Big Bend National Park. Unknown Parks Episode 1

Subscribe for more national park content.
Welcome to the first episode of Unknown Parks, where I talk about national parks that are not the most popular but are definitely among the most beautiful. In this episode, we will discuss Big Bend National Park in Texas, which I consider to be the best desert national park and the most underrated national park out of all of them.

[@NationalParkWild]

Happy Earth Day! Which park should I cover next?

[@MTBExtraordinaire]

For unknown parks: Teddy Roosevelt NP

[@charlessapp1835]

Teddy Roosevelt or Great Basin

[@MTBExtraordinaire]

@@charlessapp1835 I'm going to hit GBNP this summer along with North Cascades, Lassen, Olympic, Pinnacles, and Redwood.

[@jacktherex9242]

Voyagers

[@jmax850]

Just left Big Bend today, top 3 of the 14 parks I’ve been to.

[@NationalParkWild]

It’s great that you also had a good experience there.

[@jamesmasn]

BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK is really an awesome park , ty for the Video .. also right next to it is BIG BEND RANCH STATE PARK , also great for hiking and camping but also for overlanding and offroading.. y'all look into it also thanks again

[@phantomblooper84]

Big Bend is probably my favorite NP. I've been there 4 times and can't wait to go back again. January is the best time to go. Doesn't get too hot during the day, or too cold at night. June to September is brutally hot.

[@embarkthepark6745]

I just visited. I spent a few days exploring the park and the surrounding area and agree with you. The park is amazing and the Lost Mine Trail is incredible

[@MTBExtraordinaire]

I added the description below on another of your videos and I wanted to put it here as well: I just got home from a 3 1/2 day visit to BBNP. I wanted to like this park so mush and for 2 days it was cool but not hitting the spot. And then on the last 2 days we did a sunrise hike on Lost Mine Trail and another one on the South Rim Trail. Those 2 hikes combined with going over the border into Boquillas with my 2 young daughters (who were scared to do so) really rounded out the park and it finally hit the spot .... THIS IS AN AWESOME NP !!!!!! From the Santa Elena Canyon, to the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, to the Chisos Mtns and eating in the lodge, to the dinosaur exhibit, to sitting in the hot springs, to the great views all throughout the park ... this one is a winner ! I think the best place to stay is just outside the park in Terlingua. It sounds crazy but staying there is more accessible than staying at 1 of the 3 campgrounds within the park.

[@beaubows239]

Just did the south rim trail a couple days ago. Beautiful park!

[@michael7054]

Great video! Very nice pictures! Maybe you could do a park in Alaska for this series 🤔

[@markweaver1012]

I'm not sure it's underrated -- just under visited. It's a long way from everywhere that you can easily fly into. We've been a few times, and loved it -- especially the wonderful back-country drive in camp sites that, AFAIK, are unique in the National Park system. The gateway town of Terlingua is hoot, too. On our visits there we saw bears, coyotes, a ring-tail cat (relative of coati and raccoon), and more ordinary wildlife like jack rabbits and deer. We were fortunate that our camp sites were never molested by any Javelina. No snakes either, but we were there during winter (which is an excellent time to go). The hot springs on the shore of the Rio Grande early in the morning are great too. And Chisos mountain hikes are wonderful. Highly recommended. As for next places to go -- you could go for some of the other least visited but gorgeous parks: Channel Islands, North Cascades, or maybe Isle Royale (which is even harder to get to than Big Bend).

[@NationalParkWild]

Those are all good suggestions, I will consider doing one of those next.

[@andrewstravels2096]

Nice to hear from you Eric, it’s been a little bit. I went to Texas for the first time this past Christmas and almost went to Big Bend. The only reason why I didn’t go is because I only had a little over a week in the state and it would’ve taken a day to get there from San Antonio, I only would’ve had a day to see the park and it would’ve taken another day to get back to San Antonio and I needed to head north towards Dallas/Ft. Worth. Nonetheless, I had a great time in Texas. I went to San Antonio, Fredericksburg, Austin, Waco, Dallas, Ft. Worth, and Jacksboro. I have some videos on my channel if you are interested in seeing them. Next time I’m in Texas, I hope to go to Big Bend. After visiting New River Gorge last summer, I’ve been to 9 National Park thus far.

[@NationalParkWild]

It’s great to hear from you too. Hope your next trip to Big Bend pans out.

[@andrewstravels2096]

Thanks a lot.

[@bennymartinez5532]

The beaches are a must. South padre island. Andup the coast to port aransas and rock port

[@andrewstravels2096]

Thanks for the suggestion!!!

[@shumandaniele]

Going there spring '25, we're big bird watchers, so we're excited.

