new to BBNP

[Frau]

Planning my first trip to BBNP, Nov 1st, 1 week! Want to camp and do lots of hiking! Am 65,German,female a very seasoned hiker in the Alps. I am sure the conditions are different there! I am hiking alone!
Can anybody advise me where the best camping for access to various hiking trails might be?
Is there Gas available inside the Park?
Any other suggestions for a 1st timer?
Thanks

[steelfrog]

Great timing!

Yes, there's gas inside the Park, just past the Panther Junction visitors center.

A suggestion, first:  Buy a Trails Illustrated map of Big Bend on amazon.com  This will help you study and plan your trip in advance.

Also, Summitpost.org has a Big Bend page, with many of the peaks on there.

Second--What do you want to see?  BB is a large and diverse park in terms of geography.  You could easily spend a whole week in the Chisos alone.  If you like desert, it's here.  If you like canyons, they're here.  Also, what is your technical ability?  If you don't mind some scrambling, it opens up some options for you.  Also, are you comfortable doing some bushwacking/cross country?

[gam]

To see some great desert mountain scenery, check out the Lost Mine Trail. If you want to see the desert lowlands, the cool weather is a great time to explore. Check out Santa Elena canyon and Mule Ears spring trails. They also have gasoline at Rio Grande Village. I also recommend Blue Creek Canyon trail. There are so many places to explore within this park. I've been going to Big Bend since 1973 and never get tired of it.

[Lorax]

The map is a great first step.  When you decide on time and what you want to see, then you can decide on where to stay.  If you are camping and have a week, you can travel from the east side to the Chisos, to the west side and get a good idea of the parks resources.

I would start in the Chisos.  Base camp at the developed campground.  Visit the Window (5 mile round trip) Drive to the Lost Mine trail.  Day 2 Head up to the South Rim.  Leave early and bring lots of food and water.  Make it a loop hike by going the Laguna Meadows Trail and down the Pinnacles Trail or vise verses.  Day 3 travel east to Rio Grande Village.  Stop at Dugout Wells and the Hot Springs on your way to RGV.  The Hot Springs Canyon Trails from Daniels Ranch to the Hot Springs has some spectacular views.  RGV has the only showers in the park.  A 55 mile drive to Castolon on the Ross Maxwell Science Drive will take you to  Cottonwood Campground.  Tuff Canyon, Santa Elena Canyon and Mule Ears Springs are in the west district.

I've volunteered at Big Bend for several years and there is still much more to see.  Plan will help.  If you can get a copy of the park newspaper, you'll have a visitors guide that specifies what you can see in one day, two days, three days, or a week.  This board will provide a lot of good advice.  Once you get a map you can ask better questions and arrive at the park prepared.  Have a great trip.

[RichardM]

If you can get a copy of the park newspaper, you'll have a visitors guide that specifies what you can see in one day, two days, three days, or a week.

You can download a copy of the park newspaper here:
http://www.nps.gov/bibe/parknews/newspaper.htm

[catz]

The map is a great first step.  When you decide on time and what you want to see, then you can decide on where to stay.  If you are camping and have a week, you can travel from the east side to the Chisos, to the west side and get a good idea of the parks resources.

I would start in the Chisos.  Base camp at the developed campground.  Visit the Window (5 mile round trip) Drive to the Lost Mine trail.  Day 2 Head up to the South Rim.  Leave early and bring lots of food and water.  Make it a loop hike by going the Laguna Meadows Trail and down the Pinnacles Trail or vise verses.  Day 3 travel east to Rio Grande Village.  Stop at Dugout Wells and the Hot Springs on your way to RGV.  The Hot Springs Canyon Trails from Daniels Ranch to the Hot Springs has some spectacular views.  RGV has the only showers in the park.  A 55 mile drive to Castolon on the Ross Maxwell Science Drive will take you to  Cottonwood Campground.  Tuff Canyon, Santa Elena Canyon and Mule Ears Springs are in the west district.

I've volunteered at Big Bend for several years and there is still much more to see.  Plan will help.  If you can get a copy of the park newspaper, you'll have a visitors guide that specifies what you can see in one day, two days, three days, or a week.  This board will provide a lot of good advice.  Once you get a map you can ask better questions and arrive at the park prepared.  Have a great trip.

Lorax's suggestions are right on.  I would add that if your vehicle has even moderately high clearance, then you should hike Pine Canyon.  It's an out-and-back, maybe 6 miles round trip.  One other suggestion: visit the Homer Wilson ranch house off the Robert Maxwell scenic drive.  From the ranch house itself you should hike the Blue Creek trail at least through the red rock canyon (about 2 miles round trip).  When back at Homer Wilson, keep going on the trail in the opposite direction for another two or three miles, until it tops out at one of the best desert overlooks in the park.  Finally, and again if your vehcile has moderately high clearance, hiking up and and down the Juniper Canyon trail is very much worth it. 

Good luck and enjoy your trip!

