Howdy Ags,

I'm headed to BBNP for the first time this year. I'd appreciate any and all recommendations from those who have been.

I've heard that the drive out there can get lonely but is beautiful. What is the best route to and from BB if I'm in Houston? Any restaurants on the way worth trying out? I don't anticipate having much time for detours, but I'd like to know what's worth trying/seeing on the way.

Love hiking so I have all the popular hikes circled. Santa Elena, South Rim + Emory Peak, the scenic drive, hot springs, Lost Mine, etc. Any other must do's? Any tips for the rock scramble atop Emory Peak?

Favorite food spots in Terilingua? Any other cool things to do in the area?

I'm aware of the upcoming renovation project starting in May. Let's see if that gets going on time.

Thank y'all.

itrev21 said:

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Howdy Ags,

I'm headed to BBNP for the first time this year. I'd appreciate any and all recommendations from those who have been.

I've heard that the drive out there can get lonely but is beautiful. What is the best route to and from BB if I'm in Houston? Any restaurants on the way worth trying out? I don't anticipate having much time for detours, but I'd like to know what's worth trying/seeing on the way.

Love hiking so I have all the popular hikes circled. Santa Elena, South Rim + Emory Peak, the scenic drive, hot springs, Lost Mine, etc. Any other must do's? Any tips for the rock scramble atop Emory Peak?

Favorite food spots in Terilingua? Any other cool things to do in the area?

I'm aware of the upcoming renovation project starting in May. Let's see if that gets going on time.

Thank y'all.

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I took five kids, including my five year old son at the time, to the top of Emory Peak. The scramble is not that bad. Just stay left and don't look down

The drive out is about 90% not beautiful. Ive made it probably 50 times minimum. Taking hwy 90 will reduce the 90% number, but the drive is slower.

Terlingua- starlight should be top of your list. The Taco place in the ghost town is pretty solid. Rustic iron BBQ is good as well as long draw pizza.

Be aware, the road to the hot springs is closed. You will have to park on the paved road and walk in.

There is only one way from Houston to BBNP and the drive sucks for 95 to 99% of it.

I have been there a few times, I have done quite a few hikes there. I've done the south rim, I have kayaked the canyon, I've done the MTB race in Lajitas. I do not really understand the appeal of BBNP.


I would describe it as follows... "Its a million miles to ok."


I hope you and your kids have a much better experience than I have ever had there.

Big bend is absolutely incredible, and yes, there is what I refer to as a north and south route I take, depending on weather.

I always fly Hobby to Midland and then drive down. Seriously.

And I also like the taco joint in Terlingua ghost town.

Googlemaps shows that there isn't much difference in time between the 90 route starting in San Antonio, and taking I-10 to Ft. Stockton. You might consider taking one route outbound, and the other back home. You will then be able to make a more educated decision the next time you venture out that way.

In Marathon, you might be temped to eat at the Brick Vault BBQ place just down the street from The Gage Hotel. Their food is very disappointing. OTOH, there isn't a lot of places to eat in that area, so......

The drive from Houston to San Antonio is mind numbingly ugly. Passing SA it gets better and from Kerrville west is what most people think of when they think of Texas.

I'm sure I'm biased since the Trans-Pecos Big Bend area is where I was raised.

Big Bend is awesome for its remoteness and lack of tourist hordes. The scenery is top tier in Texas, fair to middlin' compared to some other states. I liken it to Capitol Reef NP in Utah: not the flashiest out there but has an appeal all its own.

Memo's in Del Rio is damn good! Eat there for lunch, coming or going.

I love Big Bend - one of my favorite places on earth.

I'm glad you're aware of the upcoming construction on the Chisos Lodge - when that begins they're closing the road up to the Basin. That is supposed to be a two-year project and would wreck your plans.

If you're going before they begin, and are camping, try to get a spot in Chisos.

I think Lost Mine is the best bang for your buck hike in the park and that Pine Canyon Trail is a hidden gem.

Water - take all the water. People die in Big Bend every year from dehydration.

Fill up in Martahon or Study Butte - I never drive into the park without a full tank. There is a gas station by the Panther Junction visitor center but it has been known to be out of fuel so I would not solely rely on it.

If you're meandering on your drive there, instead of turning at Fort Stockton, stay on I-10 and drop down through Alpine and drive from Alpine to Ft. Davis - that stretch of highway along 118 is my favorite in Texas.

