Planning ahead is crucial to a safe trip. In addition to one or more of the following guidebooks, we highly recommend consulting the park's main website frequently for important safety updates.
Fall isn't quite here yet, but you can tell that it's on the way! Daytime highs are sometimes still hot enough to be dangerous for the unacclimated, but morning and overnight temps are pleasant. Hikers in the lower and middle elevations should follow forecasts and plan to be off the trails by early afternoon on warmer days.
Remember that you must have a reservation or permit to camp or park overnight anywhere inside or outside the park. There is no first-come, first-served camping anywhere in Brewster County. Summer campground closures ended November 1 and all campgrounds filled that day, so be sure you have a place to stay lined up before you leave home. See the park website for information on how to make a reservation and a list of nearby options when Big Bend National Park is full.
Bringing a trailer or RV? It's best to go to your RV park first to leave your RV, and drive into the park in your tow vehicle. You're unlikely to find a parking spot large enough for an RV. The only place in the park where you might be given permission to leave a trailer is the Rio Grande Village visitor center at the far east end.
