Big Bend National Park

I'd search this Forum for previous answers; much faster than waiting for new responses.

I'd recommend staying in the park itself. Why stay outside if it's the park you want to visit? Rio Grande Village has full hookups and dry camping spots. We enjoy the dry camping spots the best. There is a dump station and water fill. Staying in the park will save a lot of driving. The park is HUGE.

Go to and stay in Rio grand village. It's an parking lot, asphalt, with full hook ups. Grass and trees behind the RV. It is closer to sites, hiking, hot springs, etc, than staying out of the park. We stayed outside the park the first time we were there. Went back a year later, stayed in the park, stayed a week and traveled extensively within the park. May well do it again.

Was there for two weeks over Christmas. Unless they've done maintenance on the River Road it's pretty much only passable via high-clearance vehicles and I'd recommend 4WD. Always used to be the East end up to the old mine was passable with any car, but not this year. I did drive the whole road in a Jeep again this year.

Rio Grande Village is the only place in the park with hookups and the cost is about the same as the campgrounds up in Study Butte and Terlingua. There are a lot of dry camping spots in the NP campground right next to Rio Grande Village though. Most than half allow you to use your generator between 8am-8pm. There's a dump and water facility near the Village Store.

The best place, and least expensive, for full hookups is the Barton Warnok Visitor Center which is the Big Bend Ranch State Park HQ in Terlinqua. They have 5 full hookup sites for park volunteers and if they're not occupied they'll let you stay there, but it's first come first served.

Maverick Ranch is one of the best commercial campgrounds with full hookups and all the other amenities. They were full up right after Christmas though. Not sure how it might be now, but I suspect the snow birds have moved in and won't leave until around March.

jarbra15 wrote:
We are headed down to the Big Bend area later this week in our fifth wheel. Any recommendations on camp sites/RV Parks? We are not sure weather to try and stay in the park or stay in Terilingua. Any advice is appreciated.

Just so you know there are no places in the park that are close, it is a big place.
You might look at Maverick Ranch RV Park , 10 Main Street, Lajitas, TX 79852
lajitasgolfresort.com, (432) 424-5180
Bill

We stayed at the CG behind the motel on HWY 170. It's basically a dirt parking lot like a lot of desert CG. The other CG were not open when we were there but the couple we looked at had very uneven ground, at least the place we stayed was flat.

I can't comment on the in-park CG as we didn't check them out. Many years ago we stayed at the CG by the river, Rio Grande Village. All I really recall is that vultures were the campground pest. The CG has concrete tables with a concrete 'V' rook and the buzzards would land on that and eye you as you ate. They also had fights. Don't know if that is still the case tho.

If your vehicle is up to it do drive the River road, it's a great trip and it takes you thru an old mining camp ghost town. The road was in good dirt road condition when we drove it but you could see that it was recently graded. Check with the rangers before driving it.

Under no circumstances should you try the Black Gap road unless you are a serious off road driver with a well equipped vehicle. We drove almost all the other roads with no problem, we have 4WD but did not need it.

The state park: Big Bend River Ranch is worth a drive thru. There is a movie set that has been used for a lot of Western flicks, No Country For an Old Man for one. It's out on Hwy 170 past Lajitas. Speaking of Lajitas it reportedly has a RV Resort type CG there. It's about the only green spot around that's for sure.

Stock up on everything since everything in the Terlingua stores is pricey. They have a mini-super market now.