My mom has been trying to convince me to camp and go to Big Bend with her going on 28 years. For her 60th birthday I finally agreed to take the plunge and sleep in a tent for the first time. Here’s how to do Big Bend in a small amount of time.
Big Bend is located in the Chihuahua dessert on the border of Texas and Mexico. It is an adventurer’s haven. If you are interested in tent camping, it is important to know the weather of the desert and the wind speeds before you go. Also, if you plan to camp inside the park you will need bear safe containers and to make your reservation early.
9:00-Arrive to the park. You will need to check in at a Visitors Station to receive a Park pass it was $30 for seven days when we went. They will also tell you about the different hikes. We hit what I believe are the most interesting for a day trip.
10:00-Balanced Rock Hike
To get to this hike you will need to drive down an unpaved road. I recommend bringing a truck or higher vehicle to Big Bend. The drive takes about 35 minutes from the main road. This is the first hike we did. The map says it is rated “Easy” however I would rate it “Moderate” due to the actual rock climbing you have to do at the end. It is about 2.2 miles round trip and you will gain about 300 feet of elevation.
The view at the end is stunning and you get to snap a pic under the famous “balanced rock”. This hike took about 1.5 hours due to our leisure pace.
11:30-Sandwich in the car and drive to the Hot Springs Hike. It is important to note the speed limit in the park is about 45 mph and it will take you about 2 hours to go from one side to the other.
1:30 p.m.-Hot Spring Hike
It is also important to lock your car at this parking location. There will be a bathroom that you can change into your swimsuit in. The Hot Springs were about 1.5 hours from the Balanced rock. This is an easy hike is about 1.5 miles round trip. You get to see a hotel from the 1920s that was $1 a day to rent. You also will get a chance to purchase handmade souvenirs from the Boquillas Mexican village so bring cash if that interests you.
The hot spring sits along the edge of the Rio Grande and sits at about 104 degrees. It feels nice even if it is a hot day out. I highly recommend getting in.
2:00-Bouqillas Canyon- this canyon hike was okay. I would forego however if you are limited on time.
Santa Elena Canyon is about 2 hours from Boquillas Canyon. Also make sure you pay attention on the map to which roads are paved and unpaved.
5:30 p.m.-The showstopper was the Santa Elena Canyon.
Try to time this hike for sunset so you can watch the sun come through the canyon. You will need water shoes because you will need to wade through the Rio Grande to experience this hike. It is an Easy hike as well as there is a path and stairs most of the way. It is about 2 miles round trip.
In the evening on the way back to our camp we were able to spot a black bear near the road! Keep your eyes out and you may get to see one! Also spotted all day were roadrunners that would run across the road. We also saw many lizards throughout our hikes.
The best way to end the day in Big Bend is to check the forecast for the time in the night with the least cloudy sky and set an alarm. You will not want to miss the stars out here. This is the best spot for star gazing in the Continental US. There is also an observatory you can visit.
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