Big Bend National Park Active and Adventure Travel Guide
- Big Bend National Park Overview
- Big Bend National Park Hotels
-
Big Bend National Park Attractions
(Submit Attraction) - Big Bend National Park Travel Advice
- Big Bend National Park Adventure Trips
- Big Bend National Park Airports
- Big Bend National Park Flights
- Pictures of Big Bend National Park
Active and Adventure Destinations Near Big Bend National Park
-
Carlsbad Caverns National Park,NM
(214 mi.)
advertisement
.jpg)
The Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park, Texas (Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Digital Visions/Getty)
Big Bend National Park Active and Adventure Travel Tips
- At 7,825 feet, Emory Peak is the highest point in the Chisos Mountains. It offers a 360-degree view of the entire park and far beyond into Texas and Mexico. A 2,500-foot climb makes this trail strenuous at times, and it requires some rock scrambling at the end to reach the top. Allow for at least six hours for the 8.5-mile hike.
- Raft Santa Elena Canyon along the Rio Grande on a two-day trip. While the first day is more leisurely with slow floats and photo opportunities, the second day is full of adrenaline rushes as you go through Rock Slide, the first rapid of the river.
- Considered the classic hike of Texas, the South Rim Trail begins in the Chisos Basin and ends high above on a large escarpment that overlooks Texas and Mexico. To completely enjoy the trip allow for two or three days on the 12.6-mile well-marked trek.
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
Get Advice About Big Bend National Park
-
Do you have a travel question about this destination or can you provide a tip to a fellow traveler? Join the discussion in our Travel Q&A.
Related Videos
Hotels
Chisos Mountain Lodge - Hotel
Basin Rural Station
Big Bend National Park79834
Distance: 4.8 mi.
(from destination center)
Hotel Class: Not Yet Rated
Big Bend National Park79834
Distance: 4.8 mi.
(from destination center)
Hotel Class: Not Yet Rated
Expert Rated & Recommended
Lajitas Resort - Hotel
Lajitas
Lajitas79852
Distance: 21.4 mi.
(from destination center)
Hotel Class: Not Yet Rated
Lajitas79852
Distance: 21.4 mi.
(from destination center)
Hotel Class: Not Yet Rated
Expert Rated & Recommended
The Gage Resort - Hotel
102 W. Hwy. 90
Marathon79842
Distance: 4.8 mi.
(from destination center)
Hotel Class: Not Yet Rated
Marathon79842
Distance: 4.8 mi.
(from destination center)
Hotel Class: Not Yet Rated
Expert Rated & Recommended
advertisement
- Big Bend National Park, TX Hotel Prices Made Easy
Orbitz.com - Just Orbitz and go! - Hotel Deals in Big Bend National Park, TX
Expedia.com - Don't just travel. Travel right! - Book Now with Cheap Tickets and Save on Big Bend National Park, TX Hotels!
CheapTickets.com - Just click. You're there. - Find the best rates for hotels in Big Bend National Park, TX
Kayak.com - Life's a trip.
Attractions
The Window Trail
Chisos Mountain Area
Big Bend National Park, Texas
Distance: 5.0 mi. (from destination center)
Description: This four-mile round-trip trail begins at the Basin Campground and descends 800 feet for the first... Read More
Big Bend National Park, Texas
Distance: 5.0 mi. (from destination center)
Description: This four-mile round-trip trail begins at the Basin Campground and descends 800 feet for the first... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
South Rim Trail - Boot Springs Trail
Big Bend National Park, Texas
Distance: 3.1 mi. (from destination center)
Description: Hikers won't be alone on the South Rim, one of the most traveled trails in Texas. Climbing from the basin in the Chisos Mountains to a forested ridge, the path overlooks 3,000 feet of desert.... Read More
Distance: 3.1 mi. (from destination center)
Description: Hikers won't be alone on the South Rim, one of the most traveled trails in Texas. Climbing from the basin in the Chisos Mountains to a forested ridge, the path overlooks 3,000 feet of desert.... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
Mule Ears - Smoky Creek Trail
Brewster County
Big Bend National Park, Texas
Distance: 12.6 mi. (from destination center)
Description: Get an intimate look at the Chihuahuan Desert on the Smoky Creek Trail, where cacti and dry-weather... Read More
Big Bend National Park, Texas
Distance: 12.6 mi. (from destination center)
Description: Get an intimate look at the Chihuahuan Desert on the Smoky Creek Trail, where cacti and dry-weather... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
Airports
Major Airports near Big Bend National Park
| Distance (mi.) | ||
|---|---|---|
| El Paso International Airport | 256.8map | |
| San Antonio International Airport | 288.9map |
Other Smaller Airports near Big Bend National Park
| Distance (mi.) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Del Rio International Airport | 140.9map | |
| Chihuahua Gen Fierro Villalobos Airport | 171.0map | |
| Midland Odessa Regional Airport | 195.8map |
Big Bend National Park Active and Adventure Advice
-
Top Ten Backpacking Loops
There’s a reason serious hikers love taking on a loop—you never see the same thing twice, and you end where you started. Here are our top ten backpacking loops in the United States, from wildflower fields of the Maroon Bells to the Appalachian Trail in Maine. Gorp Top Ten -
Top Ten National Park Bird-Watching Sites
Where to go to make your life list grow. Gorp Top Ten -
Top Ten National Parks for Biking
Big Bend National Park. Gorp Top Ten -
September Parks and the Outdoors Travel Guide
Gorp Travel -
March Active/Adventure Travel Guide
Away Travel -
Tex-Mex Americana
Drive through Texas, New Mexico, and the iconic lands of the American Southwest. Away Travel -
West Texas Multisport
On most atlases, this expansive Lone Star landscape appears as featureless as a pancake-flat mesa. But head into this region of Texas, and you'll find a brave new world of rugged family adventures. Gorp Travel -
Rio Grande Canoe Running in Texas
Away Trip Idea -
Top Ten Most-Endangered Public Lands
Big Bend National Park. Gorp Top Ten -
Paddling Nunavut's Coppermine River
To Point Lake. Gorp Travel -
Top Ten Canoeing and Flatwater Rafting Trips
Rio Grande/Big Bend National Park, Texas. Gorp Top Ten -
Top Ten Parks for High-Summer Wildflowers
East & Central: When the Monsoon Comes (Big Bend National Park, Texas). Gorp Top Ten -
No-Snow Zones
Big Bend National Park. Gorp Travel -
Top Ten U.S. National Parks
2. Big Bend, Texas. Gorp Top Ten -
Mountain Biking The Big Bend
"The Land of Razors and Easy Death". Gorp Travel -
Autumn Escapes
Southwest. Gorp Travel -
Jump into Spring
Raft Big Bend. Gorp Travel -
Lone Star Memories
Big Bend. Gorp Travel -
Texas Whitewater Wilderness
Canoeing the Canyons of Big Bend. Gorp Travel -
Paddling and Pedaling
Acadia National Park. Gorp Travel -
Top Ten National Parks for Wildlife Viewing
Big Bend National Park, Texas. Gorp Top Ten -
Escaping Winter's Chill
Paddling at Big Bend National Park. Gorp Travel -
Wild & Scenic Rivers - Southwest
Gorp Travel - + Show more Big Bend National Park Active and Adventure Advice
Big Bend National Park Active and Adventure Travel Guides
Paddlingadvertisement
Package Trips:
-
from $1625USDfor 8 daysEnquire and Book
Operated by Sierra Club Outings -
from $1995USDfor 6 daysEnquire and BookOperated by Timberline Adventures
Friends Who've Been Here
advertisement