Enjoy!

Good on you for getting in a trip to Big Bend before construction closes the Chisos basin. They have pushed back that project several times, but get in your visit while you can. And we can all expect the project timeline to be extended beyond the two years or whatever they are saying currently.

You did not say when you are planning to go. Note that bluebonnet season in BBNP is late March to mid-ish April. Worth seeing/smelling if you can schedule accordingly.

Someone has already mentioned the distances between some of the places on your list. That is valid ... and remember, the park speed limit is posted at 45. I've seen folks pulled over by park police, so just bear that in mind.

What was not mentioned was that if you are planning to cross the border to Boquillas (think "Gringo Honeymoon"), you will need a passport. There is a big gate on the American side that only opens on specific days of the week (seems like toward the end of the week/weekend, but check if that is important to you). I have seen a ranger/border patrol inside the gate and I understand there is a kiosk where you input passport information.

Hikes up in the basin: The Window, Lost Mine (as already mentioned). The South Rim trail is beautiful but it is an all-day hike, especially if you plan to include the Emory Peak side trip. Most people - including me - overnight out at one of the primitive campsites on the South Rim (reservation required). The sunset and silence out there is absolutely worth it!

In lieu of a South Rim sunset, consider Sotol Vista on the west side of the park. Primo!

When I was out there back in June, I met a guy on the trail who was coming down from Emory Peak, slipped on the rocks and fell into one of the *****ly plants up there. He was pretty beat up and managed to limp down to civilization in the basin. Point is, stay left is probably good advice; but mostly be damn careful up on the rock pile/summit 'cause its a long way back to the parking lot.

Have fun.

I've been out there a few times from Galveston.

As mentioned, you can go I-10 or US 90. Go out one way, back the other. Each has their plusses and minuses.

Bottom line, it's just really far away - even though you're still in Texas.

Good restaurants I've found along the way:

• Junction - Lum's BBQ
• Van Horn - El Capitan
• Alpine - Amigo Sports Bar & Restaurant
• Marathon - Gage Hotel
• Uvalde - Oasis Outback (this place is a trip - like Cabela's meets Luby's)

I second the mentions about keeping a full tank of gas.

And my other recommendation is to bring a large container of water from home.
I keep a 7 gallon container in my Jeep which has been great.
https://www.cabelas.com/p/reliance-aqua-tainer-water-jug

Also, depending what you're doing and how far out you're going, you might want to invest in some handheld GMRS radios too.

I've done it a few times. Get off 10 and go highway 90.
Going 90 will also take you over the Pecos River Bridge and give you a chance to see cave paintings at Seminole Canyon Park.

I appreciate everyone's responses!

I've been wanting to do this trip for a couple years now. Ever since I got serious about exploring America's beauty. Rocky Mountain & Olympic are spectacular btw. I know this will be different but I'm just as excited. Since I learned about the Chisos Basin project, I knew it had to be done this spring.

I know the park is massive and everything is like an hour from each other so we wisely booked a 5 night stay to experience as much as possible.

Again, thanks everyone. I'll be sure to come back with some pictures.

itrev21 said:

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Howdy Ags,

I'm headed to BBNP for the first time this year. I'd appreciate any and all recommendations from those who have been.

I've heard that the drive out there can get lonely but is beautiful. What is the best route to and from BB if I'm in Houston? Any restaurants on the way worth trying out? I don't anticipate having much time for detours, but I'd like to know what's worth trying/seeing on the way.

Love hiking so I have all the popular hikes circled. Santa Elena, South Rim + Emory Peak, the scenic drive, hot springs, Lost Mine, etc. Any other must do's? Any tips for the rock scramble atop Emory Peak?

Favorite food spots in Terilingua? Any other cool things to do in the area?

I'm aware of the upcoming renovation project starting in May. Let's see if that gets going on time.

Thank y'all.

---

We like staying at cabins at Far Flung and doing river trips with them. Or camping up in the basin. River trip is my favorite part each time I've gone.

I like the southern route on 90. Del Rio stop at Rudy's BBQ for gas, food, and bathroom is my routine. I don't know that I'd call it slower. You can drive fast and there's no traffic. I don't stop unless I have to. It's a long trip and I'm ready to be in the park or ready to be home. There are spots with no radio signals at all (and no cell service) on the route, so I download audio books.

