Free Camping Collection
Dispersed Camping
Elephant Tusk Primitive Dispersed Campsite — Big Bend National Park
About
National Park Service
Big Bend National Park
Recommended for HIGH CLEARANCE vehicles only.
Primitive roadside sites offer nice views, solitude, and a small flat gravel space to set up camp next to your vehicle. No shade, toilets, or other amenities are provided. The use of generators is prohibited in the backcountry.
This campsite is adjacent to the road and is located across from the Elephant Tusk Trailhead. The site is small. It is easiest to reach this site from the south along the River Road, as opposed to coming from the north via the Glenn Spring and Black Gap Roads. Sometimes water will flow in Fresno Creek after a large rain event.
There is no shade at this campsite. There is gravel ground cover with sparse creosote and lechuguilla.
A Backcountry Permit is required to use any backcountry campsite.
Fee Info
Back Country Permit REQUIRED https://www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/bc_usepermits.htm
Reservation Info
CAUTION: This is a very remote site with very little vehicle traffic.
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
Stay Connected
- WiFiUnknown
- VerizonUnknown
- AT&TUnknown
- T-MobileUnknown
Site Types
- Dispersed
Features
For Campers
- Alcohol
GuideGreat Backcountry Campsite
This campsite is off of Black Gap Road which is well known as the roughest unmaintained road in the park. The rangers will tell you this. You also have to be on rough dirt roads for a couple hours to even get to the site. If you want off-road adventure, don’t mind some desert pinstripes and want a great remote campsite this is it. It is big enough to for one vehicle and one tent with absolutely zero shade. It is at a trail head with an amazing up close view of elephant tusk.
- (4) View All
TravelerDon’t go unless you want your vehicle scratched.
The road leading in is one of the worst in the park because it’s un maintained and very very narrow, I recommend taking the river road then heading north on black gap road to make it somewhat easier on your vehicle. There’s a decent trailhead by the camp and it’s pretty close to the old mercury mine in the park those are the only upsides.
Location
Elephant Tusk Primitive Dispersed Campsite — Big Bend National Park is located in Texas
Directions
Directions Elephant Tusk campsite is located along the southern end of the Black Gap Road, 21 miles from the east end of the River Road and 29.6 miles from the west end. The campsite is 3 miles north on the Black Gap Road. This site is best reached from the south end via the River Road. The northern Black Gap Road is very rugged, 4x4 required. It will take approximately 3 hours to reach this campsite from the paved road. Road Conditions River Road is maintained for high clearance vehicles only. After rains, River Road gets extremely muddy and may quickly become impassable to all vehicles. 4-wheel drive may be required. The northern end of the Black Gap Road is extremely rough, not maintained, and for rugged 4x4 vehicles only.
Coordinates
29.12687701 N
103.20702518 W