Thinking about planning a trip to Big Bend National Park? DO IT, IT’S AMAZING I WISH I COULD GO BACK TOMORROW. Some friends and I were there over New Year’s Eve weekend this year and it was such an amazing experience. (I’m almost jealous that you get to go soon and I don’t haha!) Regardless, here are the top eight things you should know before going to Big Bend National Park if you’ve never been before.

Planning a trip to Big Bend? Check out my list of films either set or filmed in West Texas to find out what movies were filmed in Big Bend that you should watch to get ready for your trip!

 

1. The busiest times in Big Bend National Park are November through January and then again during Spring Break.

Book lodging as soon as you know you’re going–either camping or cabins in the park or in the nearby town of Terlingua. Click here for 9 Things You Should Know if You’re Planning a Trip to Terlingua.

2. It’s generally agreed that the best place to stay in the park is the Chisos Mountains Lodge.

There are a variety of options ranging from basic hotel rooms to cottages that lodge up to 7 people. You might also consider the Lodge’s property, Big Bend Resort & Adventures, located in Terlingua.

If the Lodge is full but you would still like to try to stay there, make other local arrangements that have a flexible cancellation policy. Call the lodge every day to see if there were any cancellations. Often something might open up even up to the week before, and then you can cancel your other accomodations.

3. Pets are not allowed in Big Bend National Park.

This is something that would be unfortunate for you to discover AFTER you get there if you already packed up your dog and brought him with you. There are no kennels in the park, and the park isn’t exactly pet-friendly. Plan on finding a sitter for your dog while you’re at Big Bend.

4. Parking is incredibly limited at most of the trail heads in Big Bend.

In fact, when we were there in January, most of the small lots seemed to be full by 9am. Get to the Park Headquarters right when they open on your first day so you can get in line to pay for parking as early as possible. Then head straight to your destination for the day and hope that there is still parking available. Always prioritize what you want to do first and then fit in the rest of your activities for the day.

5. Big Bend is larger than the state of Rhode Island and there are only 2 gas stations inside the park.

Plan accordingly and don’t run out of gas. When in doubt, just stop and fill your tank. Better to be safe than sorry.

6. Temperatures will vary a lot in the park, and the weather forecast may not reflect what you actually encounter.

According to the National Park Service, air temperature changes by five degrees for every 1,000 feet of elevation change. This means that temperatures in the Chisos Mountains can be 20+ degrees cooler than temperatures down in the basin. When we were there in January, we sweated our butts off the first day when we were doing the Window Trail, but we were more comfortable for the rest of our trip (in the basin).

If you’re visiting the park in the winter, wear lots of layers, including gloves and a hat, and plan to take them off as you warm up.

7. Stay hydrated!

If you’re hiking in the summer, plan on bringing about a gallon of drinking water a day per person. This will mean carrying a lot of water on longer hikes, but you absolutely don’t want to get dehydrated or suffer from heat exhaustion out there.

8. If you only have one day in the park, consider hiking the Lost Mine Trail.

We did this hike our last day in town and LOVED IT. We had such a good time and were done by lunch time. It’s considered medium difficulty, stretching 4.7 miles and gaining about 1300 feet. The vistas are astounding and there are plenty of opportunities for photo ops and some rock scrambling / bouldering. The views are the kind of views that make you realize why we were born, and I would say this was one of my favorite hikes I’ve ever been on. (Yes, it was that good.) Click here for my write-up on our day in the park, including pictures!

Have you been to Big Bend National Park? Did I miss anything that newbies should absolutely know about? Leave a comment below and let me (and them) know!

Want more travel guides?

Check out the other Road Trip Soul guides that are available. Hover over a heart to see the location name, then click the “Guides” link to see everything I’ve written about that place.

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Looking for more on Big Bend? Check out my Pinterest board about it here:

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