Looking for a Big Bend National Park Itinerary for one day or multiple days long? Below is an itinerary that can be done in 4 days or broken down and conquered however suits you!
We took a trip to Big Bend National Park the week of Christmas, with a total of six days and five nights. During our trip, we stayed at BJ’s Rv Park just outside Big Bend in Terlingua, which is a prime location for the following itinerary. Looking for an ultimate travel guide? Read the Ultimate Big Bend Travel guide here which includes hotels, restaurants, and more!
Day 1
The first day we spent traveling to our campsite. We drove in from the East side of Texas which brought us through Marathon, Tx. and down through Big Bend National Park. Definitely, a unique experience towing a rig through the mountains. All and all the first day was all about admiring the scenery and setting the rig up for the next few days.
Key Things to Do:
- Take a drive in the mountains during sunset
- Head to Terlingua for a quiet dinner at Taqueria El Milagro
- Relax and prepare for the next few days
Day 2
The second day was quite gloomy and cold. I was slightly panicked the whole trip would be this gloomy, which would have made for a soggy trip! But we pushed on and found some activities to do.
Key Things to Do:
- Get breakfast and fresh squeezed OJ from La Posada Milagro Coffee Shop
- Explore Terlingua
- Drive Through Big Bend Ranch State Park
- Check out Lajitas (a small town 15 minutes west of Terlingua)
- Shop around at the Terlingua Trading Company
- Grab a bowl of authentic Texas Chili from Starlight Theatre
- Rest for the next day!
Day 3
On day three, the weather cleared up so we hit the ground running. Starting with a drive on some primitive backroads to explore Big Bend National Park from the most southwest area. On the following items, I would recommend reading more on the activities as we did push ourselves.
Key Things to Do:
- Santa Elena Canyon
- Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive
- Lost Mine Trail
- The Window Trail (Longer Hike)
- The Window View Trail (Quick Hike)
- Sotol Vista Overlook
Day 4
For day four we decided to give ourselves a break from the hiking and check out some must-see west Texas attractions. So, we drove up to Marfa & Fort Davis for a day full of exploring.
Key Things to Do:
- Capture photos at Prada Marfa
- Explore Downtown Marfa
- Take the backroads through Davis Mountains State Park
- Check out Fort Davis National Historic Site
- Grab a milshake from the Fort Davis Drug Store (Best Milkshakes Ever!)
- Stargaze at the McDonald Observatory
Day 5
After a relaxing day, we got back out into Big Bend to explore the southeastern area. I must say, this area is a hidden little gem with so much to explore!
Things to Do:
- Soak in the Hot Springs
- Explore the Langford Ruings
- Daniels Ranch to Hot Spring Trail (Some of the Best Canyon Views!)
- Cross the Rio Grande for some of the best tameles and mexican rice
- Boquillas Canyon
Day 6
Day six was our leaving day but we got up early to experience the sunrise from the Sotol Vista Outlook! The Sotol Vista Outlook has by far the absolute best sunrises and sunsets with the way the sun hits in both directions. I am also a little biased because Kyle proposed there… check out that blog post here!
Summary
Big Bend National Park has so much to offer its guests! We tackled so many “must-see” activities but we felt there was so much more to see.
