Big Bend National park

[steveandjil]

Hi Folks,

Planning a trip to Big Bend over our winter vacation. Wondering what people think about places to camp. We travel in a 24 ft Class C, and we're pretty self contained, but I really don;t want to boondock for the amount of time we expect to be there (a week). So it seems my obvious options are Rio Grande Village in the park that seems to get fairly mediocre reviews, and a private CG called B.J.'s RV Park. Seems ok, but a big of a significant drive to get into the park every day.

Thoughts? Ideas of any place else?

Thanks,

Steve

[steveandjil]

Thanks so much guys for the detailed info - can't wait.

Steve

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

No problems with a 24 footer in Cottowood.

Remember it is a no generator campground and I would recommend taking your own drinking water in to the park. The Chisos Basin gets spring water pumped up from the desert. Cottonwood and Rio Grand Village have well water.

When we were campground host at the Chisos Basin CG from Apr-Aug 2014 we often had 24-28 foot Class C and Class A rigs in the CG.

Strongly recommend that you plan to stay in the first loop. Don't take the rig lower in the CG until you have walked. The second loop turn can be too tight for many rigs, and the bottom of the CG turn is too tight for a long wheelbase truck pulling an 18 foot trailer. I had to back the rig up the hill to the second loop before we could turn that guys rig around. (Yes, I had to back my 36 foot trailer uphill from the host site to the amphitheater parking lot to get out).

The entrance to the CG is very tight, unless you go a little past the entrance, turn left into the amphitheater parking lot and then straight into the CG.

Most of the campers were tents, but we were never without three or more truck campers, popups, teardrops, trailers, Class B, Class C or Class A rigs.

There was a contract awarded to rebuild the Chisos Basin CG dump station road area in Oct 2014. Google Maps image shows that work was completed.

The biggest rigs I say in the CG were a pair of 32 foot class C's. In sites 9 and 17. One was making a east to west cross country and the other was going the opposite direction. Both were rentals one with a family from Switzerland and the other from Denmark.

A couple additional points about Big Bend. There is almost no cell phone service in the park. Only a few locations. There is some WiFi at the Lodge in the Basin.

There are no showers in any of the campgrounds. There are four pay showers at the store in RGV. There are also a couple washers and dryers.

The park is very serious about not leaving out food, scented items like dishwashing soap, deodorant, etc. in the Chisos Basin the concern is to not attract bears. I had some campers whose tent was invaded by a fox one night. I saw a deer make a beeline across the CG one day to grab a bottle of lemon fresh Joy dishwashing soap.

At Cottonwood and RGV the concern is javelina. They will tear up a tent, ice chest or such to get at food.

Big Bend is an incredible, amazing place. Enjoy.

[steveandjil]

Thanks so much for the detailed info guys. Two more questions - I have a 24ft class C - think I'll make it in cottonwood? Also in December, any guess how hard it will be to get a site? I assume it is first come first served.

Steve

[sp8gold]

Big Bend RV Resort is only a few minutes from the gate, but then its along drive to anywhere in the park. We stayed at RGV this past winter. The only draw back to using the hookup sites is they are close together. Since we have a generator, we stay in the no hookup section. In late January, the hookup section was full, maybe a 1/3 in the dry section. We would have liked a spend a couple of nights in the Basin but our trailer is too long to get up there. Take your passport and take a day trip across the river. We also left there to go to Ft Davis State Park and the McDonald Observatory. A word of caution, while it might be warm in the state park, there could be snow up at the observatory (we about froze but was worth it). Take warm clothes.

[2gypsies1]

I'd highly recommend that you stay in the park itself otherwise you'll be doing a lot of unnecessary driving. The park itself is big. Come in with all the groceries you may need for the week. If you need milk or bread 'usually' the store at Rio Grande Village will have it. The nearest big grocery store is in Alpine approx. 75 miles away - one-way. Come in with full water and empty holding tanks.

