I second this. You MUST go to the Gage Hotel for a meal. Breakfast is their signature. Also a cool place to stay a night. If you stay, request room #29 in the Los Portales section.
McDonald Observatory is great if you go to one of the Star Parties in the evening. If you catch a Special Viewing night, that's even better. Also remember: There are two parks. Big Bend Ranch State Park and Big Bend National Park. Do your research on the differences between the two for your activities. The State Park is more "empty" and you can really get away from the people. The Big House is an awesome place to stay at the State Park. Lots more "wilderness". The National Park is more developed with more public activities. Also easier to see more from a car. NOTE: Big Bend (both State and National) parks are GIANT wilderness. If you are camping, hiking, biking, etc. away from the main areas PLEASE check in and out with the rangers so they know you are out there. If you plan to be out in the wilderness, leasing a satellite phone and having a way to keep it charged is actually not that bad of an idea for the trip. You really are out in the middle of nowhere and the terrain makes it very easy to get very lost if you are off the main roads. I also agree taking 90 from San Antonio...more scenic and there are lots of little towns to stop in. May or may not take a little longer, but I think it is worth taking it slow.
We've been wanting to take a trip out there too. Thanks for sharing all the recommendations. I was curious is there a particular area of the state park you prefer?
Worst part of the drive imo was seeing all the deer everywhere thinking I was going to run into one at any moment in one of those "deer in the headlight" moments. It definitely kept me on my toes while driving. They were all over the sides of the freeway at certain points along the way. I enjoy the part when you turn south from that one town in West Texas to go into Big Bend. I don't care much for that small town or the coffee from there...lol. Seems like the only place to stop was this one hotel there but the sun was just coming up after an overnight drive. It didn't seem like there was anything else in that town except maybe gas. But, I doubt I'll ever go back to Big Bend. I've been there several times. It's enjoyable but I feel like I've seen everything there is to see there. The only reason I would maybe go back is if I had a 4 wheel drive and wanted to go off-roading. The last time there...we hiked up to the tallest peak there. I was dragging behind because I was out of shape and it was a difficult uphill climb with lots of steps. Being alone on that trail was pretty scary because you don't know if you are being stalked or what. I just remember feeling like I was meat. The window hike was much easier in comparison.
^that reminded me of two deer that crossed the road as I was going 80mph. Stupid deer. Also, coming back from Big Bend, you have to go through a Border Patrol checkpoint where they ask you three Monty Python bridge questions while a German shepherd circles your car: One, are you a US Citizen? Two, are you smuggling any drugs? Three, are you sure you're not smuggling anything? I almost wanted to give the wrong answers to see if I'd get thrown into the canyon.
Picked up a T-shirt years ago... Hike into the desert alone Touch the cactus Pick up the bugs Don't tell anyone where you are going Dive into the river Play with the snakes Go without water We thank you for your support. Terlingua Fire and EMS Haven't been to Ft. Davis or the Observatory since the fire. Any idea how it's recovered? And paul, you will not be attacked by a wild animal.
The part about the deer is a little scary. Once while driving back during the evening a huge buck actually lowered his head and charged our moving vehicle. It was insane.
i wonder if you can still freely cross the river in Lajitas and go to that little taco shack in mexico.
I've heard they've shut that down, what with, you know, increased border security blah blah blah. I'm glad I got to experience that little town though. And of course, saying you've crossed the Rio Grande on a little illicit boat is kind of cool too.
Crossing the river in Big Bend was great. I remember there were two different little towns where you could cross to. My favorite was Boquillas. It was a little rougher, but really an amazing place. Great little tacos at one of the places there, and the bar was always an adventure. You could get some Mexican moonshine called Sotol there which was always bottled in some other liquor bottle. I never had more than one shot of it, though, because the people I saw that had more were literally out of their minds... not just drunk, but absolutely crazy. Once a group of Federales were there and let us pose for pictures with them while we held their assault rifles in the pictures. Later that same day after they had been drinking they gave some of the Americans there a ride back to the river in their military vehicle. The scary thing was that we were in the back of a pickup truck in front of their vehicle. The Federales had their weapons in their hands but laying them flat on top of the roof of their vehicle. They were pointed straight at us, and that road was very bumpy. It made me really nervous. One of the guys who gave us a ride in his truck back to the river also asked us if we'd help him sneak some people over to the U.S. side of the border. We politely declined. It was crazy stuff, but always a lot of fun. The Robert Earl Keen song, Gringo Honeymoon really captures the feel of those trips to Boquillas.
<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/88327709" width="500" height="366" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe> <p><a href="https://vimeo.com/88327709">Victor the Singing Mexican</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/gregpasztor">Gregory Pasztor</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
I stayed it what was then called Pueblo Indian Lodge near Fort Davis, then drove to the park. The Ghost Mountains rise out of the plain as you approach, very impressive. Worth the trip, one of America's most beautiful places. I never experienced more natural solitude, and I have been to just about every scenic area in the US.
Reading this thread has made we want to take my girlfriend there for her birthday. Never been there, but she's a Yankee so it'd be a fun road trip to show her Texas. For a 3 day trip what would be a good route? I might apply for my passport next week in the chance she wants to go to Mexico.
I think I am heading to the Neon Desert Music Festival in El Paso next month, and I'll be driving my new car on the road trip... I've been contemplating coming up with a route to take me through Big Bend, especially if I can find some great roads for the new whip (Audi S6).
I was there camping in Chisos Basin about 4 weeks ago. They're starting their slow season. Being summer, it's hot during the day, but since it's a desert, expect cool 60s at night. It was still slim pickings for a good campsite, although it changes frequently as people would only spend a night and leave. Rainy season is typically September-November.
What would you say is the best time of year to go for both weather and campsite selection? I have been thinking about a trip out there or to the Guadalupe Mountains for a while.
