My brother and I take a yearly backpacking/camping trip in the fall. We have gone to Big Bend the last few years and get a remote roadside site to stay for part of the stay and use as a home base, and then head up into the Chisos for a few nights. We feel we have done about all the trails in BB National Park, and have also spent some time in the state park. Is anyone aware of other parks or locations where there is remote car camping and hopefully, interesting hikes (day or overnight)? Remote is important to us as we like to stay up late and don't have to worry about quiet times and bothering other campers.

Big bend ranch allows for that, and they also allow you to make your own trails, provided you are a responsible and prepared hiker. Zero impact, don't get lost, etc, and the sites are so isolated you can stay up and make noise as late as you wish.

Also, there are WAY more hiking trails at big bend than just up in the Chisos. Like a huge amount in the surrounding hills and canyons.

You can also stay near Guadalupe mountains, there is a small public camping area outside the park a ways that is basically a gravel lot. No improvements but also very little in the way of restrictions on hours.

Big Bend Ranch can be very remote with trails that are 4wheel drive only. I preferred Black Gap WMA and went several years with friends. We camped at the river camps and campgrounds 17 & 18 were our favorite. Open camp fires and firearms were permitted. We preferred February and often didn't see anyone the whole time we were there.

Also might be options in the Davis mountains. They get overlooked but have some trails too.

Forest Service land has lots of this. Not sure where you're traveling from but OK, AR, NM, & CO have tons of National Forests that are closer to a lot of Texans than Big Bend.

Thanks Mouth. By 'state park', I meant the BB ranch. We have stayed there a few times, often spending 2-3 days there and 4-6 days in the national park. And yes, we have done just about every trail in the national park, at least once, and many multiple times. This is why we are looking for something different. Ore Terminal Trail may be my favorite trail I've hiked. It's a good length, interesting terrain, and all the old relics are really cool to see.

This last year, we spent 5 days in the national park, then jumped over to Guadalupe for a few nights. Great hikes, but camping (car, not backpacking) was very cramped.

Do the Davis Mountains have remote areas? I previously looked at that, but didn't see anything remote?

We have high clearance (as in a truck), but not 4x4, so that is a bit limiting for us.

Forest Service land is an option as suggested by normaleagle05, but these don't typically have good hiking… or do they and I'm just not aware?

There is lots of land to boondock on in NM and CO. I use: https://freecampsites.net/ to find and preview sites. My brother and I have camped several times north of Stonewall, CO near monument lake. Great hiking and fishing.

aggiela99 said:

---

Thanks Mouth. By 'state park', I meant the BB ranch. We have stayed there a few times, often spending 2-3 days there and 4-6 days in the national park. And yes, we have done just about every trail in the national park, at least once, and many multiple times. This is why we are looking for something different. Ore Terminal Trail may be my favorite trail I've hiked. It's a good length, interesting terrain, and all the old relics are really cool to see.

This last year, we spent 5 days in the national park, then jumped over to Guadalupe for a few nights. Great hikes, but camping (car, not backpacking) was very cramped.

Do the Davis Mountains have remote areas? I previously looked at that, but didn't see anything remote?

We have high clearance (as in a truck), but not 4x4, so that is a bit limiting for us.

Forest Service land is an option as suggested by normaleagle05, but these don't typically have good hiking… or do they and I'm just not aware?

---

Davis Mountains State Park has Sheep Pen Loop, which I love hiking, but it's a couple mile hike to the camping area from the parking lot, not really car camping. Great day hike or a really relaxed backpacking trip.

Forest Service has a lot of hiking trails. I'm sure quality and density is pretty variable but there is a lot out there. Use the Interactive Visitor Map with the activity filter to start getting an idea.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/ivm/

If you decide to go car camping in National Forest or BLM lands, be aware that lots of those lands start becoming closed to campfires this time of year due to dry conditions and the threat of wildfires.

depends on your definition of "interesting hikes," but look at Black Gap. Not gonna find a whole lot more remote than that.

We spent a month in southern Utah back in May. Camped remote in our van. Lots of public land. A couple of campsite views.