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We didn’t originally plan to visit Big Bend Ranch State Park, but were impressed by the scenery as we drove through on our way to Big Bend National Park.
Big Bend Ranch is the largest state park in Texas. It’s 311,000 acres includes the Colorado Canyon and 23 miles of frontage along the Rio Grande. The park is made up of a series of cattle ranches and sits adjacent to Big Bend National Park. The nearest towns are Presidio to the west and Lajitas and Terlingua to the east.
Visiting
Big Bend Ranch is open daily throughout the year. The entrance fee is US$5 per person per day from October through April (as of March 2024). Children under the age of 13 are admitted free of charge. Popular activities include hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, rafting, mountain biking, camping, and stargazing. It’s also rich in desert flora and fauna.
Driving Through
Our only experience at the park was driving on the main road running through it, Farm to Market Road 170 (FM 170). The road has spectacular views running through mountainous terrain, with sharp curves and steep grades. I definitely plan to return one day to fully experience what Big Bend Ranch has to offer.
