Huge Bend Nationwide Park is among the most distant Nationwide Parks in the US. It lies within the coronary heart of the Chihuahuan Desert, stretching throughout West Texas on the border of the USA and Mexico.
I’d heard loads of nice issues about Huge Bend earlier than I visited, however I wasn’t fairly ready for its magnificence and remoteness. Between the spectacular Chisos Mountains, the towering canyon partitions of the Rio Grande River, and its wealthy organic range, Huge Bend Nationwide Park left me in awe.
As a result of Huge Bend is so distant and expansive, although, I spent extra time planning my journey than I usually do once I go to Nationwide Parks. I needed to verify I made essentially the most of my week there.
I’m so glad I did as a result of the sheer dimension of the park is a bit overwhelming! That will help you plan your journey to Huge Bend Nationwide Park, I’ve put collectively this information based mostly on what I realized and skilled so you may benefit from your Huge Bend Nationwide Park journey.
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Attending to Huge Bend Nationwide Park
In case you take a look at a map you’ll see that Huge Bend is situated in a really distant a part of West Texas. The closest main metropolis is El Paso, which is 4.5 hours away by automotive! There isn’t any public transportation to or inside Huge Bend Nationwide Park, so that you’ll must drive your self.
Flying in
In case you’re flying in, I like to recommend the El Paso airport. It’s not the closest one (Midland/Odessa is barely nearer), however it should have higher flight choices and you’ll simply hire a automotive in El Paso.
Driving to Huge Bend
Regardless of the place you’re coming from, attending to Huge Bend Nationwide Park isn’t fast or simple. This was truly one of many largest issues that shocked me – it’s a very distant park! Right here are some things I realized from my drive to Huge Bend:
A visit to Huge Bend Nationwide Park requires loads of preparation – however the remoteness of the park is strictly why it needs to be in your checklist of locations to go to!
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When to Go to Huge Bend Nationwide Park
Spring
Spring, for my part, is the most effective time to go to Huge Bend Nationwide Park. I visited in April and the temperatures have been delicate and sunshine was plentiful. I additionally bought to see the desert in bloom with lovely spring wildflowers.
However, spring can also be the busiest time of 12 months in Huge Bend. March is the preferred month to go to, so hold that in thoughts when planning your tip. I did share the paths with a number of different hikers throughout my go to within the spring, however Huge Bend is on no account as busy because the extra widespread Nationwide Parks like Yosemite and Grand Tetons.
Summer season
Huge Bend Nationwide Park is open year-round, nonetheless, as you may need guessed, summer season shouldn’t be the most effective time to go to. Summer season temps may be above 100 levels on the desert ground.
That being stated, the Chisos Mountains are sometimes 10-20 levels cooler, so in the event you do go to through the summer season I like to recommend sticking to the upper elevations to keep away from excessive warmth.
One other factor to bear in mind is that Could-September is the wet season. Huge Bend can expertise intense thunderstorms and flash floods, so hold your eye on the forecast earlier than you go to.
Fall
Fall can also be time to go to Huge Bend. The temperatures begin to settle down round late September after the summer season warmth and if it’s been a wet summer season, areas of the park shall be inexperienced and exquisite.
Winter
Winter is one in every of my favourite instances of the 12 months to go to Nationwide Parks. Usually crowds are means fewer and I benefit from the quiet and peacefulness of the low season. Huge Bend is a good Nationwide Park to go to between December and February. The daytime temperatures are usually fairly delicate (within the 60s) whereas at evening the temps can drop beneath freezing (one thing to think about in case you are tenting).
Snow is uncommon in Huge Bend, however that being stated, there have been two massive snowstorms in 2021 that shut down the park for a number of days.
The Structure of the Park
As I used to be doing analysis on Huge Bend and planning out my journey, I spotted how massive the park is! Huge Bend Nationwide Park covers over 800,000 sq. miles. It takes about an hour and a half to drive from Boquillas Canyon on the east facet to Santa Elena Canyon on the west facet. Chisos Basin sits nearly straight within the center.
So, once you’re planning out your journey, I like to recommend selecting your actions and tenting or lodging based mostly on every area of the park. That means you may minimize down on driving. You probably have restricted time, I favored Chisos Basin and Santa Elena Canyon the most effective – you may skip Boquillas Canyon in case you are brief on time.
