Last Updated: May 2026
Big Bend National Park is one of the most remote and expansive national parks in the lower 48 states — and one of the most rewarding. We based ourselves in Lajitas, Texas, using it as a hub to explore three very different destinations: Big Bend Ranch State Park to the west, the ghost town of Terlingua just down the road, and Big Bend National Park to the east. The drive from Edinburg, Texas took us through San Antonio and Fort Stockton before arriving in the high Chihuahuan Desert — a journey that makes the remoteness of this corner of the country very clear. We arrived in January, and a cold front that dropped temperatures to 23°F overnight only added to the stark beauty of the landscape.
Big Bend Ranch State Park
Big Bend Ranch State Park is the largest state park in Texas, covering over 300,000 acres of Chihuahuan Desert wilderness in a rugged, remote, and largely unpopulated setting. The drive from Lajitas runs along the Rio Grande River and offers some of the most dramatic scenery in the state — canyon walls, desert scrub, and the river marking the border with Mexico to the south.
The park encompasses a number of open range cattle ranches, and a herd of longhorn cattle are based here — frequently visible along the road. Two dog-friendly hiking trails make it particularly appealing for travelers with dogs: the Hoodoos Trail and the Closed Canyon Trail.
Hoodoos Trail
We took a short hike among the hoodoo monuments — one of those trails that is short on distance but long on visual reward. The word “hoodoo” originated in Africa and referred to rock structures with strange animal shapes believed to embody evil spirits. Hoodoos are also called “fairy towers” because of their fanciful shapes, and in other parts of the Southwest they are known as “goblins.” These formations develop over millions of years as differential erosion wears away softer rock while harder caprock resists, leaving the characteristic spires that dot this section of the Chihuahuan Desert.
Closed Canyon Trail
Closed Canyon Trail is a stunning dog-friendly slot canyon hike — one of the best short trails in the Big Bend area. The canyon walls narrow dramatically as you descend, with smooth sculpted rock in shades of orange, tan, and gray towering on both sides. The trail is easy for the first mile or so, but it eventually connects with the Rio Grande — and getting back out requires a ladder or climbing equipment if you complete the full route. For most visitors, turning around at a comfortable point is the right call. Jake, our dog, was a big fan.
Lajitas, Texas
Lajitas is a small community located between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park, at the southern extreme of the Rocky Mountains along the Rio Grande. The name is Spanish for “little flat rocks,” referring to the Boquillas flagstone of the area. With a tiny permanent population, Lajitas is known primarily for the Lajitas Golf Resort — though it does have one other notable distinction.
The mayor of Lajitas is an elected beer-drinking goat named Clay Henry. The tradition of electing a goat as mayor goes back decades, and the current Clay Henry is a direct descendant of the original. He is a popular attraction in his own right — and takes his civic responsibilities seriously, at least where beer is concerned.
Lajitas Golf Resort
Lajitas Golf Resort is a beautiful property spread across 27,000 acres in one of the most scenic and remote settings imaginable. Their golf course is ranked number one in Texas, and the surrounding desert and mountain landscape makes it one of the most distinctive places to play anywhere in the country. Beyond golf, the resort offers an airstrip, pool, saloon, shops, sporting clay shooting, theater, horseback riding, zip line, and a restaurant — a genuinely full destination for such an isolated location.
Candelilla wax is derived from the Candelilla plant, which grows throughout the Chihuahuan Desert. It was a highly sought-after product in the early 20th century — used in cosmetics, polishes, and coatings — but demand diminished after World War II as synthetic alternatives became available. The Rio Grande was easy to cross at Lajitas because of the flat rock bottom, and Candelilla wax was reportedly smuggled from Mexico into the United States here during the boom years, when Mexican production was tightly controlled by the government.
The bartender has a story about the painting above the bar. The subject’s name is India — she is reportedly in her 70s, sells jewelry at the Saturday flea market in Terlingua, runs a coffee shop, makes jewelry, paints, and writes poetry. The rumor is that she was the former resort owner’s mistress, and he had the portrait commissioned many years ago. When he sold the resort, one condition of the sale was that the painting had to remain above the bar. The bartender likes to joke that she is his mistress. Truth or tall tale, it is a very good story.
Maverick Ranch RV Park
We stayed at Maverick Ranch RV Park in Lajitas — stunning mountain views right out the front window. The park has 50-amp service, 60 psi water pressure, sewer hookups, a dog park, and a pool (cold in January). WiFi was very poor and Verizon signal was limited. Being at the end of the local power grid made for some interesting nights: our surge protector tripped numerous times as voltage frequently spiked to 126–128 volts. A cold front moved through and temperatures dropped to 23°F overnight — we were very glad for the heated floors in the RV.
The area was picturesque even in the cold. Tarantulas are a common presence in the Chihuahuan Desert — large, striking, and far less threatening than they look. The desert landscape at dusk, with the mountains silhouetted against the fading light, was one of those quiet views that stays with you.
