Big Bend National Park, Texas (with Map & Photos)

Big Bend National Park (Texas, USA) - exact location, interesting places, inhabitants, routes.

Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park

In the very south of Texas, where the night sky is black as coal, and rivers have carved intricate sculptures from rocks for thousands of years, there is one of the most inaccessible, but no less beautiful US national parks, Big Bend National Park. It got its name from the 90-degree turn that makes the bed of the Rio Grande, turning towards the Gulf of Mexico through the mountains of San Vicente and Sierra del Carmen. Here, on the quiet outskirts of the country, hundreds of bird species and about 1200 plants have found their home - an incredible variety! Such a wealth of fauna and flora is due to the presence of three ecosystems in the reserve at once: mountains, deserts and rivers.

What to see and do


Big Bend National Park - Most of the park's territory is occupied by the Chihuahua Desert, covered with creosote bushes, cacti, mechugui, yucca and agave. And in the middle of it flows the Rio Grande with luxurious green floodplains. It seems as if she is on her own mind and is teased by the rich vegetation in front of a dry Chihuahua. The Chisos mountains also distinguished themselves: due to the fact that at an altitude of 20 ° C it is colder than in the desert, pines, junipers and oaks make their way through the rocks, among which deer, cougars, bears have found their home.

Big Bend National Park Texas
Big Bend National Park

Sometimes the desert also comes to life, this happens in March-April. People from all over America come to see how dry streams are filled with water, and how cacti are blooming. The peak of this holiday of life lasts only 2 weeks, so closer to spring it is better to check with the administration for specific dates. After these two weeks, the desert remains covered with a flowering carpet, but its brightness gradually diminishes.

Visitors to the Big Bend National Park go hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, horseback riding, car riding, fishing, whatever they like. In total, there are 380 km of walking trails, of which 110 km are intended for off-road vehicles. As elsewhere in America, the park has excellent infrastructure: many places for barbecues, small cafes, campgrounds.

Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park

A place for a tent costs 10-20 USD per night. RVs are also allowed in the park. Alternatively, you can stay in one of the cottages or rooms at the Chisos Mountains Hotel, the only one in Big Bend. Many spend the night in the nearby town of Marathon (60 km).

Practical information


Address: Texas, Alpine, Main Park Avenue. Website

Big Bend National Park Map