Make The Most Of Big Bend National Park With This Guide

Read about the Native American Tribes & the Indian History in Big Bend National Park, Texas!

Let’s talk about Big Bend National Park. How many times have you heard folks rant and rave about this place? If you’re like me, it might not be many. If you’re looking for incredible national parks to visit, I’m about to tell you why this underrated park should be on your list. 

Visiting Big Bend National Park

This year, at the beginning of 2021, my partner and I decided to hit the road in our van and see what this country has to offer. We were most excited to commune with nature, staying away from most humans and keeping to ourselves along the way. After seeing photos of Big Bend in a newly purchased national park travel guidebook, we decided that the destination seemed worthy of a few day stop. 

Let’s Talk About Something Important: ICE

Before we get into the natural beauty and lure of the park, we’re going to have to address the elephant in the room that you may not even know is quietly sitting there, wanting to scream and shout. Some of the park acts as a natural barrier between Mexico and the United States.

Many of you know about ICE, who patrol the boarder, taking orders from some people in an office somewhere who are perfectly okay with separating young children from their parents and locking kids in cages. Don’t believe me or understand what I am talking about? Watch “Immigration Nation” on Netflix. It is worth your emotional energy!

Learning From The Locals

After talking to a semi-local who has been living here off and on for quite some time now, we learned about some of the impacts that the United States has had on its neighbor, Mexico. These are not everyone’s experience that lives here, and I never want to speak for others, but I do think it is important to have discussions on how our country hurts so many others around us. We learned that before 9/11, the people living on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande could pass freely across the imaginary boarder into U.S. territory.

There seems to be nothing but almost untouched wilderness and dirt roads surrounding the small Mexican communities that continue to live close to the boarder, so they used to cross the river into the U.S. for some necessities. On top of that, the people on both sides at one point were one community. After 9/11, the policies at the boarder got strict, cutting off these communities from their usual access to groceries, schools, electricity, communities, loved ones, and families on the other side. Let’s put this into perspective: people who could usually walk across the river and into town were now cut off from some things that they needed, all because the government says that they couldn’t cross this imaginary line. Again, watch “Immigration Nation” to see what can happen if you do (and get caught without a piece of paper).

A Privilege Problem

Your privilege stares you down hard in the face when you are able to carelessly float down the Rio Grande just being a visitor to the land for a day, but those who have cared for the land for ages can face fines, being arrested, and much worse if they cross the river. That’s the U.S. for you. Invaders, kicking people out of stolen land! (*Cue KRS-One Invaders song) 

Dispelling Myths About Big Bend National Park

Now, on to the stuff that you probably came to this article looking for! There are so many myths that I can only assume keep some people from stopping in Big Bend. Here are a few to start: 

1. You will surely run out of gas before you even make it to the park and end up stranded, alone, and thirsty in the desert. 
2. There is NOTHING surrounding the park. No grocery stores. No gas. Complete nothingness.
3. It’s too hot in the summer. 
4. It’s way too cold in the winter. 
5. There are ample places that I can park inside and outside of the national to park and camp for free. Yay!

Let’s break these down. First, there seems to be some bubble around the idea of visiting Big Bend that it’ll be the most challenging thing in the world to even make it there because the park is so isolated. It’s true – the park is very isolated – but not as much as you may imagine! We never even came close to running out gas on the way there as long as we were mindful to stop at almost each gas station that we saw. This could be a different story for you if you have a gas guzzler, but getting stuck out here seems harder than you would imagine. 

What To Know About The Park Location

There are essential things around the park: grocery stores, post offices, gas stations, and more. Things are more expensive the closer that you get, so if you’re on a budget be sure to get your groceries ahead of time. Cottonwood, the grocery store outside of the West entrance, even has vegan cheeses, milks, meats, and ice-creams. 

Take note of where you can get dairy-free ice-cream because it can get extremely hot in the summer. I’ve heard that it’s best to wait and come when it’s a little cooler and less crowded, but if you do come during the summer months, be sure to stay by the water and pack plenty of liquids and sunscreen.

While preparing for this trip and telling people my travel itinerary, most people thought that it would be freezing in the park. Even though we did hike in some leftover snow that had hit the park right before we got there, snow in the park is extremely rare. Check to see what the highs and lows are during your desired trip time. Remember that the days warm up but at night the temperature drops and plan accordingly. I’m very sensitive to the cold but stayed pretty cozy (we were also well prepared!) during our January trip spending the nights in the van. Visiting in the winter is a great way to avoid higher temperatures and crowds that you would face in the summer. 

What To Do At Big Bend National Park

1. Hike Your Heart Out

Big Bend has so many incredible hikes that makes it hard to pin down which ones you want to do if you are short on timeline. Nps.gov says: “More than 150 miles of trails offer opportunities for day hikes or backpacking trips. Elevations range from 1,800 feet along the Rio Grande to 7,832 feet on Emory Peak in the Chisos Mountains.”

In our short time we did the beautiful Lost Mine Trail (as pictured above) that offers a spectacular view of the surrounding natural landscape and the park below! Another easy-going but impressive hike that we did was through the Santa Elena Canyon. This picturesque trail reels in high foot traffic, but after strolling down the trail, you’ll understand why.

Traveling the USA to visit the national parks? View our guides to a handful of national parks here.

2. Float Down The River

Another way to experience the powerful rivers is by canoe, raft, or kayak. The local river tour companies can either rent you boats or take you on river tours. The type of boat that you will take and the canyon river that you will explore varies depending on the water levels and season. We had a wonderful canoeing experience with Big Bend River Tours and would highly recommend them! Another local company to check out is the Far Flung Outdoor Center.

3. Don’t Forget To Look Up

Star gazing in Big Bend will most likely blow your mind and remind you just how beautiful this big wide world is in a snap. The large sky with wide open views creates the perfect setting for star gazing at night. The cool part of this activity is that it doesn’t require gear, reservations, or money. It just requires your time, wonder, and attention!

4. Take A Leisurely Drive

The last activity worth mentioning, and accessible for most people, is taking your own auto tour through the park on the main paved roads. This is great for elderly folks, people in wheelchairs, or those who don’t want to or can’t do the hikes. There are a large number of pull-outs that offer a stunning bird’s eye views of the park.

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