Backcountry Camp sites

[Dinohunter]

During my Oct. trip I'm wanting to do some backcountry camping. I was wondering if ya'll could suggest any good sites.

[jeffblaylock]

This question gets asked periodically, so there are lots of suggestions in this forum:

Big Bend Chat: Backcountry Camping. Questions and Answers about the backcountry campsites are posted here. Interested in backpacking to the South Rim? What about taking the Jeep down to Mariscal? Your backcountry camping guide is here.

[Homer67]

Some of my personal faves are "The Spot" (where I first threw a tent in Big Bend) just beyond Mule Ears Spring to the right of the trail (turn off the trail is marked by a very large square cairn), "Split Rock" on the Marufo Vega trail and BL1 after the hike up Blue Creek. 

If you are doing primitive roadside camping, I would suggest Pine Canyon 4 and/or Terlingua Abajo.  Terlingua Abajo is nice since one can drive up to Mule Ears, Chimneys, Burro Mesa and many others right up the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive for some day hikes and return to the base camp each night.  It is easily accessible from the south end of the Old Maverick Road; the turn off into Terlingua Abajo is a neat drive in, too! I just like the PC4 site.

Here is a photo of "The Spot"; some photos of Terlingua Abajo and PC4 can be found in this thread:

http://www.bigbendchat.com/portal/forum/backcountry-camping/planning-a-trip-for-first-or-second-weekend-of-september/msg108777/#msg108777


Also, here is a thread which includes a Trip-Report index for this site which may be helpful in deciding where you want to go:

http://www.bigbendchat.com/portal/forum/your-trip-reports/backpacking-trip-reports-index/msg99937/#msg99937

[Dinohunter]

Thanks Jeff!!  Thanks Homer!! Either one of ya'll going to be in the Bend in Oct?

[Homer67]

I have a trip with some family planned the third week of October, then another to do the OML in late December (as well as check out two other spots I have been pining to see!).

Since we will have older family with us, we will base camp at Terlingua Abajo for the first part of the trip.  This will allow us to choose from day hikes such as Mule Ears, Apache Canyon, The Chimneys and perhaps Bruja Canyon and Cattail Falls, if there is any rain in the Chisos around the time we are there. (We will also check out Santa Elena, no doubt, as it is near the south end of the Old Maverick Road.)  We will most likely do some primitive roadside camping on the east side of the park for the second half of the October trip, but I haven't really thought this part out yet.  I haven't checked out the Hot Springs or Hot Springs Canyon yet, or even been to Rio Grande Village, so that may be a destination for us.

I am so ready to go NOW!

[Dinohunter]

I'll be in the park from Oct. 22-31