Big Bend National Park
The best sights, where to stay, what to eat, how to find a guide, and everything else you could possibly want to know about the most beautiful place in Texas.
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SCENIC DRIVES—PAVED
One of the unique features of Big Bend is the extensive network of roads. It is extremely rare for a national park to allow so much access to interior sections. There are more than 110 miles of pavement to explore, and another 150 miles of dirt roads.
The eastern road to Rio Grande Village has few turnoffs as it heads through low desert that drops off gradually to the river. The main west side road, known as the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, is far more interesting, passing by some remarkably weird landmarks—the prominent Mule Ears Peak (turn off the road at the sign for the overlook), Cerro Castellan (a multihued peak that was an Indian reference point), and the smooth-surfaced, free-form Tuff Canyon (a short descent below ground level). Other short side trips lead to the old Sam Nail ranch, the Sotol Vista overlook, Blue Creek Ranch, and the Burro Mesa pouroff. The store at Castolon, originally built as an army post above the Rio Grande floodplain, sells postcards, snacks, ice cream bars, cool drinks, and little else. “People come here expecting a 7-Eleven,” explained the man behind the counter. “They don’t realize that our milk comes from Albuquerque and our food is trucked in from Abilene.” The speed limit is 45 miles per hour, and at least one ranger is said to enjoy writing tickets.
Drive River Road
While doing the Big Bend, budget time for a scenic drive on the 67 mile River Road (FM 170), which parallels the Rio Grande between Study Butte and Presidio, west of the National Park. The narrow twisting asphalt thoroughfare has been described as perhaps the prettiest drive in North America by National Geographic, and in this case, the reality really does match the hype. Going west, the first 17 miles passes through the greater Terlinguaplex, specifically the settlements of Study Butte, Terlingua, and Lajitas, the most populated stretch on the desert. The knocked-out views begin shortly thereafter, as the road risings and drops dramatically through Colorado Canyon, where the scenic pullovers literally take your breath away. The last stretch between the dusty town of Redford and Presidio, the gateway to the Mexican state of Chihuahua and Copper Canyon includes rich farmland that has been continuously cultivated since before the arrival of the Conquistadors. Texas Parks & Wildlife pubishes an excellent mile by mile road guide that you can pick up at the Barton Warnock Center near Lajitas, or the adobe-walled Fort Leaton state park near Presidio.
SCENIC DRIVES—UNPAVED
Passenger cars should be able to negotiate the dirt roads that lead to Hot Springs, Dugout Wells, and Grapevine Hills. The thirteen-mile Old Maverick Road, a shortcut to Santa Elena from the west, should also present no problem. The road passes the former jacal (a low-ceilinged dugout house) of a legendary Big Bend character named Gilberto Luna, who subsisted on crops cultivated in a dry wash, fathered more than fifty children, and lived to be 108. All improved dirt roads should be attempted only in dry weather at speeds under 35 miles per hour.
Some 150 miles of unimproved back-country roads promise even more adventure, but with a high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle. Check conditions at a ranger station. Otherwise, it can be a long walk back to civilization. The most popular are the 50-mile River Road, which parallels the Rio Grande, though river views are not as common as one might think; the Glenn Springs road to the site of a Mexican bandido raid in 1916; and the 2-mile Old Ore Road shadowing the Dead Horse Mountains, in the eastern part of the park. Conditions on these roads are unpredictable because the routes go through dry washes that change with every heavy rainfall. If you’re taking the River Road, avoid the side roads leading to the Rio Grande. FYI: The Panther Junction gas station has a tow truck and a mechanic who does minor repairs. Major automotive work is done in Study Butte, Terlinqua, and Marathon.
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