Reservations through Recreation.gov are essential for this 60-site campground perched 5,400 feet high in the Chisos Mountains, where the winding access road limits RVs to 24 feet maximum. The National Park Service manages this drive-in facility at $16 per night, providing water hookups for RVs along with flush toilets, drinking water, and a dump station.
Sites cluster around the mountain basin with minimal privacy between neighbors, though most feature shade structures over picnic tables and bear-proof food storage boxes. The rocky, uneven ground challenges tent campers. Stacy R. recommends "bringing sand bags or expect that you'll have to find rocks nearby to weigh your tent corners." Several reviewers note the tight quarters, with some sites requiring parking across the road from the actual camping area.
Trailheads for popular park hikes begin directly from the campground, including the Window Trail that leads to sunset viewing spots. The visitor center sits within walking distance, housing a camp store stocked with ice, beverages, and basic supplies. No showers exist at the campground itself, though the nearby lodge offers shower facilities. Cell service reaches most areas of the campground.
Campfires are prohibited year-round due to fire restrictions, but the high elevation provides cooler temperatures than desert floor areas. Jonathan C. advises investing in "heavy duty tent stakes" as "the ground is so rocky, it ate up the stakes that came with the tent." Bears occasionally visit the campground, particularly a young bear known to camp hosts. The steep, winding road requires careful driving but remains paved throughout. For additional camping options, explore places to camp near Big Bend National Park when reservations fill up months ahead.
Description
Overview
Chisos Basin Campground, perched high in the rugged Chisos Mountains, is the most sought-after campground in Big Bend National Park. At an altitude of 5,400 ft. (1646 m), the campground is surrounded on all sides by tall, rocky cliffs and is conveniently located near some of the park's most spectacular and popular trails. This campground offers excellent views and mild temperatures. Also found in the Chisos Basin area is the Chisos Basin Visitor Center, the General Store and the Chisos Mountains Lodge, which houses the only restaurant in Big Bend National Park. Important: The road to the campground is steep and winding with sharp hairpin turns. Trailers over 19 feet and RVs over 24 feet are not recommended, and will not be accommodated. No RV parking is available at the group campground, nor is generator use allowed. All sites where you may have a generator are now reservable. If you need to use a generator and you do not have a reservation in a site that will allow generator use, you will need to camp elsewhere. Note: Campsites are small, rocky, and not level, so there are very few sites truly suitable for RVs. Many sites will allow an RV/Trailer/Van/Camper, but you will not be able to get level. The campground is almost always full, and if the site you booked doesnt work, in all likelihood you will NOT be able to switch sites, and will either have to make your site work, or find accommodations at another campground. It is necessary that you carry some form of leveling blocks/devices with you. Please carefully review the site details before making a reservation.
Recreation
This campground is a hub for hikers. Some of the park's most spectacular and popular Day Hike trails are nearby, including the Lost Mine Trail, the Window Trail, the South Rim Trail and the Pinnacles Trail, with its access to the park's highest point, Emory Peak (elevation 7,825 ft./2385 m). Campers can find the trailheads for most of these trails in the main Chisos Basin area a mile or so further down the basin road from the campground. Access to the river is approximately 30 miles (48 km) away, where visitors can canoe, kayak and fish.
Facilities
The Chisos Basin Campground has 60 individual campsites. The campground is reservable year-round, some sites six months in advance, some two weeks in advance (Sites 8 - 10, 12 - 15, 31, 37 (accessible), and 48 - 60. There is no first-come, first served camping. A few sites are set aside for administrative use. Because of the size of each campsite, they are more suitable to tent camping than RVs or trailers, though both are allowed at some campsites. Each site comes with a picnic table, charcoal grill and bear-proof food storage container, and some sites come with picnic shelters for shade. Sites are generally rocky and not level. Most campsites are within easy walking distance to drinking water and toilets, and a dump station is provided for RVs and trailers. The dump station is oddly situated and requires EXTRA long hoses, as it's on the right side of the road, opposite from most RV sewer outlets. Another more easily utilized dump station is located at Rio Grande Village.