Terlingua, Texas
It was the discovery of cinnabar — the ore from which mercury is extracted — that put Terlingua on the map in the 1880s. At its peak in the early 20th century, the Chisos Mining Company operated extensive mines here, making Terlingua one of the most productive mercury mining districts in the United States. By 1947, the market had collapsed and the mines closed, leaving Terlingua effectively a ghost town. Adobe ruins of the old mining company buildings and workers’ housing still dot the desert landscape.
Today Terlingua has reinvented itself as a quirky, creative community popular among Big Bend visitors. The first Saturday of every November, Terlingua hosts the annual Chili Cookoff — one of the most famous chili competitions in the world — drawing over 10,000 people to this otherwise tiny desert town. The Starlight Theatre has become the social center of modern Terlingua, with daily live music and food that gives visitors a genuine reason to linger.
Starlight Theatre
We enjoyed eating at the Starlight. The food and live music were both very good — we had quail and wild boar, which fit the remote West Texas setting perfectly. The menu leans on local and regional flavors, and the atmosphere has a genuine frontier character that is hard to manufacture and easy to appreciate.
The building has a layered history. It was originally constructed in the 1930s as the Chisos Movie Theater. When the mines went bust in the late 1940s, the theater was abandoned. For a time it served as a venue for open-air parties, music, and theater productions — and because there was no roof, it was called the “Starlight Theatre.” In the 1990s it got a facelift and reopened as a restaurant and bar. New management in 2010 brought another renovation. The result is one of the most atmospheric dining rooms in Texas. ¡Viva Terlingua!
Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park covers over 800,000 acres and has been open to visitors since 1944. It is one of the least visited national parks in the United States — a direct result of its extreme remoteness — but what you lose in convenience you gain in solitude and scenery. The Rio Grande River forms the southern border of the park for 118 miles, marking the boundary between the United States and Mexico. The park takes its name from a large bend in the Rio Grande, and it contains the largest protected area of Chihuahuan Desert in the country. The scenery is extraordinary in all directions.
Santa Elena Canyon
The hike into Santa Elena Canyon was cold and beautiful. The canyon walls rise 1,500 feet above the Rio Grande, with Mexico on one side and the United States on the other — one of the most dramatic geological features in the national park system. The trail crosses Terlingua Creek before entering the canyon proper, where towering limestone walls create an enclosed, almost cathedral-like corridor. January is an excellent month to visit: clear air, essentially no crowds, and the cold that keeps most people home only adds to the elemental starkness of the place.
We drove from the Chisos Basin to the Mountain Lodge for lunch. It was 27 degrees and the mountains were entirely covered in cloud. When the sun broke through, frost on the trees became visible — a rare and striking sight in the desert Southwest. Within an hour the frost had melted and the cloud had lifted, revealing the full sweep of the Chisos Mountains above us.
Balanced Rock
The hike to Balanced Rock on the Grapevine Hills Trail was incredible. It was 30 degrees and windy — a little chilly — but the views were completely worth it. The trail winds about 2.3 miles round trip through weathered granite boulders before arriving at the famous formation: a massive rock balanced on a narrow pedestal, framing a perfect window of desert sky and mountain. It is one of those geological features that looks improbable until you are standing in front of it, and then it looks even more improbable.
Hot Springs
The Hot Springs Historic District sits on the bank of the Rio Grande, where naturally heated groundwater emerges at temperatures that can reach 105°F. The area was developed in the early 1900s as a seven-room resort, and the ruins of the old bathhouse, motel, and store are still visible along the trail. The springs themselves are only about a foot deep — a shallow pool right at the river’s edge. The day we visited, they didn’t feel quite hot enough to get in. When Rio Grande water levels are high, the springs are submerged entirely. Even without a soak, the site is worth visiting for the history and the rock art along the canyon walls on the way in.
There are both petroglyphs (carved into rock) and pictographs (painted onto rock) on the canyon walls along the trail — among the best-preserved examples of indigenous rock art in the Big Bend area. They were left by peoples who lived along this stretch of the Rio Grande long before European contact. The combination of geothermal springs, historic resort ruins, and ancient rock art makes the Hot Springs trail one of the richest short hikes in the national park.
Wolf Moon
January 1, 2018 was a supermoon — a full moon at its closest orbital point to Earth, appearing approximately 14% larger and 30% brighter than a full moon at its farthest point. A Wolf Moon is the traditional name for a January full moon, derived from Indigenous naming traditions that marked each month by seasonal observation — wolves were heard howling near villages during the deep cold of January. The combination of the supermoon, the Wolf Moon name, and the extraordinary dark skies of Big Bend made for one of the best night photography opportunities of the entire trip.
Visitor Information
Getting there: Big Bend National Park is one of the most remote national parks in the continental United States. The nearest major city is Midland/Odessa, approximately 230 miles north. From San Antonio the drive is roughly 6 hours via I-10 and US-385. There is no public transit — a personal vehicle is required. Fill your tank before entering the park; fuel is available at Panther Junction and Rio Grande Village inside the park but at significant premium prices.
Big Bend National Park entry: The current entry fee is $35 per vehicle, valid for 7 days. The America the Beautiful annual pass is accepted and covers entry to all U.S. national parks. Camping reservations can be made at recreation.gov. Visit nps.gov/bibe for current fees, trail conditions, and road closures.
