Thinking of going there in October with wife and parents in law.

We thought about getting in on Thursday night and leaving on Monday afternoon, so we'd have three full days (FRI, SAT, SUN).

Is this enough time to really enjoy the park? Should I plan to stay longer? Where is the best place to stay (cities and hotels)? What are the must sees?

Thought about possibly driving to San Antonio and renting an RV from there to the park...smart idea? Horrible idea?

I can't recommend anything in the park, but I was down in the nearby city of Alpine this year and I loved that little town. If you need recommendations there, let me know.

Hotels? In a park? I would suggest bringing tents, but if you must get a hotel the park actually has one right in the middle of the park. That would be what I suggest. Since the park is so big, it would be ideal. Check out the Boquillas trail - it's short and easy, but still nice. Same with the Santa Elena Canyon trail on the other side of the park. There are also several trails in the mountains by that hotel including the Window trail. After a nice day of hiking, go to Terlingua (just outside the western park boundary) and treat yourself to dinner at the Starlight Theater.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the Terlingua chili cookoff the first weekend in November?

BQAG:

I'm up for camping, RVing, etc, but I had heard there was a hotel or two in the park and then a few out in Marathon and Alpine. I'd also heard of rental places along the way between Marathon and the park, but haven't found most of them online.

Anyways, when I said "hotels" I should've probably said "accomodations."

dp

[This message has been edited by BaylorGuy314 (edited 7/16/2008 9:36a).]

We stayed at one of the rooms in the park. It was nice but, you need to book at least six months in advance. The next nearest room is too far to drive. The basin campground is up high in the mountains and very nice but, no showers. You have to drive all the way to the river for a pay shower. Having said all that, I haven't been in probably ten years so, something might have changed. I doubt it. Whatever you do, don't take a flashlight to the hot springs.

Why?

I didn't even know they had hot springs?

The times I went we camped at Santa Elena Canyon. The hot springs were near Boquillas, and I say "were" because the last time I went there wasn't much there because of flooding. Boquillas DOES have a huge sand mountain at the end of the trail that leads to a cave. It's REALLY hard to climb up because you take 2 steps up then 1 step back.

Also, like the poster said above, the only public showers are near Boquillas and there can be long lines. There are about 3 stalls in the men's and women's restrooms and the last time I went only one of the women's was working. While standing in the men's restroom waiting for my turn I saw a guy go in there with his girlfriend/wife and she ended up taking a shower (pay showers, btw) with him.

As far as the Terlingua Chili Cook-Off being in the 1st weekend in November, that's also correct.

It's a great time.

People go there at night, because it's cooler and it's dark. Occasionally someone brings a flashlight and photons are emitted. Trust me, you don't want any of those images to reach your brain.

there are rooms there in the basin area. but good luck getting one, they are booked WAY in advance. RV would be a good option. there are spots in the basin and at Rio Grand Village. the nearest room outside the park is an hour away in Alpine or Marathon.

lots to see driving through the park, Boquillas Canyon, Santa Elena Canyon, Mule Ears, Tuft Canyon, Castellon, Homer Wilson Ranch, Casa Grande, The Window, The Hot Springs These can all be done without any real hiking. Lost Mine Trail is a great hike that lets you see a lot of the park and isn't too intensive. it's one of the more popular in the park. the window is a great trail as well.

If you want to do some serious hiking, go up the Pinnacles Trail in to the backcountry and if you feel up to it, go to Emory Peak, the highest point in the park. It's amazing up there.

[This message has been edited by YellowPot_97 (edited 7/16/2008 7:00p).]

Here's a picture I took on the Lost Mine Trail:

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the nearest room outside the park is an hour away in Alpine or Marathon.

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not true. Big Bend Motor Inn and RV Park in Study Butte is just a few miles outside the park and is about as good as you're gonna get for the area.

http://www.visitbigbend.com/wheretostay_study.html

as far as what to do and what trails to hike for a 3-day getaway, here are my suggestions:

FIRST, go to the park headquarters at Panther Junction and get your free maps and suggestions from the park rangers. They are VERY helpful and that's where you'll need to get your park pass anyhow.

Window Trail- 2-3 hour hike


Bouquillas Canyon- 1 hour


Hot Springs- 30 minutes (includes some pictographs)


Tuff Canyon- more of an overlook than a hike


Santa Elena Canyon- +/- 1 hour, depending on how far you go


Lost Mine Trail- 3-4 hours


Ernst Tenaja- 1-2 hours (if you have a high clearance vehicle)


South Rim/Emory Peak- all day for average to experienced hikers



Be sure to visit Castolon and Rio Grande Villages on the way to these place too!

As far as eating...there is one restaurant in the park and it's in the Basin. The food is decent, but you're really just there for the view. The sunset from the restaurant is totally worth it.

Other than that, I would highly recommend the Starlight Theatre in Terlingua. Great food and great atmosphere. If you're lucky, they'll have some live entertainment.

Make your resevations now at the Chisos Lodge. It's easy to get reservations in the summer but October dates especially weekends do book up far in advance. Marufo Vega is a great hike but unless you inlaws are in great shape it would not be suitable for them. Early October can still be extremely hot on that trail. A couple of years ago an experienced hiker who had done Marufo Vega before died from heat related causes on the trail in late September. The tips from the poster which had the pics are great suggetions for a three day trip. Big Bend is a wonderful place.

