Big Bend NP Campgrounds

Cottonwood and RGV are very different but both are great, maybe a few nights in each? With that big Chevy, you should be able to drive most of the backroads but check conditions with staff first. The Old Ore Road leads to some awesome geologic features at Earnst Tinaja on the east end. The mercury mine ruins are also neat.

In the Basin, the Lost Mine and The Window are two of the signature trails in the Park. The South Rim can be done in a day if you're in good shape and start early but it's better as an overnight backpack. Emory Peak is a bit shorter and the highest point in the Big Bend.

On the west side, Santa Elena Canyon of course and sunset shots from Sotol Vista. The Old Maverick Road is usually passable and offers good photo ops in early morning and late afternoon.

Outside the Park, be sure to visit Terlingua. The Starlight Theater has decent food and La Kiva is a unique local watering hole worth a visit. The drive to Presidio is nice.

Birding is excellent at Rio Grande Village campground. It's in a scenic, lush area along the river with mountain backdrop. The sites are large and spacious with shade. It's a favorite place of ours.

Birding is good at Cottonwood but is equally good at Rio Grande campground. The big advantage to the Rio Grande cg is it's access to trails to the Hot Springs and Boquillas Canyon. Also see more wildlife, like javelinas, there than at Cottonwood. Chisos Basin is very scenic but, as has been stated, not suitable for long RVs. It is also very cold up there in winter.

flyfishing48 wrote:
I see Big Bend NP has a couple of different campgrounds. For a few days in mid Feburary which campground would you recommend. Don't need hoop up for just a few nights, our main interest would be birding and photography.
Thanks in advance for any insight.

Cottonwood for birding but note it is a generator free CG.

I stayed outside the park on the west side, junction of road going west to the beer drinking goat.
bumpy

The Rio Grande Village has the best campground. No hookups but water points and flush toilets. (You can get hookups at the nearby General Store, basically parking lot style. Fairly decent birding with a nature walk area.
The Cottonwood Campground has water points and pit toilets. Also fairly decent birding.
Your trailer is too long to go up to the Chisos Basin campground but you should go up there to do a little birding on the short loop trail and have a sunset dinner at the Lodge restaurant.
With your rig I'd camp at Rio Grande. For one day I'd sightsee west to Santa Elena canyon, check out the scenic sites and spend some time birding at the Cottonwood campground. For a second day I'd run up into the Chisos mountains, do a short trail and have dinner at the lodge. Then you're free to roam the rest of the park and sitesee in the Rio Grande Village area. Be sure and check out the hot springs near Tornillo Creek. Old general store, old motel and hot spring still flowing. Pictographs on the rock walls just after the motel. Lots to discover in this park!
With passport you can cross the river into the Mexican town of Boquillas (this is just east of the Rio Grande Village area)

We stay at the South part of the MP near the hot springs. I forget the name but I think it is Rio Grand Village. It is on the River, you can throw a rock into Mexico. No crossing -- illegal (in 2008 may have changed now). Before 9/11 it was legal to cross over (wade and walk) to the small town where the college kids could "party".

GPS N29° 10.838' W102° 57.346'