Parks / Heartland to the Chihuahuan Desert
Big Bend
Stop 7 of 51 on the loop. Stay in Terlingua TX, give it 2 nights, and plan the day around Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive.
- State
- TX
- Stay in
- Terlingua TX
- Nights on this route
- 2
- Month on this route
- April
- Don't miss
- Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive
- Getting here
- 863 mi from Hot Springs AR, about 15 h 59 min. Plan 1 overnight stop.
- Next stop
- Guadalupe Mountains, 270 mi, about 5 h 41 min.
About the Park
There is a place in Far West Texas where night skies are dark as coal and rivers carve temple-like canyons in ancient limestone. Here, at the end of the road, hundreds of bird species take refuge in a solitary mountain range surrounded by weather-beaten desert. Tenacious cactus bloom in sublime southwestern sun, and species diversity is the best in the country. This magical place is Big Bend...
Description from the National Park Service.
Where to Stay
On this route you sleep in Terlingua TX. Gateway towns have more lodging, groceries and fuel than the park itself. If you want an in-park lodge instead, the busiest parks book up as early as 13 months out.
Entrance Fees
- $30 Private Vehicle
- $25 Motorcycle
- $15 Per person (walk or bike in)
An $80 America the Beautiful annual pass covers entry at every national park; on a trip like this it pays for itself after three parks. Fees from the NPS, checked 2026-10-18.
Nearby Parks
- Guadalupe Mountains about 217 mi as the crow flies
- Carlsbad Caverns about 217 mi as the crow flies
- White Sands about 283 mi as the crow flies
Official site: https://www.nps.gov/bibe/. Route data checked 2026-10-19.