Kayak the Rio Grande Through This National Park With Prehistoric Fossils and Desert Campsites

Big Bend National Park, Texas

Bend National Park was named for a wide bend in the Rio Grande, which skirts its southern edge for 118 miles.

At 801,163 acres, it’s one of the largest in the US national park system, but because it’s relatively remote, it’s also one of the least visited.

Which is a shame, because Big Bend National Park is one of the best national parks we’ve ever been to. Here’s why.

South Rim Hiking Trail

The South Rim Trail is such a fun and challenging route. Starting at Chisos Basin Trailhead (5,400 feet high), this 12.6-mile loop takes you through oak and juniper forests to a massive cliff that drops 2,000 feet. Watch for Mexican jays, deer, and maybe even the Black falcon as you walk.

Paddle Down the Rio Grande River

The Rio Grande river has cut three big canyons in the park: Santa Elena, Mariscal, and Boquillas. The most popular is Santa Elena, with walls rising 1,500 feet high, where you can go rafting or kayaking.

Local companies like Desert Sports and Big Bend River Tours can take you on trips lasting from four hours to three days. Spring brings higher water (3-4 feet) and fun rapids called Rock Slide and Tight Squeeze.

You can also combine rafting with the historic Boquillas Hot Springs. J.O. Langford’s impressive bathhouse is long gone but the spring sits inside the bathhouse (or what remains of it), on the north bank of the Rio Grande. 

Big Bend’s Wildlife

The gorgeous Chihuahuan Desert ecosystem is in full force at Big Bend National Park. Spring fills the desert with color from February to April, with blue wildflowers, red cactus flowers, and tall yucca plants dotting the landscape. Come fall, you get magnificent colors like golden bigtooth maples.

The wildlife is equally amazing. It’s common to see roadrunners chasing lizards through rows of cacti. Some people have reported seeing the elusive ocelot here, along with mountain lions and bears.

Stargazing at Chisos Basin

Over 1 million acres of Big Bend is protected under the International Dark Sky Association. It gets so dark here, you can sometimes see planets like Jupiter and Saturn along with the occasional meteor shower.

You can join ranger-lead astronomy programs at the Chisos Basin, and there’s also the McDonald Observatory about two hours away if you want to try one of their telescopes.

The Historic Hot Springs Canyon

This beautiful trail travels through the Chihuahuan desert with terrific views of the Rio Grande, the Sierra Del Carmen Range and the Chisos Mountains.

The gravel road descends a rough, narrow wash to the Hot Springs Historic District area. A short distance further, you’ll come by the historic remains of J.O. Langford’s Hot Springs resort.

It’s also where you’ll find a picturesque Hot Springs Post Office from the early 1900s. Between the motor court and the spring are ancient pictographs drawn by the Apache and Comanche tribes. 

Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive

This scenic drive follows the western slopes of the Chisos Mountains. From there it climbs up to one of the park’s most outstanding views at Sotol Vista, then winds down to parallel the Rio Grande and up again at Santa Elena Canyon trailhead.

You’ll see remnants of Sam Nail Ranch where a windmill still pumps water, Blue Creek Ranch, and an early 20th century cavalry camp at Castolon Historic District.

The strangest rock formations sit in the deep and narrow gorge of Tuff Canyon, where volcanic tuff still exists, after centuries of weathering.

Camp at one of the developed campsites (tables, running water, and chemical toilets) underneath shady Cottonwood trees, right by the Rio Grande. 

Old Ore’s Biking Trails

Big Bend has over 100 miles of paved and 160 miles of backcountry dirt roads for biking. But the Old Ore Road’s 26-mile rocky gravel route is definitely the favorite among hardcore riders.

To get there, park on the edge of the Dagger Flat Auto Trail at the north end of the Old Ore Road. This primitive dirt road leads you to Ernst Tinaja’s orange-red rock pools.

You can make a pit stop at Camp de Leon, where Jose de Leon’s grave marker is still visible a few hundred yards before the campsite.

The southern terminus of Old Ore Road is a few miles west of Rio Grande Village near the Rio Grande Overlook. This is almost all downhill so it makes for a nice, fast way to finish up the ride.

Artifacts of Big Bend’s Prehistoric Facts

Explosive volcanic activity occurred about 45 million years ago, and today you can still see the limestone formations left behind in the vertical cliffs of the Sierra Del Carmen.

Distinctive white bands of rock seen along Highway 385 to the north of the park represent beds that were tilted by the Ouachita mountain-building episode.

Inside the park is the Fossil Discovery Exhibit, with artifacts excavated from Big Bend’s landscape. The collection includes ancient oysters, giant clams, ammonites, fishes, and marine reptiles, uncovered from shallow sea sedimentary rocks surrounding the Chisos Mountains.

There’s also dinosaur bones, including the remains of a giant pterosaur, the largest flying animal ever discovered. 

Stay at a Historic Lodge, Campsites, or RV Spots

You have a few options for an extended stay at Big Bend. The park’s only lodge, the historic Chisos Mountains Lodge, has 72 rooms with private kitchenettes and the only restaurant within a 100 miles.

The Basin Campground (elevation of 5,400 feet in the Chisos Basin) has 63 spots with tables and grills. The Rio Grande Village has space for 100 RV hookups and a store. For backcountry camping, try one of 42 remote spots in the desert.

Visiting Big Bend National Park

The park is open all year, but most people come in March and Thanksgiving week. A week-long pass costs $30 per car, or get a year pass for $55.

Phones only work near Chisos Basin and Panther Junction, so download maps before you come. For backpacking, you’ll need a permit from the park’s visitor center.