Big Ben Questions?

[GBuilders]

We are looking into Big Ben NP and noticed 1 RV park with full hookups at Rio Grande Village. Chisos Basin is where some friends will be staying in the lodge. About how far is the drive between the two? On the park map it looks like around 30 miles but I know that can take some time on park roads. We can stay in the lodge but really wanted to take our RV.
How is the RV park at Rio Grande Village RV?

Thanks for any info you can share.

[2gypsies1]

We enjoy Rio Grande Village campground....not the RV park next door. The campground has nice big sites. We also like Cottonwood campground but generators are not allowed. We have solar.

[vermilye]

I spend a week at the Rio Grande Village campground Starting March 9th while waiting for my reservation at Chisos Basin on the 16th.. There are photos of some of the activities in & around the park.

If you can live without hookups, the Rio Grande Village campground rather than the Rio Grand Village RV campground is much nicer. As others have said, the RV campground does have full hookups, however it is a parking lot. I agree with not taking your trailer to Chisos Basin - very tight switchbacks on steep grades & no room for anything large at the campground. Even my little 17' trailer just fit my site.

[imgoin4it]

I think best place to stay with a rv is Rio Grande Village. Yes it is a asphalt parking lot, back in, with full hook ups. It is grass behind the RV's and trees so is actually pretty nice. We were last in Mar. Got to 100°F on one day. March is latest I'd go again. I think you will need a week to see a reasonable amount of the patk. It is a fantastic and beautiful park with lots to see and every attraction is a long way from the next.

[GBuilders]

Thanks for for all the great posts it's very helpful. We will be there at the end of Feburary for 3 nights. After all the inputs we have divided to stay at the lodge. We have never been even though we live in the Texas Hill Country. One of the couples we are going with have been about a dozen times and they are extreme hikers so they know most of the hikes in that area of the park. If we decide to go back at some point we want to bring out 5th wheel and camp. What are the best areas to stay inside or outside of the park?
Thanks Again

[2gypsies1]

It would be best to talk your friends into the outing in November. The cottonwoods will be in glorious yellow color and the temperatures will be perfect. At that time of year Rio Grande Village RV will be perfect. If you don't need hookups, the campground next door is a more natural feel with bigger sites. There is a dump station and small grocery right there. It's a very pleasant spot - in November. 🙂

Big Bend is not a place for the summer.

[TenOC]

robbiesgram wrote:
All roads in Big Bend NP are posted 45mph and it is enforced.

YES it is. Don't ask how I know. . . . .:M

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

We were hosts at the Chisos Basin CG from Apr to Aug 2014.

There are two spots for a rig the size of yours - the two hosts spots. They will be occupied.

It will be 90-95 for highs most days in the Basin, 100-110 at Rio Grande Village. The nights at the Basin will be down into the high 60s, the low 90s for RGV. You will definitely need the AC. (We slept only 3 nights in 107 days with the AC on.)

As mentioned - count on 45 min to one hour for the drive from RGV to the Lodge, about the same from Study Butte/ Terlingua.

Yes the road to the Basin is 'posted' for RVs 24 ft long, trailers 20 ft long max. I've seen Class C's at 29 feet long in the Basin CG, and I've seen 40' toy haulers in the Lodge parking lot (They were smart enough to not try to bring them into the campground, because they would have had to back uphill to get out. No turnaround room).

Tour bus drivers head into the mountains for the Lodge without any special provisions. The big 40's longer busses.

I do NOT recommend taking a 'too big' rig into the mountains/ Basin. If traffic is heavy, you might have to stop still on a 14% up or down grade and restart to make the switchback hairpins.

Google Earth will give you a good view of what the road is like. Just remember the last 1/2 mile before Panther Pass, including the uphill switchback climbs a bit over 700 feet in elevation. Followed quickly by four blind 180 turns descending almost 500 feet in 1/3 mile. Reverse on the way out.

Big Bend is a fantastic place. Great variety in a mountain, a desert and a river ecology. Dozens of very interesting stopping points along the roads.

[sayoung]

If just going for a couple days stay at the lodge ,if summer make sure your in the newer motel as the original lodge has no AC. We love the original though.
It's a long drive from Rio Grand Village up to the lodge as the mountain rd is just one slow turn after another.I think rv's on that road is restricted to 24 ft rv's max only going up the mountain to give you an idea of road.
I don't think its any further from Study Butte rv parks than the south end.No matter where you stay , Big Bend is great.

[robbiesgram]

All roads in Big Bend NP are posted 45mph and it is enforced. Plan about 45min to the Basin. The Rio Grande RV park is a blacktopped area, back in only with hookups.

Depending on when you plan on being in the park, if it is between now and November, you will need hookups for A/C. It is bloody hot in TX right now. Best time to visit the park is from Nov til April.

I would suggest you do a search on the forum for Big Bend National Park, you will find tons of info on RV parks, hikes, etc.