Lost Alaskan RV Park, Alpine, Texas

[Kit_Carson]

Planning a trip to Big Bend area in March. Looking at Lost Alaskan RV Park as a place to stay for about a week. Looks good on the website but I would like any info from someone who has stayed there or knows anything about it. Thanks in advance.

[timandsusan]

We always stay at the Lost Alaskan when we visit Alpine. Great owners and a very nice park. For Alpine, the museum at Sul Ross State Univ is a hidden gem. Great description of the area geology, history, etc. OK--no 5 star restaurants--but there is BBQ and Tex-Mex. I agree that visiting Big Bend from Alpine is a real stretch. Need to remember that Big Bend can be 100 degrees in late March thru Sept down my the Rio Grande River and freezing in the Chisos Mountains in the spring. Best time to go is Nov thru February or March. I would definitely stay in the park if I was interested in visiting for 4-6 days. Another hidden gem is Big Bend Ranch State Park outside of Presidio--no RV sites but check out their website for what to do. Also McDonald Observatory has outstanding star viewing nights--check the website. OK--I really like this area of Texas! Also--great advice from other messages here on RV.net.

[jamway]

As most can see we are a big fan of this area and I forgot about this museum. It is a good place to spend an hour or two while in Alpine.


http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g30158-d1946270-Reviews-Museum_of_the_Big_Bend-Alpine_T...

[RollinFreenEasy]

We stayed at Lost Alaskan in 2014 and 2015 and thought it was pretty decent. The laundry and showers were very clean. The workers were polite. Just don't expect a lot out of the town. If it wasn't for Sul Ross college there probably would not be much there. As it is, there is a good grocery, a couple of pharmacies a really good hardware store, about all you need. Alpine is about 6,000 population and sits at about 4,500 feet elevation. We like a little West Texas, high desert every once in a while. The last time we were out there in February it snowed about 2 inches shortly after we got there, but the snow was gone the next day. A week later they got 7 inches and the locals said it hadn't snowed that much in 25 years, but it was gone in 2 days. You can always check out Terlinqua on the way to Big Bend or check out the Marfa Prada store West of Marfa.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Getting into the Basin isn't difficult. I've seen several 40' Class A's and 55' long fiver/tow truck combinations in the Lodge parking lot. 45' tour busses come up the road several times each week.

Just need to be very careful with the switchbacks. I was very happy that if I had to stop on the 12% grade, my truck has the torque to pull the rig from a standing start.

(It helped that the Law Enforcement rangers escorted us up the basin road to the campground. But we didn't have anyone when we left.)

The surprise was after they got me into the campground and setup in the very nice host spot. Walking the lower two loops of the campground, I realized it would be impossible to turn my rig around in the campground below the first loop.

So I had to back-up the hill until I was clear enough to turn.

Now a fiver would be in the same situation. A 32 foot trailer of another host was able to make the second loop turn, but only avoided scraping on rocks by a couple inches. It really depends upon how the particular trailer/ truck combination swings/ tracks inside the tight turns.

Another host with a 40' Monaco also has to back up the hill.

I had to back seven different rigs out of the bottom of the campground, because they couldn't turn around and the driver's didn't know how to backup very far. The worst was a long bed pickup and a 17ft Casita.

(One secret - we didnt' turn into or out of the campground at the entrance - but went straight across to/ from the amphitheater parking lot.)

[BrentB]

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:
We've camp hosted at Big Bend - Chisos Basin CG - and Davis Mountains State Park in 2014. (My sig pic is our camp host site in the Chisos Basin)

Spent a lot of time in Alpine.

1. Lost Alaskan looks well maintained and has a good occupancy without a lot of year round residents from our many trips past the park (only hospital south of I-10 and west of Del Rio is located a quarter-mile from Lost Alaskan). I've not heard any bad things about the park.

2. Alpine is a small town of about 5,000 people, but is the biggest town for over 200 miles. Yes there is only one top notch restaurant, but several fast food and Mexican food places. It has the best hardware store between Odessa and El Paso, and one grocery chain has two stores in town. It is the home to Sul Ross University, which has a great museum on the Big Bend region.

3. Fort Davis / Davis Mountains State Park is about 30 miles NORTH of Alpine. The State Park has 28 full-hookup sites in a nice quite valley. You will get no cell phone/ internet service at DMSP due to the mountain between the campground and the only cell antenna in the area. It's a short drive to the mountain top, or about 3 miles into town. Fort Davis National Historical Park and the MacDonald Observatory are very interesting day trips.