The place to Keep
There are a number of choices for the place to remain in Huge Bend together with tenting and resorts. I do advocate making a plan forward of time, although – over the previous few years, Huge Bend has develop into more and more widespread and campsites do e book out.
Huge Bend Nationwide Park Tenting
There are 4 established campgrounds situated inside Huge Bend Nationwide Park. There are additionally primitive backcountry dispersed tenting spots and several other tenting choices outdoors the park.
Campgrounds inside Huge Bend Nationwide Park
All established campgrounds require superior reservations that may be made as much as 6 months upfront. There isn’t any first come, first serve tenting in Huge Bend’s established campgrounds.
- Chisos Basin Campground: that is essentially the most centrally situated campground within the park, nonetheless trailers over 20’ and RVs over 24’ usually are not beneficial as a result of the highway is slender and campsites are small. No hookups can be found at Chisos Basin Campground, however there are flush bathrooms, water, grills, and a dump station.
- Rio Grande Village Campground: situated on the far east facet of the park, this campground is about alongside the Rio Grande River amongst a big grove of bushes. There are flush bathrooms, water, grills, and a camp retailer with a fuel station, showers, and a laundromat hooked up.
- Rio Grande Village RV Park: That is the one campground with full hookups in Huge Bend. Websites can be found by cellphone reservation solely (432-477-2293). Websites are situated in a paved lot subsequent to the camp retailer (and adjoining to the campground). Pets are allowed however have to be leashed always.
- Cottonwood Campground: situated on the far west facet of the park, this campground is a quiet, desert oasis close to the favored Santa Elena Canyon. That is essentially the most distant campground within the park with no hookups, no dump station, and no mills allowed. Pit bathrooms, grills, and water can be found at this campground.
Dispersed Tenting in Huge Bend Nationwide Park
Huge Bend provides the distinctive choice to automotive camp at primitive roadside spots or you may depart your automotive behind and backpack into the desert wilderness to camp.
Primitive roadside spots are situated on backcountry roads – most require a car with good clearance and/or 4×4. I drive a 2WD Ford van and had no points attending to my roadside spot. The ranger on the Customer Middle was in a position to assist me decide a website that will accommodate my van.
Roadside websites are small, flat gravel patches with no bathrooms, water, shade, or different facilities, however they provide superb views and whole solitude within the park. In case you plan to disperse camp in Huge Bend Nationwide Park, please notice you will have to pack out all trash, know tips on how to correctly go to the lavatory outdoors, and Go away No Hint.
A $10/evening allow is required for all primitive roadside and backcountry tenting websites. Most websites may be reserved on-line as much as 6 months upfront right here. There are a handful of roadside websites which can be solely out there to e book in-person at both Panther Junction or Chisos Basin Customer Middle. I selected this feature throughout my journey and was in a position to safe a spot by arriving at opening time (8:30am). This isn’t at all times the case, although, particularly on weekends or anytime through the busy season.
Tenting Outdoors of Huge Bend Nationwide Park
If you’re unable to safe a campsite inside Huge Bend Nationwide Park, Huge Bend Ranch State Park is shut by and has a handful of campgrounds. I stayed right here on my means out of the Nationwide Park and the campground I selected was practically empty on a Saturday evening.
Terlingua, Examine Butte, and Lajitas additionally supply non-public campgrounds inside an hour outdoors the park. A roundup of all lodging/tenting choices outdoors of Huge Bend Nationwide Park may be discovered right here.
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Huge Bend Nationwide Park Lodging
Chisos Mountain Lodge
There is just one lodge in Huge Bend Nationwide Park – the Chisos Mountain Lodge. It’s a fairly fundamental lodge (nothing fancy), however it does have nice views and good entry to mountaineering trails within the Chisos Mountains.
Situated within the coronary heart of the park at 5,400ft elevation, Chisos Mountain Lodge provides quite a lot of rooms and cottages with 360-degree mountain views. As the one non-camping possibility within the park, reservations are extraordinarily restricted and you’ll want to e book properly upfront.
Resorts in Terlingua
Terlingua is a small city situated about an hour from the park that has the largest lodging choice outdoors of the park. Terlingua is a well known ghost city with a real outdated Western really feel – I like to recommend checking it out whether or not or not you intend to remain there.
