Big Bend National Park (Mar '26) Lodgings, Basic Survival & Overlooks!

The Drive...

Big Bend National Park is GRAND! This is definitely a trip for anyone who LOVES a good

road trip (or an RV trip, which is what we will be doing next time we visit!), but this is NOT for anyone who does not have reliable transportation or hates driving. This is a lonely road with not much around, and everything is FAR AWAY! You do not need to rent a high clearance vehicle, but you do need to have something you can throw a small cooler in the back seat area and pack some food for the road, because when I say this is a long trip... it is a long trip!

Fossil Museum overlook. It's worth it and easy. You will walk and then climb stairs to get here

However, this is an amazing road trip! Got kids learning to drive? Have them help! The road is pretty lonely, and there isn't much out there but road... However, when the overlooks appear, they take your breath away!

The Lodging...

We opted for lodging at Terlingua. If you prefer a few more options, check out Lajitas. If you love camping and want an outdoorsy experience, check out the lodgings available in Terlingua, since they have outdoor camping spots and "casitas" lodging. We opted for their Big Bend Station Lodge and had room 13. If you are in that area, do not get that room. They show updated rooms on their site and Google Maps, but that is not what we got. We had dirty carpet and a dirty shower curtain, and I was disgusted! We did buy a bottle of bleach at the local Dollar Tree, and I went to work on cleaning that bathroom as best we could.

The lodging does have AC and red lights outside (to help keep the area dark) and one spot per room. They will give you ice if you go to the office and request it, and they do have a fridge and a microwave. We did have the most amazing view of the sunset, and there is plenty of seating to enjoy, if the weather permits. The colors of Big Bend are gorgeous shades of orange and red. I can see why Texas loves its burnt orange!

Sunset from our comfy outdoor seating area at Big Bend Station Lodge. Sun takes a long time to set here .

The Survival...

You will need to bring your own snacks and stuff to make sandwiches and drinks because everything here is so isolated that they overcharge for everything! One bottle of bleach at their convenience store was $13! One bag of chips labeled $3.49 by the manufacturer was over $6, so you get the idea... small town, high prices!

There are a few places to eat, and on our first night, we checked out the local restaurant called Chile Pepper. They have a small assortment of food, including Mexican dishes. We opted for the fajitas, and they were fresh and tasty. The margarita was cold, and the water was refreshing.

The population in Terlingua is really small (like 130 people), and they all know each other, so this was a good place to pick up on the local town gossip. The prices were reasonable, and the servings were appropriate. We were just glad to have hot food!

Everyone else was ordering their Mexican Platter, so you may want to check that out if you go.

Our favorite was the local pizza joint, called Long Draw Pizza, which served the most amazing pizza we have had since our trip to Alaska! At the end of the hot days, it was so nice to have a cold beer and some comfort food. They have live music some nights, and their staff is super friendly! We went a couple of times, and they remembered us, which is always a great sign! If you are looking for recommendations, we ordered the Coyote 12", which was enough for both of us, and we took the leftovers on the road the next day.

The Outlooks...

The drive is beautiful, and the outlooks allow for a moment to stop and take a breath. On the road to Big Bend, you can stop and admire the vast Chihuahuan Desert. If you slow down and notice, you will see all kinds of critters, and although we didn't see any snakes (Grateful for that!), we learned that there are over 30 species of snakes, including 4 venomous rattlesnakes. So, don't be loud and be alert because if you hear some rattling, run back to your car... and do not leave your doors open when you get out in the overlook.

As you drive closer to Big Bend, you see the Chisos Mountains in the background. You can't mistake them for anything else! They have a pointy structure and look like an island in the sky, because once upon a time, they were the island! And, as you approach the park's entry, you are introduced to El Capitan, which is an ancient Capitan Coral reef! Crazy right? An ocean in the middle of the desert? Yes friends. All that you see used to be underwater!

Chisos & Santa Elena...

As you continue into the park, we explored the Chisos Basin first. There is a lodge, a gas station, a store (to get expensive snacks), and a restaurant. If you need a rest stop, this is the best place because it is a long way to Santa Elena, and there are no accommodations after this. There is a place to hike at Santa Elena, but we opted for the easier walk around the outlook. We know our limitations, and it was later in the afternoon when we finally made it out to Santa Elena. If you are looking to hike, you need to go early and take plenty of water and snacks. The weather was beautiful, but the terrain was treacherous! When we come back, we will definitely be doing this hike! But we did spend a nice part of our afternoon here! You do drive down into the canyon area and then back up, so you get great views!

We hope you enjoy our Santa Elena views below!