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Big Bend National Park is one of the largest and most remote parks in the United States. It’s located in West Texas and shares about 118 miles of borderlands with Mexico.
Introduction to Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park covers an area of 801,163 acres (3,242.19 square kilometers). It was named after a large bend in the Rio Grande and is the largest protected area of the Chihuahuan Desert in the country.
The park was first preserved starting in 1933, when the Texas Legislature established Texas Canyons State Park. The name changed to Big Bend State Park later that year. The State of Texas deeded the land to the federal government, and the Big Bend National Park was established on June 12, 1944. It opened to visitors on July 1, 1944.
The park is a rugged desert environment with rich biodiversity and cultural heritage. It’s home to over 1,200 species of plants, including 60 species of cactus; over 600 species of vertebrates; over 450 species of birds; and over 3,600 species of insects. It counts over 10,500 years of human history, from the Native American groups such as the Chisos, Mescalero, and Comanche, as well as Spanish, Mexican, Anglo, and Irish settlers. The park is also an international dark-sky park, allowing for incredible stargazing.
Planning Your Trip to Big Bend National Park
I spent two full days at the park and could have spent at least two more. We were able to do almost all of the hikes we had planned but would have liked the chance to do some longer, more strenuous ones, as well as see more inaccessible parts of the park on the many miles unpaved roads.
Before getting into the trails and places to visit, here’s some essential information to help you plan your trip to Big Bend. The nearest towns to Big Bend are Lajitas, Terlingua, and Marathon. Check the official website for more info.
When to Visit Big Bend National Park
Due to an unprecedented increase in visitors since 2016, it’s wise to plan ahead to fully enjoy Big Bend National Park. High season is October through April and all holiday weekends. During these times, expect campgrounds to be full every night (including primitive backcountry sites), and parking to be extremely limited. Try visiting the park outside peak season to enjoy the remote tranquility it’s known for. If your visit falls within peak season, consider staying in a campground or hotel outside the park.
Entrance Fees for Big Bend National Park
The entrance fee to Big Bend varies depending on your mode of transportation. Prices are current as of March 2025:
- For private vehicles, it’s US$30.
- For motorcycles, it’s US$25.
- For visitors entering on bicycle or on foot, it’s US$15 for adults and free for kids under 16.
- Holders of any interagency pass are covered for one vehicle or four per person fees.
Entrance fees are good for seven days. Backcountry permits are an additional US$10 per night or US$5 with a Senior or Access Pass (as of March 2025). The park is open year-round.
Visitor Centers at Big Bend National Park
There are five visitor centers at Big Bend National Park:
- The Panther Junction Visitor Center is located in the center of the park and is open year-round. There are exhibits on the geology, natural, and cultural histories of park as well as a water bottle station, restrooms, book store, and post office. A short park orientation movie can be seen upon request, and it’s possible to pay entrance fees and get backcountry and river use permits there.
- The Chisos Basin Visitor Center is in the Chisos Basin area and is open year-round. It contains exhibits on the flora and fauna found in the Chisos Mountains. There’s a water bottle station, restrooms, and book store. You can pay entrance fees there as well as get backcountry and river use permits.
- The Castolon Visitor Center is located in the Castolon Historic District along the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. It’s open seasonally from November through April. It’s housed in the historic Officer’s Quarters building and contains a bookstore and restrooms. You can pay entrance fees and get river use permits there.
- The Rio Grande Village Visitor Center is located on the far east side of the park at Rio Grande Village. It’s open seasonally from November through April and contains exhibits on the Rio Grande. River use permits are available there.
- Finally, the Persimmon Gap Visitor Center is located at the far north entrance to the park. It has exhibits, a book store, mini-theatre, and restrooms. You can pay entrance fees and get river use permits there. It’s open seasonally from November through April.
Camping at Big Bend National Park
There are three developed campgrounds at Big Bend National Park. All campsites cost US$16 per night (as of March 2025). Reservations are required and can be made up to six months in advance. Because all of the campsites at Big Bend were completely booked well in advance of our trip, we camped at one of the many campgrounds outside the park, just a short drive from the western entrance.
- The Chisos Basin Campground has 56 sites with views of Casa Grande and Emory Peak, as well as spectacular sunsets through the Window. There are flush toilets and the campground is open year-round.
- The Cottonwood Campground is near the Castolon Historic District. There are 22 sites with vault toilets and it’s open year-round.
- The Rio Grande Village Campground has 93 sites set in a grove of cottonwood and acacia trees. There are flush toilets and picnic tables, and it’s open year-round. There’s also an RV campground at Rio Grande Village, containing 25 RV sites with full hook-ups. They cost US$36 for double occupancy with an extra US$3 per person fee (as of March 2025).
In addition to the developed campgrounds, there are 64 primitive backcountry campsites available. A backcountry permit is required to camp at these sites. 34 sites are reservable up to 6 months in advance and are usually fully booked throughout the year. The other 30 sites are available in person 24 hours in advance of your stay, and are also typically fully booked throughout the year. Campfires and generators are prohibited at these sites.
Chisos Mountains Lodge
Chisos Mountains Lodge is the only lodge at the park, and is located in the Chisos Basin. It has a variety of rooms and cottages and features a full-service restaurant.
Activities at Big Bend National Park
Hiking, river rafting, stargazing, scenic drives, photography, biking, horseback riding, fishing, and other outdoor activities are available. Check the official website for more information on these activities. Information about ranger guided programs can also be found online.
