Big Bend NP

Okay, I was last there in 2014 when we were campground hosts at the Chisos Basin Campground, so my info may be dated. (My sig picture was our host campsite.)

None of the NPS Campgrounds have power or water hookups. Water is available and a dump station at the Rio Grande Village CG on the east side of the park near the river.

Chisos Basin CG is limited to trailers and RVs 25 feet or less. Only three sites in the upper loop were such a rig could back in. Most sites are just a wide spot in the road to park in. Going past the second loop with a trailer is a bad idea. I had to back a fellow's 18' Casita camper up from the bottom of the loop with his long wheelbase Ford truck because that rig was too long to go through the turn around at the end without the truck or trailer tires going through the cactus and other plants. Not only is that a violation and a ticket for destroying protected vegetation, those things will put their thorns through most pickup and trailer tires.

Cottonwood Campground near Santa Elena Canyon is small. No generators allowed. They are allowed at the other two CG for some daylight hours. Only one osmosis water faucet.

There is a concessionaire campground at Rio Grande Village with power water and maybe sewer. Dump station close if not. Really a wide parking lot with a few pedestals so folks can back up to them.

The BEST facilities commercial campground is Maverick RV Ranch in Lajitas on Hwy 170 west of the park. It is 20 miles to the park entrance, 40ish miles to the park HQ, 65 miles to Rio Grande Village are, or 52 miles to the Castolon area/ Santa Elena Canyon.

The most popular commercial RV parks at 3 in Terlinqua, and 3 near Study Butte on the west side of the park. Big Bend Resorts and Adventures was popular when we are there at the intersection of TX-170 and TX-118. BJ's RV close to Terlinqua was also popular.

These are bare dirt lots with some pedestals, water and sewer at most sites. Open desert mostly, but there is no other landscape around there.

Stillwell Store and RV is a decent looking place near the north entrance that we visited a couple times. Still 35 miles to the Park Visitors Center.

Texas is big, and that area is desolate. Brewster County, which Big Bend NP is located in - is bigger than Connecticut, with less than 10,000 people in the county. Over half of whom live in Alpine, the county seat.

When my wife fell and I took her to the ER, it was 114 miles to the nearest hospital in Alpine. Have to go 140 miles to the nearest Walmart in Fort Stockton. No 24 hour pharmacies closer than Odessa 225 miles or El Paso 315 miles of Carlsbad NM 275 miles.

A fantastic, wonderful place.

There are a couple very nice RV parks in Alpine - Lost Alaskan is very popular.

My take, having been there. PawPaw_n_Gram has given you one of the best summaries and answers to a post you could hope for concerning one of the most remote areas in the lower 48 states.

Ditto to review given by first poster.

one_strange_texan wrote:
My take, having been there. PawPaw_n_Gram has given you one of the best summaries and answers to a post you could hope for concerning one of the most remote areas in the lower 48 states.

X2. Chisos Basin is my favorite inside the park also.

From your profile it appears you have a fairly large rig. In the park you would be happiest with the Rio Grande Village campground - large spaces, level sites. No hookups though. They have flush toilets and the store has showers. If you must have hookups, the Rio Grande Store has sites with hookups that are more of a parking lot situation. Just due to the distances involved (there are 125 miles of paved roads in the park) I'm reluctant to recommend campgrounds outside the park.

plkitchen wrote:
What are the best RV parks in the Big Bend NP area.

We were at Big Bend last year and stayed at the Maverick Ranch Rv Park. You say 'Rv Park' so apparently that's what you want. I've read that Maverick Ranch is the best in the area and it's ok, having things you might want in such a very remote area like a restaurant and small store.
We will be there again in a month, but they do fill up in the winter.
Good luck!
JK

We just did this trip in November, and stayed at BJs RV park in Terlingua. It suited our needs, but it's basically a no frills place. It's a convenient place to visit the State Park & National Park. If we ever visit again, I'd consider staying there again.

BJ's is a parking lot , we hare stayed at Maverick Ranch Rv Park. Twice and it is really nice - great pool, laundry and people who work there - little store - that has an amazing variety of food is right out front

Thanks to all who have provided feedback. Looks like Maverick Ranch for amenities or BJ,s for basic place to spend the night.

Routing - I drove US-67 to I-10 to US-385 at Fort Stockton from Lake Lavon to Big Bend, stopping overnight in San Angelo. Personally, I prefer US highways over interstate most of the time. It is a good road.

You should take US-67 from west of Fort Stockton to Alpine, and then TX-118 south. Better fuel options in Alpine than Marfa, Fort Davis or Marathon, and shopping.

There is a boonie tax in the Big Bend area. Basically everything is 20-25% higher that far out in the boonies.