Big Bend is well worth the drive west
Ask your neighbor. Maybe your parents. Possibly some coworkers.
“Have you ever been to Big Bend National Park?”
Many Texans will likely answer “no.” In fact, chances are Big Bend’s location will subsequently be mentioned as its downfall when it comes to itineraries for travelers around the state.
Yes, Big Bend is out in West Texas. It’s a bit of a drive. But it is completely worth it.
Some have already figured this out. Big Bend averages 300,000-350,000 visitors a year, according to the National Park Service. Park rangers say they don’t keep track of where visitors come from, but they estimate most Big Bend visitors are from Texas. More than 300,000 a year may sound like a lot, until you compare it to other parks. Arches National Park in Utah, which is less than onetenth the size of Big Bend, averages more than 1 million visitors a year. About 3.5 million each year gawk at Old Faithful, Artist Point and Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone National Park.
As it turns out, you’re also likely to hear a foreign accent among the Texas twang when you visit Big Bend. During my recent four-day trip, a frequent visitor there told me French tourists love that corner of Texas. The next morning at breakfast, I sat next to two couples that apparently had just been introduced. One couple appeared to be from Spain. The other husband and wife sounded like they were from Germany. Through broken English, both couples went on and on about the beauty of Big Bend.
But it’s not just international travelers enjoying this Texas treasure. I also met a young couple who drove all the way from Baltimore to experience Big Bend.
So let’s tackle this distance issue. It is a 10-hour drive from Houston to Big Bend. Once you get past Kerrville on Interstate 10, it’s 80 mph the rest of the way with little to no traffic. It’s a pretty drive on top of that.
For the adventurous, Big Bend’s 800,000 acres of mountains, desert, hiking and water activities give plenty of options to enjoy wide-open spaces. Less-adventurous explorers can spend a few days on driving tours to soak everything in. Chisos Mountain Lodge offers lodging in the park and is centrally located (which is key in such a big place). It features a restaurant and store (also key). Or you can break out the tents to camp among the black bears, mountain lions, jackrabbits and deer.
Here’s my best advice for a quick, weekend trip to Big Bend.
Day 1: Leave around noon to witness a beautiful, West Texas sunset once you make the turn south to head into the park. After you get settled in, head outside and look up. Big Bend is one of the best places in the world to stargaze. It features the least amount of light pollution in the United States, according to the National Park Service.
Day 2: Take a hike early in the morning. If you’re staying at the Chisos Mountains Lodge, the famous Window Trail will be right behind your room. It’s called a 5-mile hike, but it measured out at 6 miles on my GPS. From there, head south to tackle the Rio Grande. The river creates the southern border of the park for hundreds of miles and offers amazing opportunities to raft, kayak or canoe through canyons such as Santa Elena, with walls that rise more than 1,500 feet. You’ll likely be worn out after your big day, so it’ll be time to relax at night and visit the nearby ghost town of Terlingua.
Terlingua, which is legendary in Texas outlaw music and known for its chili cook-off, is just a few miles outside of the park. Definitely stop by the Starlight Theatre for live music, great food, unique characters (including the stuffed remains of Clay Henry, a beer-drinking goat) and Big Bend Brewing Co.
Day 3: Head to the other side of the park. About 35 miles away from the lodge, you’ll find Boquillas Canyon. It’s a short, half-mile hike down to the Rio Grande for another fabulous canyon view. Make sure you visit Big Bend’s hot springs before you leave and soak your feet in the 105 degree water after everything you’ve put them through.
With some planning and an early start, Big Bend is easily doable as a long weekend getaway. Dale Blasingame is a journalism professor at Texas State University and an avid hiker. He’s currently on a quest to visit every state park in Texas in one calendar year. Follow his journeys on Instagram or Twitter at @daleblasingame.