Coming from Austin, Tx, I’m an 8 hour drive from the Chisos Basin campground in Big Bend National Park. This is too far for a weekend trip but becomes feasible with the extra day from a three-day weekend with some planning and consideration.
Getting There
Friday 3am
Time to wake up and do any final preparation and packing to get out the door by 3:30. Yeah it’s early but being tired is a feature. Get some caffeine if you’d like and get on your way. Nothing is open; don’t stop for breakfast. You topped off the gas tank last night. The car is the weak point, not you. You don’t stop until forced to by the car. The roads are empty and you can probably get away with a bit of speed.
300 to 400 Miles Later
The gas tank is low. You’re forced to stop but make it quick. Gas, bathroom, coffee, breakfast. The sun is rising and once you reach I-10, so is the speed limit. At 80 mph it leaves little reason to speed. Play it safe and get there without the cost of a moving violation tacked on.
Fort Stockton
You should get to Fort Stockton a little after eight. This is your last stop for supplies (you’ll still pass through Marathon but shopping is limited). Stop at the Walmart, get gas, go to the bathroom, stock up on water. You can buy stuff at the campground but you’ll pay for the convenience. Even if you’re not backpacking, bring a few gallons of your own water. They have it at the campground but availability is limited and it’s courteous to use less if you can. Get any other last minute items and get out of there.
Justification number one for leaving early: the drive from Fort Stockton is a fast and straight country road, if it’s daylight. But when the sun’s down you’ll pass countless deer and ten times more rabbits. You will at least come through unscathed when a rabbit crosses your path but the same can’t be said when a deer makes a run. Take this road after sunset and you’ll slow to a crawl.
Marathon
There’s not a whole lot going on in Marathon, (pronounced mar-e-th-i-n) but it’s a cool town. You’ll see the sign to turn left into the park but take it immediately and you’ll entirely bypass the town. Take five minutes to drive through and see a small glimpse of the area’s culture: friendly, slow-paced, West Texas. Stop for a drink at the Gates hotel if you’ve got extra time.
Home Stretch
You’re so close. The roads are fast but watch your speed. Stop at the “Big Bend National Park” sign and get a picture if you must. The good pictures are from inside the park. You’ll need to buy a park pass. It probably makes sense to get the one time pass. If you go to a lot of national parks or just want to support them, get the annual pass.
There
Campsite
Panther junction is the largest station in the park; the place to get a souvenir, ask questions, reserve a campsite. If you have a large group, reserve a campsite ahead of time. If backpacking, talk to the people at Panther Junction and reserve sites there. You’re looking for spots along the rim not too near other campsites.
But if you’re a smaller car camping group skip Panther Junction and head straight to Chisos Basin campground. Campsites here are first come first serve. You claim it by being there. This is justification number two (and the primary reason) for leaving at an unreasonable hour. Sites get taken quickly; be there to make your pick before noon.
Day One Hike
Now reason number three for the early morning departure. After getting settled into your campsite you should have time for an honest to goodness hike. The window trail is a perfect warmup. It’s not too long and the trail head is right at Chisos Basin. Just walk on over and get going.
If it’s anything close to summer, take more water than you think you need. Carrying extra weight is much easier than hiking dehydrated. As a day one hike when it’s reasonably warm, two liters of water per person is about right. At the window you’ll most likely see a group of people taking turns getting their picture taken. You might as well follow their lead. This will not be the highlight picture of the trip so don’t stress too much about it.
Soon after starting your return trip you’ll come to a fork. If you’ve got energy and time to spare, take the left and hike to the top of the ridge. It’s a better view than the window and has fewer people. Now just get back to camp, make some dinner, and enjoy the night. When it comes time for bed, you’ll find the fourth and final reason you left so early. It’s good to be tired when sleeping on the ground.
The Long Hike
If you’re fitting this into a three day weekend, the second day is the only full day you’ve got. Wake up early and get moving. Especially if it’s a warm time of the year. You’ll want to be down from your hike by early afternoon to avoid the worst of heat.
Don’t miss the view from the South Rim on a trip to Big Bend. This is the goal of the long hike. The second best view is the top of Emory Peak. You can see both, just the South Rim, or just Emory, in order of difficulty and my personal preference. Hikes including the South Rim can be extended a few miles by adding the East Rim (when it’s not closed from February to the end of May for Peregrine Falcon mating season).
My ideal hike leaves from Chisos basin, goes up the Laguna Meadow Trail, around the South Rim, then the East Rim, down the Boot Canyon Trail, up and down Emory Peak, then back to camp along the Pinnacles Trail. This makes sure you get the best view of the South rim and lets you make the decision late in the hike if you have enough time and energy for Emory Peak. The peak is only a mile and half up and down but is steep and will take a lot out of you. With Emory, the total distance is 16.3 miles, without 13.3 miles.
The long hike day is about getting as much done as you can. I wouldn’t bother saving energy for later; you’re leaving the next day anyway. Hopefully it goes without saying, but this hike will require a lot of water. I wouldn’t really recommend the summer, but I carried 6 lites of water for myself when doing this in May. You can cut back a bit in cooler months but not by much. No water is available on the trails.
After you get off the mountain stop at the camp store. A long hot day in the park is best ended with a cold dessert (personal preference is an ice cream sandwich).
Coming Home
You could get a hike in before leaving and I’m impressed if you do. But you’ll most likely be ready to get back on the road towards home. Get packed as orderly as you can mange and leave the campsite cleaner than you found it. You probably didn’t make breakfast on your way out; make it at least to Fort Stockton and fill up on some breakfast or lunch. Then just try to finish the drive home with the fewest number of stops and enjoy the West Texas scenery.