[@NationalParkWild]

That’s awesome. I hope you have a great time!

[@m.hernandez1404]

Good luck getting the Colima warbler!

[@metarus208]

love u Big Bend NP

[@smarvin6689]

Glad to have you back, can't wait to see more of this series! Big Bend is such a great park, I was able to spend a few days there last spring. Had probably my most humbling/scary NP experience here though - did the Marufo Vega trail in one day, which is near Boquillas canyon I believe - goes through maybe 7 miles of desert to get some amazing views of the Rio Grande. Couple thousand feet of elevation change each way, with no shade or water, and barely any other people to help in case things go bad - I saw one group of two people the entire time I was out there. Didn't bring enough water with me, and it was a brutal slog to get back to the trailhead. Beautiful views out there, but just a reminder to always be careful! Sadly, two people died from that trail last summer, bringing the total that have lost their lives to Marufo Vega up to 5. Enjoy the views, but start early, stay safe, and hydrate! Also did Lost Mine, and started before sunrise, but it was a little rainy and suuuuuuper foggy that day, so I didn't exactly get the stunning mountain views you would normally get on that trail, but seeing the mountains shrouded in a thick, eerie fog was a cool experience of it's own!

[@NationalParkWild]

That does sound cool! I hope to upload more frequently for a little while.

[@HamLover17]

I need to go here!!!!

[@HamLover17]

Great video Eric! I would say for future videos on this subject to shout out Congaree! My wife and I are going there soon as we will be in the area. My research says it's something of a hidden gem, and I'd love to see a video on that park before we head there in July!

[@NationalParkWild]

Congaree is a beautiful park. I have very limited footage, but I might cover it in this series.

[@HamLover17]

@@NationalParkWild unfortunately we have a wedding in Columbia in July, less than ideal time to visit, but still very excited! I'm bringing lots of bug spray

[@MovingToAdventure]

Big Bend is #1 on my bucket list!

[@NationalParkWild]

That’s awesome!

[@jonathanyomamathan2089]

you should think of selling your photos, with a tiny bit of editing they would be absolutely stunning, heck a lot of those photos don't need edits at all.

[@NationalParkWild]

I appreciate that, and I will consider it.

[@neonvelvet7219]

To be honest, I don’t know if i’d call it underrated. From my experience, when I went in December of 23, the park was absolutely packed, especially at Emory Peak and Santa Elena. It seems like a lot more people are learning about the park

[@markweaver1012]

It's a huge area, but a relatively small park in terms of accommodations and popular trails. The Chisos Basin is quite compact and there are only a few mountain trails. And the NPS has actually reduced capacity a bit (the main campground on the river used to be larger, for example).

[@NationalParkWild]

That’s interesting, I didn’t know it was having more crowded days. Nevertheless, I think in terms of how much there is to appreciate it’s still pretty overlooked and it definitely still gets less attention than most parks in Arizona and Utah.

[@jellomonster531]

I was there in February 2023 and while there were a decent amount of people, it wasn’t packed at all. Far more crowded at Zion which I just went to, though it wasn’t too bad either.

[@markcollins1012]

I did Lost Mines trail. It was a good one, one of my favorites. I'll be back, because I want to see Santa Elena Canyon. I didn't see a black bear there, but I saw one last year at Sequoia. The birds at BB are cool, I agree with that. :)

[@NationalParkWild]

The park has truly spectacular birdwatching.

[@thedashcamkid6175]

I say cover Lassen Volcanic NP. Btw someday you should rank every state by natural beauty. Love you from someone who also watches Theme Park Avenue.

[@NationalParkWild]

Thanks for the comment and suggestions. I’ll consider doing Lassen next.

[@kirchoffkyle]

When you visit national parks what’s usually your goal, do you camp while there or backpack them at all?

[@jdhsingi]

Beautiful park.....is it safe considering the illegal immigration/ open border problems? Thank you for sharing.

[@alexanderstrauch5531]

Next time hike Mariscal Canyon, it is harder to get to, both the drive to the trial and rhe hike. And drive river road, both the one in the NP and the State Park (it's confusing they both have river roads) they are worth it

[@NationalParkWild]

I’ll keep that in mind for sure, thanks for the advice.