Big Bend Ranch State Park: Located along FM 170 between Lajitas and Presidio. The Hoodoos Trail and Closed Canyon Trail are both accessible from FM 170 with roadside parking. Entry fees apply; visit tpwd.texas.gov for current fees and trail information.
Lajitas Golf Resort: Located on FM 170 in Lajitas. Offers lodging, dining, spa, sporting clays, horseback riding, zip line, and the top-ranked golf course in Texas. Visit lajitasgolfresort.com for current rates and reservations.
Starlight Theatre: Located in the ghost town of Terlingua, a short drive from Lajitas. Open for dinner with live music nightly. Visit thestarlighttheatre.com for current hours and schedule.
Practical Tips
Plan for genuine remoteness: Big Bend is far from everything — the nearest hospital is hours away, cell service is essentially nonexistent in most of the park, and fuel options are limited. Carry extra food, water, and gas. Download offline maps before you leave. If you take prescription medications, bring more than you think you’ll need.
Visit in winter for solitude: Summer temperatures regularly exceed 110°F at lower elevations and make most hiking dangerous or impossible. Winter (November through February) brings daytime temperatures in the 50s and 60s at desert level and noticeably cooler conditions in the Chisos Mountains. Expect freezing overnight temperatures, but the solitude, clear skies, and uncrowded trails are exceptional. January is one of the best months to visit.
Prioritize the Chisos Mountains: The Chisos Basin sits at around 5,400 feet — significantly cooler and dramatically different from the desert floor. The Chisos Mountain Lodge is the only lodging inside the park and books far in advance. Even if you are not staying there, the Basin is worth visiting for the hiking, the scenery, and the wildlife.
Don’t skip Terlingua: The ghost town and the Starlight Theatre are easy to underestimate on paper and hard to forget in person. The combination of mining history, dramatic landscape, frontier character, and genuinely good food makes Terlingua one of the most memorable stops in the Big Bend area — independent of the national park entirely.
Plan for dark skies: Big Bend National Park is one of the best places in the lower 48 for stargazing — designated an International Dark Sky Park in 2012. If the moon is not full or near-full, plan time outside after dark. The Milky Way is often visible to the naked eye, and the lack of artificial light makes it one of the truly remarkable dark sky experiences remaining in the continental United States.
RV considerations: Many roads in Big Bend National Park have length restrictions, and several backcountry routes are impassable for large rigs. Check the NPS website for current road conditions and length limits before planning your route. Maverick Ranch RV Park in Lajitas is a solid base — be aware that it sits at the end of the local power grid and voltage irregularities are common.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Big Bend National Park so rarely visited?
Big Bend is simply very far from anywhere. The nearest major airport is in Midland/Odessa — roughly 230 miles away — and the drive from any major Texas city is a significant commitment. There are no nearby towns with extensive services, no interstate highways leading to the park entrance, and no easy day-trip option from a metropolitan area. That remoteness is also exactly what makes it so rewarding: trails are uncrowded, views are unobstructed, and the experience feels genuinely wild in a way that more accessible parks rarely do.
What is the difference between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park?
Big Bend National Park (800,000+ acres) is managed by the National Park Service and covers the core of the region, including the Chisos Mountains, Santa Elena Canyon, and the Rio Grande corridor. Big Bend Ranch State Park (300,000+ acres) is managed by Texas Parks and Wildlife and lies to the west along FM 170 between Lajitas and Presidio. Both are worth visiting; together they form one of the largest conservation areas in the lower 48 states.
When is the best time of year to visit Big Bend?
November through April offers the most comfortable conditions. Winter brings cool to cold temperatures — occasionally freezing at elevation — but clear skies, minimal crowds, and excellent hiking. Spring (March–April) brings wildflowers and warm days. Summer is genuinely dangerous at lower elevations due to extreme heat, though the Chisos Mountains remain cooler. Fall (October–November) offers a second good window before the holiday crowds arrive.
Is Big Bend dog-friendly?
Partially. Dogs are not permitted on most trails in Big Bend National Park — they are allowed on paved roads, in campgrounds, and in parking areas, but not in the backcountry. Big Bend Ranch State Park is considerably more dog-friendly, with several trails that welcome dogs on leash — including the Hoodoos Trail and Closed Canyon Trail, both of which are excellent hikes. We did both with our dog Jake.
What should I know about the Hot Springs at Big Bend?
The Hot Springs Historic District is on the Rio Grande, about 2 miles from the Rio Grande Village area. The springs reach temperatures up to 105°F but are only about a foot deep. When the river runs high, the springs may be submerged. The trail to the springs also passes some of the best petroglyphs and pictographs in the park — well worth the stop even if a soak is not in the cards. Free with park entry.
What is the Terlingua Chili Cookoff?
The Terlingua International Chili Championship is one of the most famous chili competitions in the world, held the first weekend of November. It draws over 10,000 people to this tiny West Texas ghost town for competition, live music, and general celebration. There are actually two parallel events on the same weekend — the CASI cookoff and the Original Terlingua International Championship — both held in Terlingua. If you can time your visit, it is one of the more extraordinary events in all of Texas.
