Big Bend Recommendations?

[swhme]

We’re planning 5 days in big bend in a couple weeks. Never been before, would love recommendations on places to go/camp, what to bring, etc.

Thanks!

 

[geanes]

National Park or State Park? I know both quite well.

 

[swhme]

National Park or State Park? I know both quite well.

No firm plans other than arriving on 3/10 and leaving on 3/15– would love recommendations!

 

[geanes]

No firm plans other than arriving on 3/10 and leaving on 3/15– would love recommendations!

National Park is probably better if it's your first time out there. The State Park is MUCH more remote and rugged. The National Park has numerous sights and hikes that you could do including Santa Elena Canyon, Balanced Rock, Mariscal Mine, Mule Ears and more. I would NOT camp ANYWHERE along River Road though as they have had numerous issues with campsite being raided by border crossers when campers aren't present. We camped at Loop Camp last February and were advised to pack up our camp every single day and take it with us and set everything up again the next day. Other areas of the National Park are perfectly fine to camp along (though their reservation system is awful). Any campsite along Glenn Spring would be good as it's fairly central. My all time favorite site out there is McKinney Spring (off Old Ore). It's a fair piece off the beaten path, but well worth it. Only issue is that it takes at least an hour just to reach the main park road so it eats into your days pretty good. You HAVE to reserve one day to make the trip to Terlingua Ranch (NOT Terlingua or Terlingua Ghost Town) and drive Christmas Mountain. You have to reserve a 4-hour window for Christmas Mountain and they'll provide you a key to open the gate to drive to the top. Truly an impressive drive on rutted gravel and switchbacks up to a beautiful overlook that affords views up 100 miles into Mexico.

Lots of this will depend on how you'll be camping. Are you going to setup tents and want to be remote? Are you preferring actual campgrounds with hookups (VERY hard to get this close to your intended visit)? Are you looking to stay in more "civil" accommodations i.e. hotels (there are VERY few options)?

 

[swhme]

Planning to camp in a rooftop tent on my built LC100– we’re used to dispersed camping, and remote is good. We’ve got all the equipment to be totally off-grid. I’m looking into christmas mountain now!

 

[swhme]

Oh man, it looks like all the primitive sites in the NP are booked for our dates— someone had told me that it was all dispersed, and you didn’t need to reserve, so looks like I screwed that up… Is the state park also on a reservation system, @geanes ?

 

[The White FJ62]

The next couple of weeks are some of the busiest for that area with spring break and favorable weather. It’s going to be tough to find much I’m afraid

 

[swhme]

Looks like that’s a yes… we grabbed the last spot that was still open in the state park, in the Los Alamos Backcountry zone. Phew!

 

[swhme]

The next couple of weeks are some of the busiest for that area with spring break and favorable weather. It’s going to be tough to find much I’m afraid

Yeah, I just started looking and started panicking! I’ve been planning for these dates for 6 months, but was under the impression it was first come-first serve so never even looked at booking anything until today Luckily, we were able to book the last available site in either park…

 

[The White FJ62]

I’ll be at the state park on the 12-14th. Look for a green FJ80 and a silver GX470

 

[swhme]

I’ll be at the state park on the 12-14th. Look for a green FJ80 and a silver GX470

Will do! I’ll be in a gray 100 LC with roof tent

 

[swhme]

Oh, and Maine license plates. Probably the only one in the park with Maine plates

 

[jmdaniel]

Yeah, I just started looking and started panicking! I’ve been planning for these dates for 6 months, but was under the impression it was first come-first serve so never even looked at booking anything until today Luckily, we were able to book the last available site in either park…

There is a huge backlog of travelers, due to COVID over the last couple of years. I put together a week long scoot trip out west, to happen this September, and we booked all of our lodging in November. All except one night on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, which they didn't open up for booking until 7am on 1/3. All of us hit that website right at 7am, and it was like buying concert tickets... Some of the National Parks we are going through are limiting visitors; once they get to a set limit, it will be one in only after one out.

Too damn many people here!

Have fun! I've been out to BB multiple times on my motorcycles, it's like no other part of Texas.

 

[geanes]

Oh man, it looks like all the primitive sites in the NP are booked for our dates— someone had told me that it was all dispersed, and you didn’t need to reserve, so looks like I screwed that up… Is the state park also on a reservation system, @geanes ?

Yeah, there is NO dispersed camping ANYWHERE in TX other than Padre National Seashore. Everything else is established sites that have to be reserved. A HUGE negative to living in Texas.

What site in the State Park did you get? Did you get the actual Los Alamos site?

The best way to get to the park from Austin is to travel to Fort Stockton and then down to Alpine, across to Marfa and then down to Presidio where you can fuel up and get any last minute groceries. Once in the park, it's a 28 mile gravel road to the Ranger station (has showers and toilets as well as ice, but concessions are closed). When you leave the park, the BEST way back is to head east on 170. It tracks along the Rio Grande and is SPECTACULAR! There are 3 excellent spots to stop along the way.....the Hoodoos, Closed Canyon (super cool hike) and the Overlook. 170 takes you down and around into LaJitas and then into Terlingua (really cool little town). Fuel up at the Alon and then head up to Alpine and home.

If you're on GAIA, I'm happy to share all my trail files with you.

 

[geanes]

The Sentinel in Marfa is FANTASTIC for lunch

 

[geanes]

Hoodoos along 170

 

[geanes]

Closed Canyon along 170. A long slot canyon similar to what you'd find in Southern Utah. Really, really cool.

 

[geanes]

Overlook along 170. That's the Rio Grande down below and Mexico on the other side. Picture does NOT do the view justice.

 

[reddog90]

Overlook along 170. That's the Rio Grande down below and Mexico on the other side. Picture does NOT do the view justice.
View attachment 2938457

Thanks for all your insight on trips in this area. I can't seem to find this overlook on google maps. Where is it in relation to Fandango Dom Rock?

 

[geanes]

Thanks for all your insight on trips in this area. I can't seem to find this overlook on google maps. Where is it in relation to Fandango Dom Rock?

It is actually Fandango Dom Rock. Had no idea it had an actual name LOL. My pic is from the West side.