I do usually stop in Marathon for a quick bite and gas up before heading down. I like J&G grill in the Alon gas station there (it's not gas station food, they have a real kitchen). I've wanted to try Brick Vault there, but they're never open when I go through. French Company Grocer is a fun stop there too.

I'm a fattie and scared of heights, so I haven't been up on South Rim or Emory Peak. Window Trail is more my speed. I also love Ernst Tinaja and Balanced Rock hikes. Lower Burro Mesa Pouroff is a cool, short, easy hike too. Hot Springs is cool; we hit it on a canoeing trip once.

My favorite food places: Gordo's food truck, Tivo's Place, Espresso Y Poco Mas is a MUST for breakfast, and DB's Rustic Iron BBQ. I haven't done Starlight Theater, waiting for a table out there feels wrong to me, but they must be doing something right if folks pack in. The food truck up in the basin is good eats too.

The wife and I just got back from a short visit to West Texas / BBNP. Read this post several times while planning our trip. We also spent a couple of days in Marfa (wife has been wanting to go for a while) and visited the McDonald Observatory.

Marfa, if you're at all interested, is good for a day to day and a half tops. I thought we were being smart by scheduling our trip for the week after spring break for Texas schools was over to avoid the crowds. Most things in Marfa were open for the full week during spring break, however, normally most of the art exhibits and galleries and even the restaurants are shut down Mon-Wed (we arrived late Sun and left Wed), so we missed out on a few things the wife wanted to visit. Moral of the story is, if you want to do anything in Marfa, best to visit on Friday or Saturday. We did stick around a little longer than planned on Wednesday so we could do the "Focus Tour" at the Chinati Foundation. The exhibit of Donald Judd's 100 untitled works in mill aluminum was actually pretty cool. We did not try to go see the Marfa lights. Talked to a couple that did go and they said probably not worth the time - which is what I thought would be the case.

Spent Tuesday around Fort Davis and the McDonald Observatory. Not much to do in this area either during the week. We visited the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center (it was hot and we were the only ones there). It was OK but would have been more enjoyable if it was a little cooler. Been there done that, not going back. We took a drive around the Davis Mountains on highway 166. 40 miles and never saw another car. Nice scenery but nothing special. The highlight was probably a group of Javelinas we saw beside the road. We did the Star Party at the Observatory. That was pretty cool. Starts in their outdoor amphitheater with someone pointing out multiple constellations with a laser light and they have telescopes set up to view particular things of interest. Was worth doing but probably not something I would repeat.

Wednesday, after the Chinati tour, we drove down to BBNP and arrived at the park HQ visitor center (Panther Junction) about 10 minutes before they closed for the day (5 pm) to get our entry pass for the week. It was really hot, so after a quick drive into Chisos Basin to see the parking for the Lost Mine trailhead (planning to do Thu morning) we drove back to Study Butte (where we were staying for 2 nights) . Had dinner at Starlight that first night. Cool place. They initially told us our wait time was 2 hrs, 20 mins. We ended up waiting 1 hr. I was not too impressed with our food selections however. I would not recommend the Chicken Fried Antelope - probably should have known better. It was pretty tough.

Thursday morning we got up early and drove to Lost Mine trailhead in Chisos Basin arriving at 7:30 am. Unfortunately the fairly limited parking (maybe 15-20 spots?) at the trailhead was already full so had to drive a little further to one of the pull outs along the side of the road. Luckily we had a guy who had just dropped off some people at the trailhead offer to drive us up. The hike was beautiful - highly recommend. Morning sunlight hitting the rocks on the opposite side of Juniper Canyon was awesome. Temp was perfect - started out in upper 50's and probably low 70's by the time we finished - about 11 am. Had lunch from the food truck at Chisos Basin - very meh. Initially we planned another hike for the afternoon, but the afternoon was very hot and we opted to take the Max Roswell Scenic Drive to Santa Elena Canyon instead - 1500 ft cliffs on the opposite side of the river are pretty impressive. Had dinner at Long Draw Pizza in Terlingua that night - highly recommend.

Friday we had planned to do another hike in the morning and do lunch in Boquillas. However, after breakfast at Expresso Y Poco Mas - HIGHLY RECOMMEND (thanks Ogre09) - the wind started picking up - wind gusts up to 30-40 mph. The wind/dust storm made visibility very poor and didn't really feel like breathing dust for no scenery on a hike. Instead we spent a bit more time at the Panther Creek Visitor Center before driving on to Boquillas. Despite the wind/dust, Boquillas was pretty cool. Had lunch at Jose Falcon's and it was pretty good.

