Chili cookoff 2023
Stayed here for chili cookoff 2023. It was an amazing time.
Sitedry camp sight
Month of VisitOctober
Great!
Had a great time! Very quiet, the site included everything like showers, laundry, fridge. I like that the camping and RV sites were separated. We got see the Milky Way every night as well ❤️
A thing to note is there is a nightclub next door and they were blasting their music until 3am on the Friday that we were there.
SiteE primitive camping
Month of VisitMay
It's a Pass
The location is fine, right off of the highway going through Terlingua. The park itself is barely okay. The wi-fi is non-existent, the check-in is totally remote, with NO ONE in the office every time we went by. The sites are strewn with litter. We picked up a full trash bag of it just before leaving. We'll be back to Big Bend, just NOT at this rv park.
Site6
Month of VisitMarch
Special crossroads of time and space
As the saying goes, When in Rome ... staying at BJs RV park was like an immersion experience to living in Terlingua. You feel the history and past of days gone by, with the ghost town of Terlingua and the junk yard behind the RV camping area. Both the town and the junk yard take on a mysterious magical quality in the light at the end of the day. Lots to learn about the history of the place and one great way to learn is to talk with the locals, both in the town and those living in the RV park (temporarily or long term-in addition to those passing through like us). Besides the history of the place, you also learn about the hopes and dreams of the locals - such as the artist cooperative gallery, the RV park manager who hopes to open a cafe / outdoor music spot, and so forth.
The RV sites are all clean and level with electricity, water etc. There’s also a shower house. One note: the wifi doesn’t reach the tent sites (but works fine in RV sites) so we let a young woman traveling alone move her car from her tent site to park overnight on our site so she could use the wifi and check in with her loved ones. We enjoyed sharing some food and conversation with her, as well as meeting other campers and residents.
Terlingua ghost town itself is fun to explore. Many visitors flock to the Starlight Theater (which used to have no roof other than the stars in the sky above). The line to get in is hours long (apparently great menu), but we relished the Frito Pie at the cafe on the side (no wait for that). The art gallery is also worth the visit, and it’s fun to just walk around the ghost town. Of course it’s also a great location for visiting Big Bend NP. We especially loved hiking into Santa Elena Canyon - spectacular.
Terlingua and BJs RV park are hopeful places, with lots of history in a beautiful remote setting that feels like a crossroads in time and place. Really enjoyed it. Would be happy to return.
Site2
Month of VisitApril
Great Location
While the campground is nothing special, it's in a great spot for visiting the west side of BBNP and BB Ranch SP.
Sites are pretty close together, but level. Water pressure goes low from time to time. No problems with electricity.
If we ever get back here, I'd consider staying here again.
Site9
Month of VisitNovember
Dusty noisy and crowded
Firstly, no covid precautions anywhere. You would never guess there was a world pandemic by coming to this place. Tons of people packed in wherever they can fit, staff not wearing masks, bathrooms for the entire park’s use and not clean at all - no soap in the bathroom! Dogs barking and running everywhere. Lots of road noise because it’s right off the side of the road. And there’s dust everywhere blowing around in huge clouds that don’t settle. There is a designated camping area that is a sandy/dusty/washed out old parking lot.
Looks can be deceiving
We weren't sure what to think upon arrival. The park is very stark, sitting right off the road that runs through the Terlingua desert. The laundry and restrooms are in an old mobile home. It didn't look like there were many services at the park. Once we got settled in, however, we realized it was a great place. Great location close to the village of Terlingua and all the services, close to Big Bend State Park, and close to Big Bend National Park. In addition, the people were great. We even had a communal fire in the evenings and shared our day's adventures. We will definitely be returning!
A gateway to BBNP and the amazing community of Terlingua
The view of the Chisos Mountain is fantastic, especially at dawn. This RV Park includes 12 large pull-through sites and 17 back-in sites with 50/30-amp, water and sewage. The Recreation building has 3 complete washrooms with showers; a community kitchen with a fridge and microwave; a variety of cookware and dinnerware; and 2 sets of washers and dryers. The pavilion is also available and includes tables, chairs, a smoker/cooker and a community fire pit. There are pot lucks and other events to participate in and the atmosphere and terrain are unmatchable. They LOVE pets and well behaved ones are even allowed to play off leash. But at night there are desert creatures so keep them inside. Terlingua is a “ghost town” that is worth spending time in. There are cantinas and restaurants, there’s an eccentric trading post store, a famous cemetery, and an annual chili cook off. The community is quirky but it feels like home. I take an annual trip to this area and BJs has my business every time. PS: all the food in town is GOOD.