As for where to camp, the Basin Campground is the most centrally located and serves as the trailhead (or nearby) for all the hikes in the mountains.  But because the park is so large, getting to other areas out in the desert will take longer.  If you can tolerate roughing it, you can camp a few days at any of the many unimproved sites out in the desert, many of which are easily accessible by a passenger car.  Be advised, though, that these sites have zero amenities--no table, no water, no fire grill, nada.

[Frau]

Great timing!

Yes, there's gas inside the Park, just past the Panther Junction visitors center.

A suggestion, first:  Buy a Trails Illustrated map of Big Bend on amazon.com  This will help you study and plan your trip in advance.

Also, Summitpost.org has a Big Bend page, with many of the peaks on there.

Second--What do you want to see?  BB is a large and diverse park in terms of geography.  You could easily spend a whole week in the Chisos alone.  If you like desert, it's here.  If you like canyons, they're here.  Also, what is your technical ability?  If you don't mind some scrambling, it opens up some options for you.  Also, are you comfortable doing some bushwacking/cross country?

hey, thanks!! I have am just now getting comfortable with the "chat", just discovered this! Anyway have been very busy exploring BB, couldn't get enough of it! What a marvelous place! I did alright, even though my preparation was scant to say the least! I most enjoyed my day-trek to the South Rim, marvelous place! Came back down too late (11pm) to enjoy it!! Want to go back in Spring for a 2 night bivac on the rim! Broke tent after 6 days and headed out at 10:30pm towards Louisiana!

[jim2]

one thing first timers are suprised by is the aridity. the air rapidly sucks the moisture from the body. that and the intensity of the sun. grape vine hills is a interesting hike, ward spring for a short hike the desert is a good one. hiking in the chisos is great,but, see  some of the lower elavation stuff too.

[Frau]

one thing first timers are suprised by is the aridity. the air rapidly sucks the moisture from the body. that and the intensity of the sun. grape vine hills is a interesting hike, ward spring for a short hike the desert is a good one. hiking in the chisos is great,but, see  some of the lower elavation stuff too.

you are so right: the aridity surprised me and i got almost in trouble a couple of times, but all went well and i tremendously enjoyed myself and will return in Spring!

[Frau]

The map is a great first step.  When you decide on time and what you want to see, then you can decide on where to stay.  If you are camping and have a week, you can travel from the east side to the Chisos, to the west side and get a good idea of the parks resources.

I would start in the Chisos.  Base camp at the developed campground.  Visit the Window (5 mile round trip) Drive to the Lost Mine trail.  Day 2 Head up to the South Rim.  Leave early and bring lots of food and water.  Make it a loop hike by going the Laguna Meadows Trail and down the Pinnacles Trail or vise verses.  Day 3 travel east to Rio Grande Village.  Stop at Dugout Wells and the Hot Springs on your way to RGV.  The Hot Springs Canyon Trails from Daniels Ranch to the Hot Springs has some spectacular views.  RGV has the only showers in the park.  A 55 mile drive to Castolon on the Ross Maxwell Science Drive will take you to  Cottonwood Campground.  Tuff Canyon, Santa Elena Canyon and Mule Ears Springs are in the west district.

I've volunteered at Big Bend for several years and there is still much more to see.  Plan will help.  If you can get a copy of the park newspaper, you'll have a visitors guide that specifies what you can see in one day, two days, three days, or a week.  This board will provide a lot of good advice.  Once you get a map you can ask better questions and arrive at the park prepared.  Have a great trip.

thank you so much! I followed almost all of your suggestions, except i also hiked the South Rim in 1 day!
th

[Al]

Please tell more about your trip and experience!  Any pictures?

Al

[Frau]

Thanks to everybody who replied to my "New to Big Bend" Post!
I followed most of the advice I received from all of you and didn't go wrong, except the scarcety of water and arridity of air is more of a problem than i had imagined!
But still, i had a wonderful time, did a LOT of hiking, made it to the South Rim (day hike),camped in the Desert for 6days (primitive,NOT Campground, as was suggested by some!) and came back to civilization longing for more BB adventures! Will head back in Spring!
A big thanks again, Sohnesmutter
Will post pics,once i figure out how to do it!

[Frau]

To see some great desert mountain scenery, check out the Lost Mine Trail. If you want to see the desert lowlands, the cool weather is a great time to explore. Check out Santa Elena canyon and Mule Ears spring trails. They also have gasoline at Rio Grande Village. I also recommend Blue Creek Canyon trail. There are so many places to explore within this park. I've been going to Big Bend since 1973 and never get tired of it.

Thanks, Gravi, i had a marvelous experience! 6 days were too short for all i wanted to do, so Springtime will be my next attempt! Will go after the crowds dissipate and before it gets too hot!
In Oct when I went it was still very hot in the desert.......! Didn't make the Blue Creek Canyon Trail, but will next time!

[Frau]

Does anybody have pics of the Blue Creek Trail or description ?? Is that the trail going up behind the H Wilson Ranch and merges with the Laguna Meadows trail on top??
Thanks!

[jim2]

yes, blue creek canyon trail runs from laguna meadow to homer wilson. i like the red rock section in the late afternoon/evening. the rocks change color with the setting sun. the red rocks begin north of homer wilson about an hour.