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.
