TX · Southwest
Big Bend Area & Chihuahuan Desert
The most remote place in the lower 48. Big Bend Ranch State Park (the largest state park in Texas) has 300,000 acres of Chihuahuan Desert with primitive campsites from $10 to $16 a night, plus a $5 daily entry fee per person. In the national park next door ($30 per car for 7 days), the Rio Grande carves Santa Elena Canyon through 1,500-ft limestone walls. Light pollution is nearly zero. This is a designated International Dark Sky Park.
- Most remote place in the lower 48, and the solitude is profound
- Dark sky designation: you can see the Milky Way core with the naked eye
- El Paso is 3 hours, the most accessible gateway to a truly wild place
- Big Bend Ranch SP is less crowded than the National Park with 300,000 acres
- The Chihuahuan Desert has unique flora and fauna found nowhere else
Camping near Big Bend Area & Chihuahuan Desert
Big Bend Ranch SP: Primitive Campsites ($10-16/night)
Texas Parks & Wildlife / Big Bend Ranch State Park
Primitive campsites across the state park: drive-in sites along the River Road and in the interior for $12-16 a night (a picnic table and fire ring, nothing else), or hike in and pick your own spot in the backcountry zone for $10 a night (no water, no ground fires). The stars here are among the best in North America.
How to get there
From Presidio TX, take FM-170 (River Road, one of the most scenic drives in Texas) east into the park. Check in before you camp at Fort Leaton near Presidio, the Barton Warnock Visitor Center near Lajitas or the Sauceda Ranger Station. Backcountry permits come from Fort Leaton or Barton Warnock.
$5 per person per day park entry (ages 13 and up) plus $10-16 a night for the site. Reserve drive-in sites through the Texas State Parks reservation system.
Find more free spots
Get an app like iOverlander to find places to camp on public land for free in the states. Other campers post what's there, how rough the road is and whether a ranger moved them on.
- iOverlander (opens in a new tab)Free. Campsites reported by other travelers, with recent notes on access, signal and rangers.
- Campendium (opens in a new tab)Free to browse. A map of free campsites across the US, much of it on public land, with reviews.
Spots change. Read the newest reports and any posted rules before you set up, and pack out everything you bring in.
When to go
- January
- February: best month
- March: best month
- April: best month
- May
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
- November: best month
- December: best month
WanderRank Scores
Daily Cost
$10 to $40
per day (food + transit)
Campsites: $12/night
Entry fee: $30
Plus gas for the drive
Recommended Stay
3 to 7
days · moderate difficulty
Drive time from your airport
Avoid if
- Summer (June-August): 105°F+ heat is dangerous and trails close
- You need more than basic gas/food supplies, so stock up in Alpine or Marfa
- Cell service is essentially zero, so plan accordingly