4. It is over 100 miles from Alpine/ Lost Alaskan to the Big Bend NP HQ. The park offers three very different regions - a desert ecology, a small mountain range ecology and a river ecology. We spend 117 days at Big Bend, probably 40 days exploring the park, and didn't have time to see everything. Big Bend is a huge national park, and takes at least three full days to see the basic features. It is a 70 mile drive from Santa Elena Canyon in the west to Boquillas Canyon in the east. If you want to hike in the Chisos Mountains, visit the two canyons, see the many exhibits along the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, drive across the dry desert floor to Grapevine Hills and the balanced rocks, see the giant dagger cactus on the Dagger Flats Auto Trail, walk nature trails, you will do a lot of driving back and forth between Alpine and the park.

5. My recommendation is to spend four or five days in Study Butte/ Terlingua at a FHU park, or at the concessionaire parking lot FHU sites in the park at Rio Grande Village. With two or three days at Lost Alaskan in Alpine or Davis Mountains State Park.

6. The concessionaire parking lot FHU area at Rio Grande Village in the park isn't 'attractive', but folks don't plan to spend a lot of time in an RV park while visiting Big Bend. Convenience and location are its main features (and having your own shower).

The Rio Grande Village NPS campground nearby is 100 dry sites in a semi-shady tree-lined area. It has sites which will hold any rig. $14 per day.

The Chisos Basin CG is only for very small rigs. Also dry camping with no hookups. Not really suitable for anything over a 20-24 foot trailer or 26 foot Class C/A. I had to back my 36' TT up for a few hundred feet uphill to get to the one area where I could turn it through the upper loop.

The Cottonwood CG near Santa Elena Canyon is a small quiet dry CG with no generators allowed.

We will go back to volunteer at Big Bend and Davis Mountain parks in the future. For a week long visit, I'd dry camp two days at Rio Grande Village, dry camp two more days at Cottonwood, and spend three days at Davis Mountains State Park.

Be aware that Big Bend is very popular during spring break for college students, and many families. DMSP is always crowded with families during any school vacation times.

The weather and the blooming cactus should be absolutely fantastic in March.

Wow, Thanks for all that great information! Did you really get a 36 foot TT up to the Chisos Basin?

[Kit_Carson]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I found out yesterday my traveling companion and his wife have already made reservations for us at Marathon Motel & RV Park. It got some good reviews so that is where we will be for a few days. Thanks again.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

jamway wrote:
Oh I forgot about a few friendly deer.

Few!!!!! I counted over 60 one evening just across the railroad tracks.

As far as concerns about the local area.

It's rural west Texas. A whole lot of nothing between very small towns. Brewster County, of which Alpine is the county seat, has less than 9,300 people (6,000 of which live in Alpine), and is larger than the entire state of Connecticut.

Folks don't work for high wages in that area. Mostly small service companies to support the transportation through the area and some farming. Though the UPS contractor flies into Alpine daily from DFW.

Not a lot of fancy $250K homes, but plenty of small homes of hard working, church going people who do their best. Yes, many of them have Hispanic or Indian ancestors. But I've found them to be quite friendly.

Very little crime, and most of that is from visiting college students.

Sul Ross University is named after a former state lieutenant governor - Sullivan Ross. It is pronounced with the first syllable of Sullivan - SUL - not a Spanish U sound.

But, I will admit small town Texas is an acquired taste. Not for everyone.

[MewshawManor]

I consider Davis Mtns State Park and Lost Alaskan both too far to really enjoy the Big Bend. Davis Mtns is our favorite Texas state park but it's a separate destination all together.

Consider Maverick Ranch instead. It's not exactly close to the entrance (30 miles) but it has the advantage of being in a quaint little village on the Rio Grande.

On top of that, you are adjacent to Big Bend Ranch State Park and the famous "River Road" that winds along the river between Lajitas and Presidio. If you've never traveled FM-170, you're missing out.

Maverick Ranch is full hookup and big rig friendly.

[Bonefish]

Many stay in Study Butt at the RV Park/hotel as we have, then move up to Davis Mts SP. You cannot see much in a days time in Big Bend National Park as 2gypsies have said. Need to take time seeing many of sites. We alone have stayed nearly a week traveling around the park. Remember it is time for spring break for many schools in TX during March and other states too.

