5 reasons to visit Big Bend National Park

1. THE ISOLATION – Big Bend is 1,250 square miles, about the size of Rhode Island. With around 300,000 visitors per year, it splits into around just 821 visitors per day. That means each visitor could have 1.5 square miles entirely to themselves! People will obviously congregate around certain parts of the park, but if you’re backpacking, it’s not uncommon to go 3-5 days without seeing another human being! Be aware that the isolation of this park is serious! Mountain lions, bears, and snakes are more common than visitors and the dry desert heat can be unforgiving. When you check in with the rangers for your permit, be prepared for the ranger to ask you detailed questions about where you will hike, camp, and how prepared you are. The rangers will also take pictures of you, your gear, and the soles of your hiking boots. Too many unsuspecting hikers have wandered into this beautiful land and never return. Don’t let that scare you, let that set you up!

2. THE NIGHT SKY – Certified by the International Dark Sky Association as one of the 30 dark sky parks in the world and on USA Today’s top ten darkest national parks list. Big Bend is possibly the darkest place in the Lower 48. It’s not hard to tell the difference between the normal night sky and looking up while in Big Bend. You see more starlight than darkness and shooting stars are as normal as breathing!

3. SUNRISE AND SUNSET – It’s hard to beat Big Bend sunrise or sunset simply because of all the colors of both the sky and the ground. The sky illuminates the clouds in pinks and purples, while the light hitting the burnt orange and red desert landscape is surreal.

4. WILDLIFE – Obviously with limited human impact in the area, wildlife thrives. Mule deer roam as normally as cattle, coyotes run with curiosity, snakes bask in the hot sun, 14 species of scorpions live in Big Bend, frequent black bear camps and lion trails from mountain were cool on the way. This place certainly offered a true wild side in no time. Wildlife still owns this part of our wild world!

5. THE RIO GRANDE – This wild, picturesque and mighty river brings life to the desert and fun for visitors. Visitors can swim, canoe, kayak, and whitewater raft on the 69 miles of river within the park. The river also cuts through the spectacular Santa Elena Canyon with incredible 1,500 vertical walls. The Santa Elena hike is short and offers great scenic photography.

Big Bend National Park may not be an easily accessible National Park, but Big Bend’s size and beauty are on par with some of the best National Parks in the nation. I spent an amazing two days trying to soak up as much of the park as I could. I drove straight from New Orleans and made it as far as I could before sleeping in my truck on the side of the road. Just the road itself before I entered the park was littered with coyotes and mule deer crossing the road and by far the most stars I have ever seen. No cell phone service and no ambient lighting for miles made it feel like the old west in the history books. My plan was to wake up, make a Jet Boil instant coffee, and get some fantastic photos of the sunrise in the morning light over the beautiful mountain peaks and the Rio Grande.

Well my plan worked perfectly! I was able to capture some of the most dramatic and colorful shots I’ve ever taken. The burnt red and orange mountains, cutting out the horizon mixed with the perfect amount of clouds to add depth was breathtaking. I could barely drive when I stopped almost every mile to take a new photo of a mule deer or a different break in the colorful clouds.

I started the day on the window trail. This short 4.4-mile round-trip hike is one of the easiest hikes in the park for the biggest payoff. The hike is almost completely flat with a slight climb on the way back. The event traverses towering peaks, cacti, and an active riverbed. Although the trail starts at Basin Campground and is a very active trail, the trail is still very wild. The day before, a warning sign was posted stating that a mountain lion had been spotted on the trail and that the tracks were clearly visible the morning I climbed. The fresh bear droppings were also right in the middle of the trail, just a half mile from the campground. The trail ends at what is called “the window”, a cut in the mountains gives you an unforgettable view of the valley 500 feet below. During some times of the year, the stream flows and cascades from “the window.”

After stopping at many other scenic spots like Mule Ears Overlook, Homer Wilson’s Ranch, and Tuff Canyon, I made my way to the Rio Grande. All day I could see this huge rock wall in the distance, but I had no idea what it was. To my surprise, as I approached the huge wall, I realized that it was Mexico. The river was running downward and had cut a huge deep canyon (Santa Elena) into the massive rock wall. Took the best day trail in the park. This short 1.7 mile hike has a short gain but gives you access to the river for swimming and canoeing. The trail leaves the river and follows the deep cut canyon for spectacular views, before descending back to the water’s edge.

After spending most of the day cooling off in the Rio Grande, I made my way to some of the more remote parts of the park that are only accessed by dirt roads. I roamed miles of wild 4×4 trails. The mule deer and coyote sightings were as normal as a domestic pet. When night came, I set up the tent near the side of the road and settled in for the night. The night sky was incredibly beautiful. I counted more than 45 shooting stars and was able to choose all the constellations that I knew. Deep darkness surrounded me and not being able to see any artificial light on the horizon was very peaceful. It was the first time in a long time that I really felt off the grid! In the whole night I did not hear any artificial noise nor did I see any artificial light. The howls of the coyotes were the only music to my ears!

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