Here's a suggestion: If you'll be on I-10 through ElPaso, TX then come into the park via Hwy 90 and 118 which will take you to Study Butte. Then enter Big Bend and head for Cottonwood campground for one or two nights since generators are not allowed. Explore some of that area. It's a very pleasant campground in beautiful surroundings right on the river. The easy hike to Santa Elena canyon can be as short as you want. It's very pretty.

Then head for Panther Junction and the Visitor Center and fuel and continue on to Rio Grande Village RV park with full hookups to recharge your batteries and dump your tanks. You can stay there the remaining time or move next door to the campground with no hookups. The RV park are sites all in a row on pavement. However there's a nice grassy, treed area behind all the RVs for sitting. I've seen worse RV parks. The Rio Grande Village campground is set in a treed area with a more casual layout for sites. It's very pleasant and there are areas for generators and no generators. Close by is a dump station. There's also the small store, a fuel pump (expensive) and laundry and showers. Nice walking areas that aren't strenuous and the scenery is very nice.

Keep in mind that if you're 62+ get the federal Senior Pass and you'll get 1/2 off your camping, not only here but any national parks, national forest campgrounds and Corp of Engineers and free entry into the national parks.

When you leave you can take Hwy 385 out from the Panther Junction area to Hwy 90.

If you want to get back on I-10 east you could go to Fort Davis and the state park there is very, very nice. There's also McDonald Observatory and they give night tours of the skies. Then from Fort Davis take either 17 or 118 to I-10. There's another very nice state park on 17 just south of I-10 called Balmorhea if you didn't want to stay at Davis Mtn. State Park in Fort Davis.

Here's the park's website with lots of good information on the campgrounds, things to do, any road issues and a nice map of the park.

https://www.nps.gov/bibe/index.htm

Here are some photos of the campsites at Rio Grande Village and other information:

http://www.campsitephotos.com/park/Big-Bend-National-Park

..and reviews on Cottonwood campground:

http://www.rvparkreviews.com/regions/texas/big-bend-national-park/cottonwood-campground-nps-campgrou...

[rr2254545]

We liked Maverick Ranch Lajitas Texas for camping on the west side of the park.

Full hookups - some cable winter rates are 35 39 had a great pool

[steveandjil]

As long as I've got some Texans here - any recommendations for Austin - going to visit our daughter. We're thinking of Oak Forest RV park for private or McKinney Falls SP. We are fairly self contained, but full hookups are nice. Is the State park worth the effort? Also, can we leave our dogs in the RV?

[Colo_Native]

We stayed at Big Bend rv resort(not one) its ok all dirt and it is about 10- 15 minutes from the park entrance

[bob_nestor]

Not sure why the camp sites at the Village in the park get mediocre reviews. Yeah they don't have hookups which is fine for dry camping, but the spots are level with quite a bit of grass and trees. Plus there are a LOT more sites there than in the parking lot with the hookups and you can use your generator in most spots. The dump and water fill-up station is nearby too and the store is within walking distance.

Camping in the Basin is nice if you have a small RV, but since they changed the traffic patterns and reduced the number of spots for generators it has become a real hassle to camp there in an RV. I've been told the Head Ranger wants it that way since he wants to encourage only tent campers in the Basin.

Cottonwoods is nice, but a long distance from most other things. The camping area is level and grassy with some trees, but it's a no generator area.

However, Big Bend is a pretty primitive park and most things are a long ways away. Make sure you plan for that with your groceries and such. Plus 4-wheel drive is strongly recommended for visiting many areas or traveling the backroads. It's really a park designed for the 4-wheeler, hiker and bird watcher.

[steveandjil]

Thanks Doug,

Exactly what we were thinking - get a site and intersperse it with some dry camping.

Steve

[DougE]

If you need electrical hookups Rio Grande Village is the best. Check in at the store. At least the sites are paved so you're not tracking dirt into your camper. At RGV you're in the green belt of the Rio Grande river. Anywhere outside the park you're desert camping. I assume you'll be traveling the park in your Class C. For no hookups you can stay at Cottonwood Campground (no generators, though) near Santa Elena Canyon or at the Chisos Basin Campground. By alternating sites you can cut down on your driving considerably and maybe do hookups just every other day.