tourists how to behave during such an encounter.
Signs in the visitor center restroom instruct us how to wash our shorts afterward.
Arguably the best hike in the park, the Lost Mine Trailhead is about a quarter mile from the visitor center in Chisos Basin. The moderate hike is 5 miles roundtrip with 1,100′ of elevation gain.
Parking is limited to about 25 spaces (which pack out by mid-morning in busy times).
The legend of Lost Mine involves enslaved natives forced to mine gold by the Spanish. After their revolt and the ensuing slaughter of their oppressors, the natives hid the entrance of the mine. The views at the top are breathtaking.
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Chisos Mountain Lodge in the Chisos Basin offers hotel rooms and cottages for nightly rentals. The website is here. It looks very popular.
The nearest town is Terlingua, just outside the park entrance. Terlingua is a strange, sprawling thing that barely feels like a town. There are an assortment of RV parks in Terlingua, spread out along Hwy 118 and Hwy 170, and an array of hotels, motels, and “bubble pods”.
The drive from Alpine, Texas southward on the 118 highway is something to behold.
The odd thing about the mountains down here are their unusual distribution across the countryside. They don’t follow typical patterns of uplift — they aren’t organized in ranges — and appear to be randomly scattered across the horizon.
Some of them are massive and strange enough to fix your gaze in bewilderment.
Be sure to wear your chin strap when you shop at Cottonwood General Store. The cashier is a magician — she can make $125 worth of groceries fit inside a single bag. We strongly recommend shopping in Alpine or Marathon before you head south.
Related Article: 10 Tips for White Sands National Park
The Rio Grande cuts through the Texas / Mexico borderland just 12 miles west of Terlingua. That’s how close to Mexico you are.
A blanket of haze obscures the horizon, adding mystery to the jaw-dropping canyon views. Driving from Terlingua to the border town of Presidio makes for a beautiful, two-hour, round trip excursion.
The 55th Annual Terlingua International Championship Chili Cookoff is taking place as I type these words. There is also a BBQ cookoff, bean cookoff, and margarita mix off, as well as an assortment of live country music performances. This is a biker friendly event.
Long Draw Pizza claims to have the best pizza in Terlingua. It’s not like there’s a lot of competition, but it is very good pizza. Owned by a husband and wife who gave up the 9-5 rat race in Austin to try their luck in the alien world of southern South Texas. She’s a fantastic hostess and he cooks a mean pie.
Related Article: 10 Tips for Carlsbad Caverns
We’ve visited about 20 national parks so far and Big Bend National Park makes the list of those we plan on seeing again. Its such a surreal place and there is much to see.
In the surrounding areas are a few other points of interest: Balmorhea State Park, the McDonald Observatory, and Fort Davis (map), all on the way to the I-10 Freeway. And if you want to drive a little further, Guadalupe Mountain National Park is only a few hours away.
You can read about all of them in our article, the 5 Best things to do in West Texas.
It would be easy to make Big Bend National Park a week-long vacation with a variety of nearby activities.
Thank you for stopping by our website! We are the Hoffmann family, a full-time RV family that has split residence in Seattle, Washington and San Antonio, Texas. We have special needs children that we homeschool, and work travel assignments for the Veteran Affairs Hospital. If you would like to learn more about us, check out our Start Here and Biography pages. In the meantime, God bless and travel happy!
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