Basin Stone Cottages

[Don H]

Has anybody stayed at the Stone Cottages in the Basin?  How were they - quiet as compared to the Lodge rooms, views, etc..  Which one do think is the best?  I've stayed in one of the motel rooms and would like to hear how the Stone Cottages compare.  Thanks!!

[BigBendHiker]

We have stayed in both the stone cottages and the lodge.  I highly recommend the stone cottages.  We have always stayed in the summer (June or July).  They do not have air conditioning...but they don't need it.  Even in June or July, the nights are cool.  You can sleep with the windows open, smell the pinon pine, watch the moon come through the windows, etc.  It is very quiet as well.  Never had any problems there at all.  Now...maybe during Spring Break or Christmas...may be a different story...but summer has been great.  The rooms are great -- have a small microwave and a small refrigerator.   We stayed in stone cottage 101 each year.  I think cottage 103 is the one with the best view of the window.

(I know...I know...to really experience Big Bend, the best way is camping.  But....my wife refuses to stay in a tent...so, staying in the cottages to have my dream of visiting Big Bend each year is a small compromise to make...)

[Casa Grande]

i'll have to admit it...i have wussed out on a very few rare occasions and stayed in the lodge and cottages.

One time in particular, my late wife and I were staying at the Elephant Tusk campsite on July 3, 2004.  It was so incredibly hot, about 110 at night, and uncomfortable, even for me (god bless her patience, she didn't say a word about it until I did).  So, on July 4, 2004, we opted to stay in the lodge.  We had wine, rented a TV and a movie and the lodge DOES have air condtioning.

This night in particular was a grand night, wining and dining with my wife for the last time in Big Bend. Yep, the lodge has a special place for me too ;)

[Don H]

You're right, camping is definitely the way to go. But, it's always nice after several days in the bush to sleep in a real bed and take a nice shower before making the long, dreaded drive back home.  We've stayed in the lodge rooms but I've always wanted to try the cottages - no AC no problem, as you say, even in the summer, the nights especially in the basin and up on rim are pretty pleasant.  Planning on a 7-10 day trip to the Bend this year, anyone know how far ahead I'll need to reserve a cottage? - I've heard they're pretty popular.  Man, I can't wait to get out to God's Country again,  last trip was in August, 2003.  One hike I know we're gonna do (haven't done it before) is a day trip to Emory Peak - how long you reckon it'll take.  Probably gonna do an overnighter to the rim as well - I love NE4, isolated and fantastic views only a few feet away.  One more question - what kind(brand) of water filtration do any of ya'll use.  Last time we did an overnighter to the rim, we lugged a crap load of water to sustain the entire trip, want to save on weight this time.  Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!!  Cheers!

[Goldilocks]

I stayed in the cottages in January.  I loved them.  The refrigerator is good sized and has a small freezer.  The bathtub works great for a bubble bath after hiking all day  :) .  I didn't have any trouble getting one when I was there, but I think some times of the year are more popular than others.  I will definitely stay in the cottages again.  I had #114 which is the longest walk from the parking lot but is away at the end from the others if you are looking for privacy.  All of them look good, though.

[RichardM]

Haven't stayed in the cottages, so no comment there.  However, my Dad and I did Emory Peak as a side-trip while doing an overnighter at SW4 on the South Rim.  We left our backpacks just off the trail for the hike up Emory.  We got to the South Rim well before sundown, even after getting a late start after eating a huge breakfast at the lodge.  We carried all our water and left the tent behind to cut down on weight.  Neither one of us were conditioned for backpacking.  I hadn't carried one since my Boy Scout days.  No telling how long it had been for my Dad.

[BigBendHiker]

One of the previous posts asked about how far in advance do you need to make a reservation for the stone cottages.   During peak times (spring and fall), you probably need to reserve many months in advance unless you are looking for only a 1 or 2 night stay.  

In 2004, we made the reservations in March for our stay in June.   This year, we tried to get one of the cottages in either March, April or early May for 3 nights.  We called in December, and they were booked fairly solid for that time.  If we had asked for only 1 or 2 nights, we likely would have been able to get a reservation.

[RichardM]

As with all the national park lodging, keep trying as people often cancel.  For lots of the parks like Yellowstone and Grand Canyon, people are booking a year in advance, so plans often change...

[Robert]

what kind(brand) of water filtration do any of ya'll use.   Cheers!

Katadyn Hiker PRO Water Filter from REI

[Don H]

Everyone thanks for the replies.  Robert, that looks like a great filter - I'm gonna get me one, sure beats lugging a bunch of water around.  That'll save some room for a little Cuervo!!
By the way, if you're going on a one or two night backpack overnighter, how much does ya'lls pack weigh?

[Robert]

how much does ya'lls pack weigh?

Way more than I'd like. I always say afterwards that I'm going to pack lighter next time. Depending on the amount of water carried (1 gallon = 8 lbs), my pack probably weighs between 45-55 pounds.