The Starlight Theatre is a well-known native watering gap recognized for its annual chili cookoff and frequent stay music, and Espresso y Poco Mas is a good breakfast spot.
Greatest issues to do in Huge Bend Nationwide Park
I had a good time exploring all that Huge Bend Nationwide Park has to supply. There are tons of of miles of mountaineering trails, paddling alternatives on the Rio Grande River, scenic drives, and historic landmarks to go to – it actually has one thing for everybody!
Go mountaineering
Huge Bend Nationwide Park has three distinct mountaineering areas: desert, mountains, and river. Elevation adjustments between these areas imply which you can select your individual journey based mostly on what terrain you like or what season you’re visiting.
Trails within the park vary from brief, paved paths which can be below a mile to full-day – and even multi-day hikes.
My favourite hikes have been:
For more information on these hikes plus different path choices, head to our full roundup of the greatest hikes in Huge Bend Nationwide Park.
Drive the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive
This 30-mile drive was one of many highlights of my journey. It showcases nice views of the Chisos mountains and the huge Chihuahuan desert and ends on the lovely Santa Elena Canyon. There are a number of overlooks alongside the highway the place I used to be in a position to cease and get out for a hike.
If you’re up for journey and have a car with good clearance, take into account taking Outdated Maverick Highway again to the Western Park entrance. This highway is just 14 miles however plan on a one-hour drive as a result of it’s fairly bumpy!
Go to Mexico by way of the Boquillas Crossing
Huge Bend is the one Nationwide Park with a Port of Entry location. You probably have a legitimate passport, you may go to the small city of Boquillas, Mexico throughout your journey to Huge Bend. The border crossing is situated on the east facet of the park, near Boquillas Canyon.
You’ll be able to cross by rowboat ($5/particular person roundtrip) or by wading by way of the river if the water stage is low sufficient. There are numerous eating places, meals stalls, and distributors promoting native handicrafts. I didn’t have time to go to Boquillas, however it’s such a singular alternative to do whereas visiting a Nationwide Park, and I can’t wait to return to test it out.
Tip: US foreign money is accepted in Boquillas so no must change cash forward of time.
Paddle the Rio Grande River
Guided or self-guided journeys on the Rio Grande River are an effective way to see Huge Bend Nationwide Park from a unique perspective. The river marks the border between the US and Mexico and you’ll select floats from half-day to multi-day excursions. In case you plan to do an unbiased river journey, you should definitely learn the regulation and allow data.
Go to the Sizzling Springs Historic District
Situated alongside the Rio Grande on the east facet of the park, the Sizzling Springs Historic District is a step again in time. Right here, you may see and be taught concerning the human historical past of the world relationship again hundreds of years.
I loved taking a look at rock artwork on the limestone cliffs, studying concerning the Langford household that inhabited the world within the early 1900s, and soaking in pure scorching springs that circulate proper subsequent to the river.
Security Suggestions for Visiting Huge Bend
As a result of Huge Bend Nationwide Park is so distant and has a harsh desert local weather, it’s essential to be ready to your journey. I made positive to top off on all the pieces I wanted earlier than I made my means into the park.
Listed here are a number of security suggestions to bear in mind when planning your journey:
Huge Bend Nationwide Park FAQs
Entry into Huge Bend Nationwide Park is $30 per car. This go is legitimate for 7 days. In case you’ll be visiting extra Nationwide Parks all year long, I like to recommend getting the Annual Nationwide Parks Cross which, for $80, offers you entry to all Nationwide Parks across the US.
Tenting charges differ relying on the campground.
Cell service is fairly spotty in Huge Bend Nationwide Park. Areas the place there’s dependable service are the Chisos Basin space and Panther Junction.
That is dependent upon how a lot you wish to see and do! I like to recommend spending at the very least three days exploring Huge Bend. If you wish to actually get to know the park or to exit on a multi-day tour, 5-7 days is good.
Sure, Huge Bend is open year-round. Nevertheless, summers may be extraordinarily scorching.
Extra Southwest Nationwide Parks
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Have you ever been to Huge Bend Nationwide Park or are you planning a visit there? Share your questions, feedback, and experiences within the feedback beneath!