[@VTPSTTU]

I'm not a big fan of trying to pick a favorite national park. Most have their own unique charm. I visited Bryce Canyon in late October one year. Most of the tourists were gone. There had been a big snowstorm a day or so before I arrived. That took most of the humidity out of the air. The color contrast of the deep reds and orange colors of the rock, the deep green of the tree needles, the blue of the sky, and the white of the snow in all kinds of nooks and crannies created a beauty beyond any I've ever seen. I would stand at the amphitheater and see other red rock formations in the distance well beyond the boundaries of the park. Again, that was a beauty that I'd never seen. For the most part, Bryce Canyon isn't that intimidating. As the big parks go, getting into a dangerous situation is probably less likely at Bryce Canyon than at most places. The park doesn't seem as rugged. Zion is big granite. Whether one is at the bottom of the canyon or the top of the canyon, one is constantly impressed by the big walls rising into the sky. While many hikes aren't that intimidating, Zion is rugged, particularly when one goes beyond the first mile or two of trails that most people experience. One could die easily making a mistake in Zion. In some places, one is surrounded by giant canyon walls. Sound has unique properties there. While the Grand Canyon is impressive and rugged, the place feels more developed. Everything seems oriented towards funneling people into one of a few experiences. On the other hand, people who arrange to camp in the canyon near the river can find a huge variety of experiences. Death Valley has always seemed to me to be a bunch of smaller experiences. The big crater is interesting, but one just hikes down and back. Scotty's Castle is interesting. The salt flats are interesting, but one doesn't usually hike that far across them. The same is true of the dunes. Other places have fun little canyon hikes that don't seem to be part of some giant national park. The kilns at one end were fun to visit, but I didn't hike there. Theodore Roosevelt National Park is another fun park that is not well known. I love the more understated feel of this park. In the fall, the cottonwoods turning golden yellow along the Little Missouri River are beautiful. This park doesn't have the highs and lows of some others, but there's a peaceful sense to the place. The badlands topography is beautiful to those who like those textures, and this rock has more color than the rock at Badlands National Park. Badlands National Park doesn't have the majesty or the variety of many of the others. I can understand why some people would rate this park lower. On the other hand, this park was the first big, western park that I visited. Because of that, Badlands N.P. will always be a favorite of mine. Unlike any of the parks that I've mentioned so far, Yellowstone has real forests. I grew up around the eastern mountains, so I've walked in the woods. Because of that, I am a little more drawn to the desert parks. They are more novel and exotic to me. However, walking in the woods can be wonderful sometimes. The waterfalls at Yellowstone are varied and amazing. The rimstone pools at that area near Bozeman are beautiful. I think that's called Mammoth, but I'm not sure. This variety is why Yellowstone never stops being a favorite. Having said all of that, I understand the appeal of Big Bend. To me, there's less overall variety there. Everything is rugged desert. Even the canyons at each end of the park are rugged desert. Neither canyon really offers a chance for serious hiking along the canyon, and the international border at the river creates a further complication. The border is a problem. Before illegal immigration became so big, that area was safer. Now, I don't think I'd want to go back to that area at all. In the old days, there was some trafficking in a few drugs across the border, but the cartel influence wasn't as strong. While the cartel influence isn't as strong in the Big Bend area as it is in places with higher population centers on either side of the border, no part of the border is secure today. The cross-border traffic is not just decent people looking for a higher wage in Texas but is made up of more dangerous people looking to hurt U.S. citizens for fun and profit. Before 9/11, they allowed tourists to cross at two spots in the park. People could go into those little Mexican towns to get a meal and buy souvenirs. After 9/11, they closed those crossings. At that time, the Mexicans would harvest a part of one of those plants, cut them into walking sticks, paint them beautifully, and sell them for five dollars each. In the early 2000's, people selling forty-dollar versions that weren't painted beautifully started claiming that the Mexicans weren't harvesting these sticks with proper environmental care. They brought this trade to an end so that people would be forced to buy the expensive, ugly, less straight versions for sale at the visitors' centers. I wish things could go back to what they were before the Mexican drug cartels and U.S. souvenir cartels degraded the experience so much.

[@VTPSTTU]

