Q. How can we take a river trip?
A. Several companies offer guided river trips ranging from one-half day to one week. You can also bring (or rent) equipment and obtain a back country use permit to do your own river trip. Because river levels and conditions vary, check current conditions before planning your own trip.
Q. When is the busy season in Big Bend?
A. Spring is the busiest season at Big Bend National Park - during March and April and sometimes into May when the Texas colleges and universities are on spring break. Thanksgiving and Christmas can be extremely busy, also. Plan ahead and make lodging reservations early if you plan to visit Big Bend during any holiday period.
Q. What are the temperature variances at Big Bend National Park?
A. It can get as hot as 115-120° F along the river during late May and June. However, the temperatures will normally be in the range of 88-110° F during the hottest time of the year—the lower end of that range being in the Basin, the hotter temperatures along the river.
The winter months (December, January, and February) can bring cold weather, dropping temperatures down into the thirties, and occasionally bringing snow. However, interspersed with these cold spells are spells of very comfortable, warm weather (70s or 80s and even higher sometimes, down on the river). The nights, however, are commonly freezing or below—in the 20s or teens down on the river.
Q. When do the wildflowers bloom?
A. Generally, desert plants bloom in the spring, while plants in the Chisos Mountains bloom in the late summer, during the rainy season. March and April are probably the best time to see the park in bloom, but flowers can be seen almost throughout the year. Every year is different, depending on rainfall levels. Big Bend does not always look like the pictures on postcards. It is very difficult to predict when the best weeks will be.
Q. Is there lodging inside Big Bend Park?
A. There is one in-park lodging option, Chisos Mountain Lodge. However there are several options at the parks entrance to choose from.