If you’re planning to hike in Big Bend National Park this time of year, this is your reminder: the desert heat can be deadly. Hike smart. Or don't hike at all.
Every year, visitors underestimate these conditions—and every year, it leads to life-threatening emergencies. We are asking you to take this seriously. Plan to be off the trail by 11:00 AM. After that, temperatures rise quickly and can overwhelm even strong, prepared hikers.
Know what you’re walking into:
🌡Panther Junction regularly reaches temperatures near triple digits.
🌄The Chisos Mountains may feel cooler, but you’re still at risk for dehydration and heat illness.
🤒Canyon areas like Santa Elena Canyon and Boquillas Canyon are often the hottest places in the park.
When something goes wrong, it doesn’t just affect you. It impacts your family and loved ones—and it puts park rangers and rescue teams in dangerous conditions to come find or recover you.
Do your part:
🚰Carry more water than you think you need
🌅Start early, end early—no exceptions
☀️Check the forecast and heed heat advisories
ℹ Turn around before it’s too late
This place is beautiful, but it is unforgiving. Bad decisions out here have real consequences.
Hike smart. Or don’t hike at all.
https://www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/hike-smart.htm
It may be early April, but daytime temperatures in Big Bend National Park have already hit 100 degrees in the lower elevations. If you're planning to hit the trails, keep these tips in mind:
1. Start early - cooler temps = safer hikes
2. If you're hiking in the lower elevations and along the river, plan to be off the trail by 11:00 am
3. Bring plenty of water. Those 12 oz plastic bottles? Not enough. We recommend at least one gallon per person per day
4. Use electrolytes in your water and eat salty snacks.
5. Dress smart to protect yourself from the sun - wear light-colored clothing, sunscreen, and a hat
We've seen how quickly a simple hike can become an emergency when people aren't prepared. Don't take chances.
Your friends, your family, and your kids, want you to come home safe. So do we.
Prepare. Plan. Protect yourself. It's not just good advice - it could save a life.
Temporary Lodge Closure:
The Chisos Basin is experiencing a critical water shortage following the failure of the Oak Spring pumps. Repairs to the pumps are being expedited, but currently there is no timeline for restoration. As of Thursday, January 22, the Chisos Mountains Lodge is closed until further notice.
The Chisos Basin Camp Store and Chisos Basin Food Truck are still open but with reduced hours. The Camp Store is open 8:30 am - 6:30 pm. The Food Truck is open 10:00 am - 5:00 pm. Public restrooms in the Basin are closed, and portable toilets are in place behind the visitor center and in the campground.
The Chisos Basin Campground is open, but the water spigots, toilets, and sinks are turned off. Drinking water is available from a spigot in front of Panther Junction Visitor Center and water can be purchased from camp stores located throughout the park. In order to be fully prepared, we recommend bringing plenty of water with you to the park.
A charcoal fire ban is in place in the Chisos Basin and wood fires are not allowed. Propane or gas cooking stoves are needed to cook food.
Park Update: Critical water shortage in the Chisos Basin, Big Bend National Park.
For more information, please follow the link below.
https://www.nps.gov/bibe/learn/news/2026-01-03-critical-water-shortage.htm
We’re asking—please pick up after yourselves.
Over the past week at Rio Grande Village Campground, park rangers found trash left behind by campers that had blown into nearby trees and surrounding areas. Cardboard boxes, plastic store bags, paper and paper towels, aluminum cans, and abandoned camping gear do not belong in Big Bend.
With the holiday weekend bringing more visitors, we need your help. Big Bend is not a trash can. If you pack it in, pack it out and dispose of trash in its proper place. Litter threatens wildlife, damages the desert, and takes time away from staff who are here to help visitors enjoy the park.
If you see trash or food left out, please let a camphost or park ranger know so it can be addressed quickly.
Be part of the solution—not the problem.
Thanks for helping keep Big Bend wild and beautiful.
When the Aurora Borealis makes a rare appearance over Big Bend, even the rangers can’t resist stepping behind the lens. 🌌📸
Out here, our job is usually watching the skies for weather, wildlife, and visitor safety but nights like this? We’re watching in awe right along with you.
Now that we’ve got your attention… 😉
Make sure you have your camping reservations or accommodations squared away before making your trip this busy holiday week. It helps keep your visit safe, smooth, and stress-free.
Red skies, quiet desert, and one unforgettable moment in the Chihuahuan night. ❤️✨
#BigBendNPS #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque
📷: NPS / L. Nowell
🚗 Before you pack the car—important Thanksgiving week info! 🌄
If you're planning to visit Big Bend National Park during the week of Thanksgiving, we highly recommend you obtain overnight reservations before arriving in the park.
