Trip Idea

Three Days in Big Bend National Park

Multiple Parks

Desert scenery along Ross Maxwell Drive
Duration Multiple Days
Topic(s) Animals, Birds, Archeology, Photography, Fossils and Paleontology, Geology, Latino American Heritage, Trails, Canyons and Canyonlands, Plateaus and Mesas, Natural Sounds, Night Sky, River and Riparian, Rock Landscapes and Features, Wilderness, Water Trails, Wetlands, Freshwater Springs, Scenic Views, Climate Change, Explorers and Expeditions, Forests and Woodlands, Ancient Seas, Fish, Ruins, Hot Springs, Native American Heritage, Homesteading, Astronomy more »
Activities Bookstore and Park Store, Junior Ranger Program, Birdwatching, Astronomy, Hiking, Guided Tours more »
Type Kid Friendly, Active, Relaxed, Solitary/Remote, Educational, Inspirational, Outdoors, Road Trip more »
Parks Big Bend National Park, Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River

With three days to spend in the park, you can explore the major roads more thoroughly and still have time for hiking.


Check the latest schedule and join a park ranger for a guided walk, talk, or evening program to learn more about your park.

Consider spending a day in each of the three major areas of the park:

Visit the Chisos Basin and consider hiking the Window Trail (6 miles round trip) or the Lost Mine Trail (5 miles round trip). Ask a ranger about these and other popular trails in the park that you might fit into your trip. Try to experience Big Bend's wilderness as much as possible

See the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive including a short hike into Santa Elena Canyon (see suggestions for “one day”).

Drive to Rio Grande Village, stopping at Dugout Wells along the way to walk the short Chihuahuan Desert Nature Trail. The Rio Grande Village Visitor Center offers park information and interpretive exhibits. Walk the Rio Grande Village Nature Trail. The bluff overlooking the Rio Grande at the end of the nature trail is a particularly beautiful spot at sunset.

At the end of the road is the Boquillas Canyon Trail, which takes you to the entrance of this spectacular canyon.

Big Bend Suggestions
  • Multiple Parks

    Become a Big Bend Expert
    • Activity Fee: No (Entrance fees may apply)
    • Reservations: No
    • Activity: Bookstore and Park Store
    • Pets: No
    • Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
    • Time of Day: Day
    Bookstore selections

    The bookstore carries a large variety of educational books, videos, park information, and high quality souvenirs to help you learn more about the park and its resources or just help you remember your trip to Big Bend.

    View Details
  • Multiple Parks

    Big Bend Junior Rangers
    • Activity Fee: No (Entrance fees may apply)
    • Reservations: No
    • Activity: Junior Ranger Program
    • Pets: Yes
    • Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
    Child with a blooming pitaya cactus

    Big Bend National Park invites young visitors to become official Junior Rangers.

    View Details
  • Big Bend National Park

    Birdwatch at Rio Grande Village Nature Trail
    • Activity Fee: No (Entrance fees may apply)
    • Reservations: No
    • Activity: Birdwatching
    • Pets: No
    • Location: Rio Grande Village Nature Trail
    • Duration: 15–45 Minutes
    • Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
    • Time of Day: Day, Dawn, Dusk
    Birdwatchers use a camera and binoculars to look for birds along the RGV Nature Trail.

    Rio Grande Village is consistently one of the best places to find a large number of birds in Big Bend National Park. The principal area to search is the Nature Trail, located in the southeastern corner of the campground.

    View Details
  • Big Bend National Park

    Birdwatch at Cottonwood Campground
    • Activity Fee: No (Entrance fees may apply)
    • Reservations: No
    • Activity: Birdwatching
    • Pets: Yes
    • Location: Cottonwood Campground
    • Duration: 15–60 Minutes
    • Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
    • Time of Day: Day, Dawn, Dusk
    A great horned owl sits in a tree at Cottonwood Campground.

    Situated near the Rio Grande, under the shade of numerous large cottonwood trees, Cottonwood Campground is a great place to look for birds and other wildlife.

    View Details
  • Multiple Parks

    Find The Perfect Sunrise & Sunset
    • Activity Fee: No (Entrance fees may apply)
    • Reservations: No
    • Activity: Astronomy
    • Pets: Yes with Restrictions
    • Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
    • Time of Day: Dawn, Dusk
    Chisos Mountains Sunset

    Where is the best place to see the sunrise or sunset? Truly, the answer is anywhere in the park! With huge horizons and dramatic scenery, it is spectacular wherever you are.

    View Details
  • Big Bend National Park

    Hike the Lost Mine Trail
    • Activity Fee: No (Entrance fees may apply)
    • Reservations: No
    • Activity: Hiking
    • Pets: No
    • Location: Lost Mine Trail
    • Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
    • Time of Day: Day
    Enjoying The View

    The Lost Mine Trail climbs to the side of Lost Mine Peak, offering spectacular views of Juniper Canyon and the Northeast Rim of the Chisos.

    View Details
  • Big Bend National Park

    Hike Into Santa Elena Canyon
    • Activity Fee: No (Entrance fees may apply)
    • Reservations: No
    • Activity: Hiking
    • Pets: No
    • Location: Hiking Into Santa Elena Trail
    • Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
    • Time of Day: Day, Dawn, Dusk
    A view of Santa Elena Trial within the Canyon

    The trail begins at the end of the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive to Santa Elena Canyon, and is one of the prettiest short trails in the park. The trail crosses Terlingua Creek, takes you to the river’s edge inside the canyon and continues farther winding among large boulders until it ends abruptly where the canyon wall meets the river.

    View Details
  • Multiple Parks

    Join A Ranger
    • Activity Fee: No (Entrance fees may apply)
    • Reservations: No
    • Activity: Guided Tours
    • Pets: No
    • Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
    • Time of Day: Day
    Ranger sharing the wonders of Big Bend

    Join a Park ranger for a guided hike, talk, or evening program. Discover the amazing stories behind the scenery of Big Bend.

    View Details
  • Multiple Parks

    See the Rio Grande
    • Activity Fee: No (Entrance fees may apply)
    • Reservations: No
    • Activity: Hiking
    • Pets: No
    • Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
    Hot Springs Trail

    The Rio Grande is accessible from a number of places in Big Bend National Park, and a variety of hiking trails provide even further opportunities to get up close and personal with our watery border with Mexico.

    View Details
  • Multiple Parks

    View the Night Sky
    • Activity Fee: No (Entrance fees may apply)
    • Reservations: No
    • Activity: Astronomy
    • Pets: Yes
    • Location: Big Bend National Park
    • Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
    • Time of Day: Night, Dusk
    The Milky Way galaxy streaks across the sky.

    Far away from most city lights, Big Bend National Park preserves pristine darkness. Take this chance to stargaze, and experience the half of the park that many of us miss - nighttime.

    View Details
  • Multiple Parks

    Enjoy Sunset at Rio Grande Village
    • Activity Fee: No (Entrance fees may apply)
    • Reservations: No
    • Activity: Astronomy
    • Pets: No
    • Location: Rio Grand Village Nature Trail
    • Time of Day: Dusk
    Sunset from Rio Grande Village

    Photography can be a rewarding experience for visitors. One of the best places is the Nature Trail at Rio Grande Village

    View Details

Tags

Last updated: March 12, 2021