Part 2 Having said that, the natural features are still great. The topography of the Chisos Basin is such that the moon doesn't shine into the basin until well after moonrise during much of the lunar cycle. I was camping in the Chisos Basin campground once, and when the sun set, darkness fell quickly. The darkness was very deep. I couldn't see ten feet without a light even after I'd let my eyes adjust with twenty minutes of not using any lights. If I got away from the campground and other people's lights, I was in very deep darkness. That was great for finding a spot and watching the sky above the basin. As you said, many people who have never been there can't imagine a sky so full of stars. I remember seeing numerous falling stars in a short period of time. Another fun aspect of that topography is that when the moon is full and rises, the moon lights up the basin. I remember sitting there watching the night when one rim of the basin started to glow. I wasn't sure what I was seeing. That glow moved down the rim of the basin and along the walls as the moon rose. Once the moon was above the basin, the place was lit pretty well. The view of the stars wasn't as great, but the moonlight in the basin created a different type of beauty. Lost Mine Trail was nice, and I enjoyed doing that hike. I didn't have the thrill of seeing a bear, but the scenery was great. Emory Peak is a pretty rugged short hike to the highest point in the park. I wasn't a good enough climber to get to the top of the pinnacle, but I enjoyed going up there. I forget the elevation of the basin, but at some point going to Emory Peak, I was aware of the air becoming much thinner. The vertical climb is a nice challenge that one won't find at every park. A very fun aspect of the basin hikes is that the trail to the falls has a bypass that goes all the way to the floor of the desert below. If one had a group of several people and at least two cars, one fun hike would be leave a car at the trailhead below and start from the Chisos Basin trailhead. The group could hike to the falls and then backtrack to the bypass. The bypass would take the group around the wall and then outside the basin. The trail winds along the outside of the basin until it reaches a safe place to switchback to the desert floor. This part of the trail offers great views of the falls. The group could then take the other car from the trailhead back to the basin. I never made this hike as a complete through-hike. I've hiked from the basin campground to the falls and back. I've also hiked from the desert floor to the creek that leads to the falls. I don't remember whether I went all the way to the top of the falls from the bottom. I remember that I connected to how far I had gotten from the top. If one were extremely fit, one could start at the desert floor at sunrise, hike up into the basin, follow the creek upstream to the campground, and then hike to the top of Emory Peak. That would be an extremely challenging hike but would be fun for someone with that level of fitness. I enjoyed the little hikes in other parts of the park. I don't remember them as well, but I enjoyed them. There was a little turnout near the center of the park. The place was really nothing more than a picnic area at a kind of natural oasis that had a clump of trees. I remember that one of the trees was a date palm or something similar. I always had good luck finding birds in this little clump of trees. The park has plenty of places that one can reach without much effort but not find other people. These areas were sometimes near water, and a bird watcher could set up somewhere and see plenty of birds. Some of the other hikes at desert floor level were nice day hikes. I seem to remember being able to go about five or six miles into untraveled desert and not see anyone else. I never saw any serious wildlife, but I loved hiking in the desert alone. The western entrances seemed to be like much of the rest of the park. The northeast entrance area seemed a bit different from the rest. I seem to remember more colors and more of a sense of roughness. That area seemed as if it hadn't been formed as long ago and showed more signs of its formation. Maybe I'm wrong about that. I haven't been in nearly twenty years. When I went, I also enjoyed some other parks in the general vicinity. Big Bend State Park is okay, but it's not set up for hiking as well. Davis Mountains State Park is nice. The hiking in Davis Mountains State Park is good, and this park is particularly good for bird watching. Closer to I-10, there's a place called Balmorrhea State Park. The primary feature of this park is a giant spring in the desert. I forget how many gallons the spring produces daily. The state has built a swimming pool partially around the spring. In some places, the pool feels just like a regular pool. In other places, the floor is the natural desert floor. They've set it up for depths of up to twenty feet, and the water is perfectly clear. One can stand next to the pool and see fish and turtles on the bottom. Many people from the area learn SCUBA diving in the pool area. Once they move away from the floored area, the experience is more like diving in very clear water of a natural spring. The creek running from the spring is pretty, and the creek runs to a marshy area with cattails and other marsh vegetation. Beyond the marsh, the creek turns into a creek again. There's no real hiking trails in the park. Most of the grounds are mown grass. In season, most visitors are there to swim in the pool and play on the playground. Out of season, one can be there alone and find many birds. They don't spend that much time around the pool, but they are there sometimes. The marshy area is habitat for quite a few birds that wouldn't find that many other good spots in that part of Texas. Because of my physical and financial health, I'm certain that I'll never see the Big Bend area again. That's on top of not wanting to be that close to the border. However, I certainly understand your interest in the area. I went there three times, and I loved going there.

[@NationalParkWild]

That’s all very understandable. I love ranking and comparing things but I can understand why others don’t.

[@turnbullstravels735]

Agreed vs GRCA…So many more dimensions to BIBE than the Grand Canyon.

[@cleigh113]

Well with videos like this it probably won't be underutilized for long all these social media and video channels will be heading down there shortly.

[@mountain_dweller]

BBNP used to be a great place to visit. Hardly ever crowded, you could always find a camping spot. Post pandemic it’s all but ruined. Tons of disrespectful idiots from the city driving too fast and reserving spots but never showing up. Terlingua has been destroyed with ridiculously expensive airbnbs and restaurants catering to the selfish masses of the urban jungle. Unfortunately, the secret is out and the park will never be the same. Videos like this definitely do not help.