Sharon

[Thunder_Mountai]

I have some friends who work camped at Lost Alaskan a few years back. They like the campground. They didn't like Alpine. There is a good Mexican restaurant on the south east side of town. When looking out the window, you can see the campus. I think it is named with a female Hispanic name. Been there twice.

I too vote for Ft. Davis State Park. Really nice campground. Doesn't look or feel like Texas. Ft. Davis is a don't miss historical site.

[jamway]

We have stayed at the Lost Alaskan RV Park several times. If we need we will stay there again.

"the area outside the campground is questionable"

That is very true with many long eared jack rabbits and long tailed roadrunners.

SO BEWARE

Oh I forgot about a few friendly deer.

Enjoy your stay.

[2gypsies1]

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:


For a week long visit, I'd dry camp two days at Rio Grande Village, dry camp two more days at Cottonwood, and spend three days at Davis Mountains State Park.

Excellent advice. We've done all three.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

We've camp hosted at Big Bend - Chisos Basin CG - and Davis Mountains State Park in 2014. (My sig pic is our camp host site in the Chisos Basin)

Spent a lot of time in Alpine.

1. Lost Alaskan looks well maintained and has a good occupancy without a lot of year round residents from our many trips past the park (only hospital south of I-10 and west of Del Rio is located a quarter-mile from Lost Alaskan). I've not heard any bad things about the park.

2. Alpine is a small town of about 5,000 people, but is the biggest town for over 200 miles. Yes there is only one top notch restaurant, but several fast food and Mexican food places. It has the best hardware store between Odessa and El Paso, and one grocery chain has two stores in town. It is the home to Sul Ross University, which has a great museum on the Big Bend region.

3. Fort Davis / Davis Mountains State Park is about 30 miles NORTH of Alpine. The State Park has 28 full-hookup sites in a nice quite valley. You will get no cell phone/ internet service at DMSP due to the mountain between the campground and the only cell antenna in the area. It's a short drive to the mountain top, or about 3 miles into town. Fort Davis National Historical Park and the MacDonald Observatory are very interesting day trips.

4. It is over 100 miles from Alpine/ Lost Alaskan to the Big Bend NP HQ. The park offers three very different regions - a desert ecology, a small mountain range ecology and a river ecology. We spend 117 days at Big Bend, probably 40 days exploring the park, and didn't have time to see everything. Big Bend is a huge national park, and takes at least three full days to see the basic features. It is a 70 mile drive from Santa Elena Canyon in the west to Boquillas Canyon in the east. If you want to hike in the Chisos Mountains, visit the two canyons, see the many exhibits along the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, drive across the dry desert floor to Grapevine Hills and the balanced rocks, see the giant dagger cactus on the Dagger Flats Auto Trail, walk nature trails, you will do a lot of driving back and forth between Alpine and the park.

5. My recommendation is to spend four or five days in Study Butte/ Terlingua at a FHU park, or at the concessionaire parking lot FHU sites in the park at Rio Grande Village. With two or three days at Lost Alaskan in Alpine or Davis Mountains State Park.

6. The concessionaire parking lot FHU area at Rio Grande Village in the park isn't 'attractive', but folks don't plan to spend a lot of time in an RV park while visiting Big Bend. Convenience and location are its main features (and having your own shower).

The Rio Grande Village NPS campground nearby is 100 dry sites in a semi-shady tree-lined area. It has sites which will hold any rig. $14 per day.

The Chisos Basin CG is only for very small rigs. Also dry camping with no hookups. Not really suitable for anything over a 20-24 foot trailer or 26 foot Class C/A. I had to back my 36' TT up for a few hundred feet uphill to get to the one area where I could turn it through the upper loop.

The Cottonwood CG near Santa Elena Canyon is a small quiet dry CG with no generators allowed.

We will go back to volunteer at Big Bend and Davis Mountain parks in the future. For a week long visit, I'd dry camp two days at Rio Grande Village, dry camp two more days at Cottonwood, and spend three days at Davis Mountains State Park.

Be aware that Big Bend is very popular during spring break for college students, and many families. DMSP is always crowded with families during any school vacation times.

The weather and the blooming cactus should be absolutely fantastic in March.

[Captain_Happy]

Fort Davis is a really nice park, they had cable TV when we stayed there a few years ago.