In addition to this being one of our busiest times of the year, only two dozen of the backcountry drive-in sites are available for first-come first-serve. All other campsites must be reserved through www.recreation.gov. All backcountry drive-in sites along Old Ore Road, Black Gap Road, and most of River Road are currently closed due to road damage caused by flooding in July 2025
📷: NPS / CA. Hoyt
📷: NPS / CA. Hoyt
🌎✨ From Canada to Big Bend!
One of our returning visitors, Alex North, has made a tradition of not only enjoying the beauty of the Rio Grande on his paddleboard—but also giving back. Each year, as he floats into the canyon, he helps retrieve old tires that have washed in over time. This year, he pulled 11 tires out of Santa Elena Canyon! Last year, he collected 2 tires and even surprised a park ranger who had already hauled out about 8 earlier that same day. After his trips, he reported the tires to park staff, who sent out a crew to properly collect and dispose of them.
It’s a great reminder that keeping our parks clean is something we can all be part of. Whether it’s picking up a piece of litter on the trail, packing out what you pack in, or going the extra mile like our friend Alex—every effort matters. 💚
Together, everyone can protect these wild places, so they stay just as incredible for the next person who comes along. 🏞️
#BigBendNPS #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque
📷: Alex North
🐾 Visiting Big Bend with your four-legged best friend?
We know pets are family, and many of us can’t imagine leaving them behind. But in a place as wild and rugged as Big Bend, pets face unique challenges—and so does the park.
For their safety, your safety, and the wellbeing of wildlife, pets must stay where cars can go. That means no trails, off-road areas, or river trips. Leashes (six feet or shorter) are required at all times, and please always clean up after them.
Why so strict? Even the scent of a dog can keep wildlife from returning to important habitats. And while dogs are curious explorers, Big Bend is home to cactus spines, rattlesnakes, coyotes, and mountain lions. What feels like an adventure to us could put a pet in danger.
By following the rules, you’re not just protecting your pet—you’re helping keep Big Bend wild for everyone. 🏞️🐶
🌿 Looks like bamboo… but it’s not!
The tall, cane-like plants you may see along the Rio Grande in Big Bend are Arundo donax, also known as Giant Reed. Though it resembles bamboo, it’s actually a member of the grass family—and it’s invasive.
👉 Introduced to the U.S. in the early 1800s for erosion control, Giant Reed is native to eastern Asia. Unfortunately, it quickly became a problem species:
• Crowds out native plants 🌱
• Reduces wildlife habitat 🦎
• Contributes to hotter, more frequent wildfires 🔥
• Alters river hydrology 🌊
Next time you’re near the river, keep an eye out—you might see this fast-growing grass towering above the rest of the vegetation. Giant Reed stands out quickly in the landscape, rising tall and dense along the Rio Grande.
#BigBendNPS #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque
📷: CA Hoyt
📷: CA Hoyt
Look up in the sky… it’s not a plane, it’s not Superman… it’s something even more incredible: bird migration! 🐦✈️
When you see a flock flying in that famous V-formation, you’re watching one of the greatest natural journeys on Earth. Every year, roughly one in five bird species packs up and travels hundreds — even thousands — of miles to find food, warmth, and the perfect place to raise their young.
🍃 Why do they migrate?
Colder winters mean less food and fewer nesting spots.
Warmer regions = full buffets of insects, seeds, and safe places to raise chicks.
Some birds take altitudinal migrations (short hops, like moving down a mountain), while others take on latitudinal migrations (crossing hemispheres, sometimes over 10,000 miles!). Their routes, called flyways, are like ancient highways in the sky — the Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, and Pacific flyways in North America, plus massive routes connecting continents around the world.
And yes — even birds need pit stops! They rest at “stopover sites” with food and shelter, carefully chosen to avoid predators. Think of it as Buc-ee’s for birds. 🦅⛽
Next time you see a flock overhead, take a moment to appreciate the incredible journey these feathered travelers are making. 🌍
👉 Have you ever seen a big migration in action? Share your story in the comments!
#BigBendNPS #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque
📷: NPS / R. Negele
📷: NPS / CA. Hoyt
📷: NPS / C. Negele
📷: NPS / L. Benavidez
✨ Big Bend’s Brilliant Hummingbirds ✨
Big Bend is one of the few places in the United States where you can spot the striking Lucifer Hummingbird. Males flash brilliant magenta gorgets that glitter in the sunlight, while females zip quietly between desert blooms. Despite their small size, these birds are long-distance travelers, migrating hundreds of miles between Mexico and the American Southwest.
Where do you find them? Look to the blooms! Lucifers are drawn to agave and ocotillo, sipping nectar while playing an important role as pollinators in the desert ecosystem. Their high-energy lifestyles—wings buzzing nearly 80 times per second—make them true desert dynamos.
Keep your eyes sharp on your next visit—you might just spot a flash of magenta darting from flower to flower. 💨🌸
What’s your favorite hummingbird moment in Big Bend?
#BigBendNPS #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque
📷: NPS / R. Negele
📷: NPS / J. Jurado
📷: NPS / L. Benavidez