I'll second the camping off the high clearance roads. No noise, no traffic and no people. But, everyone needs to enjoy that sort of thing as you're really isolated and there are no facilities of any kind in any sort of convenient fashion.

But, it makes for an incredible Big Bend trip.

On our way towards the Mariscal Mines:

Did you hike to the top of Mariscal Canyon?
If not, the next time you're by the mines you should keep going and do the Canyon. A terrific hike although it's a little tough to find the trail from the trailhead and parts of the trail can be obscure at times. You get an amazing view of the Rio Grande from the top of the canyon.

No we didn't. Thanks for the tip. I should be heading out there again in the fall.

I think that if you hiked the South Rim trail in one day it would kick your butt & you wouldn't be able to relax & enjoy the scenery.

When I did it we camped out one night on the trail. I remember wishing that we would have gone even slower & camped two nights.

JMO

The Lost Mine trail is an excellent substitute for the South Rim trail for folks that aren't up to a fairly strenuous day hike and don't back pack. As a matter of fact, in terms of rewards for effort I think the Lost Mine Trail is one of the top hikes in the National Park System. It's just a great hike with fanatastic views all along the way but especially once you get on the saddle.

I guess it just all depends on your fitness level for the South Rim.

I have done it in one day (9am-5pm) on two seperate occasions; one time with my mother.

I do the South Rim as a day hike just about every time I'm there and throw in the NE rim if it's open but the point was well made by Apache that unless someone is fit and used to hiking with elevation gain it will really wipe them out and probably won't be a very pleasant experience. For those people the Lost Mine Trail would be an enjoyable and doable alternative.

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I guess it just all depends on your fitness level for the South Rim.

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Or it could depend on what kind of hike you want to have. I have the ability to hike the South Rim in a day, but at that pace looking for wildlife & chilling out to enjoy a view for 30 minutes isn't an option.

To each his own.

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chilling out to enjoy a view for 30 minutes isn't an option

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um, about 2 hours of that hiking time is spent taking in the view...but like you said, to each his own.

Thanks for the input guys, but I doubt we'll be doing much hiking. While my wife and I are up to it, my parents in law aren't going to want to hike much. My father in law has a bum knee and that'll keep us from doing what some of y'all have suggested.

I'm now under the impression that you can't really experience the park unless you have time to go out and explore. That sounds like a lot of fun to me (I'm an outdoors guy), but on a trip with my parents in law, it's probably not the best destination.

Am I right or wrong?

As an alternative three day type trip out, consider going to Ft Davis and taking in the Fort and The McDonald Observatory and doing a star party. Then swing up to Van Horn and go to Guadalupe Mountain NP and do a short hike into McKendrick Canyon. It's level and very scenic. Follow this up with driving the short distance up to Carlsbad Caverns. Catch the bat flight and then do the Caverns the next day. You can take elevators down and back up. The caverns are very cool and comfortable and a very easy walk.

no that's not true. you can see A LOT of the park from the roads and overlooks!!!! all of these can be see without ever getting out of your car:

Boquillas Canyon, Santa Elena Canyon, Mule Ears, Tuft Canyon, Castellon, Homer Wilson Ranch, Casa Grande, The Window.

GO SEE BIG BEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!



[This message has been edited by YellowPot_97 (edited 7/21/2008 10:13p).]

Yellow Pot is right there is a lot that can be seen from your car and very short walks. You might consider making Marathon your place to stay - at the Gage Hotel - and drive to Big Bend for a day or two and do a day trip to Fort Davis and the Observatory and also take in Alpine and Marfa.

You used to be able to go across the river to a little Mexican town, that I think was called Boquillas, too. I'm a little hazy on the name. You could rent a burro and they would ride you across the river, or you could just walk like I did.

Last time I was there, I was treated to a Mexican Army parade as two 70s model Dodge pickups (painted camouflage, of course) drove through town. Had about 8 guys in the back of each and they were carrying AKs. On second thought, they might not have been Mexican Army.

The beer was cold, though. I would guess that the Border Patrol frowns on that these days.

the border crossing to Boquillas has been closed since 9-11. I wouldn't want to get caught crossing.......

Listen to Robert Earl's song "Gringo Honeymoon". It's got a line in there about going across the Rio Grande & renting donkeys. He's talking about Boquillas, but doesn't mention it by name.

Looking to there the early part of December. What are the best campsites there? What kind of costs should we expect out there?

Can you have campfires or bring your own grills?

[This message has been edited by The Anchor (edited 10/27/2010 2:18p).]

If you go to Marathon, splurge and eat at the restaurant adjacent to the Gage Hotel. The hotel is fine but the White Buffalo Bar and the restaurant are super. I was there in the summer and had chilled avacado soup with crabmeat and then ordered what I had been told was the "world's best chicken fried steak." They may be right; it was outstanding (and, by far, the simplest thing on the generally upscale menu).

Cross-Post from Outdoors: My trip report from Boquillas Canyon last weekend.

http://texags.com/main/forum.reply.asp?topic_id=2322312&forum_id=34



[This message has been edited by Killin Me Smalls (edited 6/21/2013 8:07a).]