Big Bend National Park Road Trip: Getting There and Getting Around
There is no short way in. Midland is the closest airport at 230 miles and four hours, El Paso is 330 miles and five hours, San Antonio 410 miles and six and a half. Inside the park, the Chisos Basin, Santa Elena Canyon and Rio Grande Village sit up to 50 miles apart on park roads, so plan a driving hour into every day. Four days is the minimum that justifies the journey and five is better. Come between November and April, because summer runs past 100F on the desert floor. Our Big Bend itinerary lays out the days.
The routes in
- Midland or Odessa, 230 miles, 4 hours. The shortest drive from a commercial airport, south through Fort Stockton and Marathon.
- El Paso, 330 miles, 5 hours. More flights, and it lets you add Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Carlsbad Caverns on the way, which is the best reason to choose it. See our Guadalupe Mountains itinerary.
- San Antonio, 410 miles, 6 hours 30 minutes, through Del Rio and Marathon or via Alpine.
- Austin, 450 miles, 7 hours.
- Marfa and Alpine, the two towns worth a night on the way. Alpine is 100 miles from the park entrance and has the last full supermarket.
Petrol is the thing to plan. Fill up in Marathon, Alpine or Study Butte, because inside the park there is fuel at Panther Junction and Rio Grande Village only, and it is expensive. The stretch of US 90 and US 385 has long gaps between open stations at night.
The two drives inside the park
- Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, 30 miles from Santa Elena Junction to the canyon, past Mule Ears and the Sotol Vista overlook. Allow two hours with stops.
- FM 170, the River Road, which runs west from Study Butte through Big Bend Ranch State Park to Presidio. Fifty miles of switchbacks above the Rio Grande and one of the best drives in Texas. It is outside the national park, it needs half a day, and it is worth it.
The hikes to build the days around
- Lost Mine Trail, 4.8 miles and 1,100 feet from the Chisos Basin Road. The best half day in the park. The car park is tiny and full by 8:30am.
- The Window Trail, 5.6 miles from the Chisos Basin down to a pour off with the desert framed in it. Do it in the afternoon so the climb back is in shade.
- The South Rim, 12 to 14 miles depending on the loop, 2,000 feet of climbing, and a 2,500 foot drop off the edge at the top. The best day hike in Texas. Sections close in spring for peregrine nesting.
- Santa Elena Canyon, 1.7 miles into a 1,500 foot limestone slot with Mexico on the far wall. Details in our Santa Elena Canyon guide.
- Boquillas Canyon, 1.4 miles, and the Hot Springs Historic Trail, where a 105F spring sits in a stone foundation at the river's edge.
Where to sleep
The Chisos Mountains Lodge is the only lodging inside the park and it books months ahead for the cool season. The three developed campgrounds, Chisos Basin, Rio Grande Village and Cottonwood, go on recreation.gov six months out. Outside the park, Terlingua and Study Butte have cabins and casitas 20 minutes from the west entrance, and Marathon has the Gage Hotel 70 miles north of Panther Junction. Booking detail in our Big Bend camping guide.
When to go
- November to April: the season. Days in the 60s and 70s on the desert floor, cold nights in the Chisos, and clear air.
- Thanksgiving, Christmas and spring break: the three weeks the park is genuinely full. Book everything or come outside them.
- May to September: 100F and up in the desert, though the Chisos Basin at 5,400 feet stays 10 to 15 degrees cooler, and the late summer monsoon brings the desert into flower.
- Any new moon: Big Bend has the darkest measured skies of any national park in the lower 48. Plan one night with no driving so you can sit outside for it.
More seasonal detail in the best time to visit Big Bend.
Crossing to Boquillas
You can walk or row across the Rio Grande to the village of Boquillas del Carmen at a small port of entry inside the park. Bring a passport, check the opening days and hours, which are limited and seasonal, and be back before the crossing closes for the day. It is the only international border crossing in a US national park, and it is about as easy as such a thing can be.
Have us plan the trip
Tell us which airport you are flying into and your dates and we will build the drive, the park days and the beds around the season. Planning is free, and we earn only if you book through us.
Big Bend National Park Road Trip: Getting There and Getting Around FAQs
Midland International, 230 miles and about four hours north. El Paso is 330 miles and five hours but has more flights, and it lets you add Guadalupe Mountains and Carlsbad Caverns on the drive down.
Four at a minimum, five if you want the South Rim and the River Road. The park is 800,000 acres and the drives between its three main areas take an hour each, so short visits lose most of their time to the road.
November through April. Summer highs on the desert floor pass 100F, though the Chisos Basin at 5,400 feet stays 10 to 15 degrees cooler. Thanksgiving, Christmas and spring break are the three busiest weeks.
The Lost Mine Trail at 4.8 miles for a half day, and the South Rim at 12 to 14 miles for the best full day hike in Texas. Santa Elena Canyon at 1.7 miles is the one everybody should do regardless of fitness.
Fuel at Panther Junction and Rio Grande Village, both expensive, and small stores at each. Fill up and shop in Marathon, Alpine or Study Butte, and carry more water than you expect to drink.
Yes, at the Boquillas crossing inside the park, on foot or by rowboat to Boquillas del Carmen. You need a passport, the crossing runs limited days and hours, and you must return before it closes.
