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.
The busy season is here! Campgrounds are fully reserved most nights, and on winter and spring holiday weekends you're likely to encounter "traffic control" on roads to popular sites-- rangers and ranger volunteers will direct traffic so one vehicle enters when one vehicle exits a congested area such as the Chisos Basin. Plan ahead and arrive as early as possible in the morning.
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. If you can't get a camping reservation in Big Bend National Park, be sure to check the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website to see if there's anything in the nearby Big Bend Ranch State Park!
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.