Natural Features
The national park is named for a curve in the Rio Grande called the "big bend." For 1,250 miles (2012 km), the river is an International Boundary between the United States and Mexico. The campground lies at the base of several sloping cliffs amidst montane shrubland; desert plants such as Arizona cyprus and mesquite trees fill the landscape. Maple, aspen, pinyon and ponderosa pines grow at higher elevations just above the campground. Though it is lower than the surrounding cliffs, the Chisos Basin is at a higher elevation than other campgrounds within the park. Summer temperatures here are cool, yet warmer than other areas in fall and winter due to the cold air sinking into lower regions. The Chisos Mountains are a popular nesting site for migratory birds. The mountains provide the only nesting ground in the United States for the Colima warbler, which arrives in mid-April and departs for its wintering grounds in southwestern Mexico by mid-September.
Nearby Attractions
Big Bend National Park encompasses 801,000 acres (324,153 ha) and the Chisos Basin area is centrally located. This allows visitors an excellent opportunity to explore all areas of the park in a relatively short drive. Big Bend offers excellent hiking trails, miles of rugged dirt roads, and endless possibilities for sightseeing.
Fee Info
Entrance Fee. Big Bend charges an entrance fee separate from the camping fee. You may pay the fee upon arrival or purchase in advance. The park also honors Federal interagency passes (e.g., annual, senior, military, access, 4th grade, Golden Age pass etc.). For more information visit the park's Fees & Passes web page.
Warning 3 Alerts are In Effect
There are 3 alerts for this campground. Camp safely!
Warning 3 Alerts are In Effect
There are 3 alerts for this campground. Camp safely!
A maximum of two motor vehicles, one vehicle with a trailer, one motorhome with tow vehicle or four motorcycles allowed per campsite. A maximum of four tents OR one wheeled camping unit and one tent allowed per campsite. Only 1 conversion van or other type of recreational vehicle allowed per site. Two (2) conversion vans or RVs require 2 campsites.
The planned construction of the Big Bend National Park Chisos MountainsLodgeandother Chisos Basin facility improvements, originally scheduled to begin in May 2026, will notproceedas planned.Importantly, Big Bend National Parkremainsfully open to visitors. Due to the construction delay, previously planned closures of the Chisos Basin will not take place, ensuring continued access to the parks facilities and breathtaking landscapes. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to sharing updates as we work toward bringing these important improvements to fruition.
During the lodge construction the High Chisos area trails (South Rim, East Rim, Colima, Boot Canyon) and their designated campsites will be accessible from trails that originate from outside the Chisos Basin (Blue Creek Trail or Juniper Canyon Trail). Beginning May 2026 and until normal trail access resumes from the Chisos Basin, Chisos Backpacking campsites will not be reservable online. A backpacking permit will be required and can be obtained in person up to 24 hours in advance at the Panther Junction Visitor Center.
RV Road Trip Guides
Map & DirectionsChisos Basin Campground (Big Bend, Tx) is located in Texas near Terlingua
Directions
From Interstate 10, take highway 385 south to Fort Stockton and then on to Marathon. From Marathon, go 40 miles (64 km) south on Highway 385 to the north entrance of Big Bend National Park. Drive straight 26 miles (42 km) to Park Headquarters at Panther Junction. Turn right and drive for three miles (1 km). Turn left at the Basin sign and go seven miles (2.1 km) before making a right into the campground road.
Address
PO BOX 129
Big bend nat. park, TX 79834
Coordinates
29.275 N
103.3041667 W
Connectivity
T-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoors
T-MobileLTESome CoverageVerified by 2 usersLast on 2/13/26
VerizonPossible CoverageVerified by 20 usersLast on 5/19/26
AT&TNo CoverageVerified by 3 usersLast on 2/25/26
Connectivity
T-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoors- T-MobileLTESome CoverageVerified by 2 usersLast on 2/13/26
- VerizonPossible CoverageVerified by 20 usersLast on 5/19/26
- AT&TNo CoverageVerified by 3 usersLast on 2/25/26
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
- Cabins
Features
For Campers
- Market
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Drinking Water
- Toilets
- Pets
For Vehicles
- Sanitary Dump
- Water Hookups
- Pull-Through Sites
Drive Time
- 3 hrs 33 min from Odessa, TX
- 3 hrs 44 min from Midland, TX
- 4 hrs 36 min from San Angelo, TX
- 4 hrs 46 min from Eagle Pass, TX