Friday afternoon we headed out the north side of the park to Marathon. Spent the last night in the Gage Hotel and had dinner there at the 12 Gage Restaurant - another place I would recommend trying. A little more upscale than anything else we saw on the trip.

Overall a great relaxing trip. We planned this for March thinking it would be cool weather, but ended up being one of the hottest weeks in March they've ever had. That combined with our stay over in Marfa a little longer than planned and the dust/wind storm on Friday has me wanting to go back to BBNP and try again sometime. Would love to try the Window, Emory Peak and South Rim hikes.

Far Flung is the bomb!

Seems ridiculous to close the entire Chisos Basin for lodge construction. So you can't access and do any basin hikes?!?!!!

Jarrin Jay said:

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Seems ridiculous to close the entire Chisos Basin for lodge construction. So you can't access and do any basin hikes?!?!!!

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Project has been postponed multiple times and they finally announced late this past week that the project is cancelled. Didn't have the funding.

Edit - added link to National Park Service website on Chisos Basin project

https://www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/construction-cancelled.htm

That's too bad. The lodge is in bad need of renovation and modernization.

Jarrin Jay said:

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Seems ridiculous to close the entire Chisos Basin for lodge construction. So you can't access and do any basin hikes?!?!!!

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I think the main issue is the extremely limited amount of space up there and the amount of construction traffic that would be on the roads. Seems like they could setup some temp parking at panther junction and run a bus up to the basin for hikers. But if the project was cancelled, I guess it is moot.

It was gonna be a new $20mil restaurant which is not needed. They also could not find a contractor to do the job for the budget. In the end canceling was easily the right decision.

I disagree. The facilities at BBNP are way below what you will find in most other national parks. We've stayed in lodging in ~10+ national parks, and the lodging/restaurant facilities at BBNP is the lowest of the low.

The lodging at Shenandoah NP is about like Big Bend, but the two restaurant facilities there are way better than what is at Chisos Basin. That was the only place we've been with lodging in as poor shape as BB.

Every other park we have been to has far superior facilities than what Big Bend has at Chisos Basin. It's really embarrassing how dilapidated and out dated they are. They should be renovated, updated and modernized. It was shame that it wasn't done.

$20mil for a restaurant and gift shop makes zero sense though.

The Chicken Ranch said:

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I disagree. The facilities at BBNP are way below what you will find in most other national parks. We've stayed in lodging in ~10+ national parks, and the lodging/restaurant facilities at BBNP is the lowest of the low.

The lodging at Shenandoah NP is about like Big Bend, but the two restaurant facilities there are way better than what is at Chisos Basin. That was the only place we've been with lodging in as poor shape as BB.

Every other park we have been to has far superior facilities than what Big Bend has at Chisos Basin. It's really embarrassing how dilapidated and out dated they are. They should be renovated, updated and modernized. It was shame that it wasn't done.

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You have to remember that some people are opposed to any development in Big Bend. I've seen on other social media platforms on the topic of the Lodge renovation that some people believe there never should have been paved roads in the park.

MAROON said:

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$20mil for a restaurant and gift shop makes zero sense though.

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I am sure the distance from the nearest home depot/material suppliers played a big role. Transportation costs for the materials alone was probably one of the biggest cost items after labor. iven that it was a government contract, they probably had to use all legal labor as well.

A. G. Pennypacker said:

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The Chicken Ranch said:

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I disagree. The facilities at BBNP are way below what you will find in most other national parks. We've stayed in lodging in ~10+ national parks, and the lodging/restaurant facilities at BBNP is the lowest of the low.

The lodging at Shenandoah NP is about like Big Bend, but the two restaurant facilities there are way better than what is at Chisos Basin. That was the only place we've been with lodging in as poor shape as BB.

Every other park we have been to has far superior facilities than what Big Bend has at Chisos Basin. It's really embarrassing how dilapidated and out dated they are. They should be renovated, updated and modernized. It was shame that it wasn't done.

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You have to remember that some people are opposed to any development in Big Bend. At least one person above responded that there never should have been paved roads in the park.

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Yeah, that is a bit extreme even for me, but not every park needs to be a luxury resort.

This is beyond how nice the lodge is, the main building is reaching the point of structurally failing so at some point they are going to have to shut it down