Safety at Big Bend National Park
My best advice is to take plenty of water – at least a liter of water for each hour of hiking. The desert heat and dry climate can be brutal, especially at mid-day, and can sap a lot of energy. Fill up your water bottles at the visitor centers and make sure you have some snacks. Also use sunscreen or wear clothing to protect yourself from the sun. Please remember that dogs and other pets are not allowed on any trails at Big Bend National Park.
Parking at Big Bend National Park
Parking is extremely limited in many areas of Big Bend National Park. To avoid traffic and parking problems, especially during high season, start your day as early as possible and have alternative plans.
Border Merchants
While visiting the Boquillas Overlook near Rio Grande Village, we noticed a stone filled with crafts with a jar and a note below. The crafts were made by villagers from Boquillas del Carmen and brought across the river to sell to park visitors. The note indicated they were being sold to raise funds for a new roof on the school.
This highlights the problem of illegal border crossings made by merchants. Park officials state that buying anything from border merchants encourages illegal crossings. If caught, the merchants can be arrested and deported through Presidio 100 miles away, and possibly incarcerated and fined. It also contributes to the damage of natural resources when merchants cut trails, cut down desert plants and river cane, and leave garbage behind.
Furthermore, items purchased via illegal border crossings are considered contraband and will be confiscated by officers. Authentic Mexican crafts can legally be purchased across the border in Boquillas del Carmen or at park stores. This way, you know all proceeds will go directly to the artisans.
Map of General Information for Big Bend National Park
Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive at Big Bend National Park
Let’s start on the west side of the park with the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. It’s a 30-mile paved road through Big Bend National Park that leads to some of its most important natural and historic features.
Sam Nail Ranch
The first stop along the drive is the Sam Nail Ranch. It was one of the many homesteads once active before the park was established. A short loop trail lasting about five minutes can take you through the ranch property.
Along the trail, the ruins of the adobe ranch house built in 1916 as well as two windmills are visible. One of the windmills still pumps water. A variety of birds can be spotted in the area as well as a few fig and pecan trees planted by the Nail family.
Blue Creek Ranch Overlook
At the Blue Creek Ranch Overlook, you can spot the headquarters of the Homer Wilson Ranch. At 45,000 acres, it was one of the largest ranches operating in the Big Bend area from 1928 until it was abandoned in 1945. A short ½-mile one-way trail leads down the canyon to the foreman’s house, a bunkhouse, circular corral, a chicken coop, and a dipping vat for sheep and goats.
Sotol Vista Overlook
The Sotol Vista is the third stop along the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. It’s right around the corner from the Blue Creek Ranch Overlook.
This viewpoint allows visitors to see the entire western side of Big Bend National Park, including the Santa Elena Canyon far in the distance.
Lower Burro Mesa Pouroff Trail
The Lower Burro Mesa Pouroff Trail leads hikers to a pouroff that’s dry most of the year. Access is via a short side road off Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, after the Sotol Vista. The hike itself is a total of one mile out and back. It’s fairly flat and easy with 120 feet of elevation change.
The first part of the trail is a mostly dirt and rock path. Looking back, it’s possible to see Santa Elena Canyon in the distance.
After about ¼ mile, the trail gently slopes down into a wash with a sand and gravel surface. The wash has colorful volcanic hills on each side.
At the end of the trail is Burro Mesa Pouroff. During rainy season, water comes rushing down this 100-foot vertical channel from the mesa above.
If you’re lucky, you might be able to spot some desert critters crawling around the trail. We were accompanied by a tarantula we found in the wash.
Mule Ears Viewpoint
At the Mule Ears Viewpoint, visitors can get a good look at the aptly-named Mule Ears Peaks. There’s also a two-mile trail to a desert spring.
Tuff Canyon Trail
The Tuff Canyon Trail is the next stop along the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. It takes hikers through a canyon carved out of soft volcanic tuff, or compressed ash.
The Tuff Canyon Trail is about ¾ of a mile round-trip. There’s an elevation change of 200 feet and it should take about an hour to complete. It starts from the south end of the parking lot and curves around to a natural drainage until it enters the canyon. At that point, the walls of the narrow canyon start to get higher.
After walking through the western part of the canyon, the trail comes to an open space leading to the eastern part of the canyon.
From there, the trail continues through the eastern part of the canyon until it ends at a collection of hardened layers of lava. During the rainy season, pools of water form in these layers.
Overlooks at Tuff Canyon
Finally, there are three overlooks allowing visitors to view the canyon from the rim. There are two on the west side of the canyon and one on the east. It’s very important to stay away from the edges because the rim is soft and erodes easily.
The view from the first overlook on the west side gives a view of the entrance to the canyon. The view from the second overlook on the west side peers down into the center of the canyon.
On the other side of the canyon, the east overlook looks down onto a collection of small pools that form in hardened layers of lava.
Castolon Historic District
Continuing along is the Castolon Historic District, where you can explore some of the human history at Big Bend National Park. It also provides great views of Santa Elena Canyon.
Castolon was settled in the early 1900s by farmers who raised corn, tomatoes, beans, squash, and wheat. Between 1912 and 1920, many Mexican families moved north of the border to Castolon to escape the bloodshed of the Mexican Revolution.
In 1916, the US Army established Camp Santa Helena at Castolon to protect residents from cross-border raids. Soldiers lived in tents until a permanent post was constructed between 1919 and 1920. By the time those buildings were finished, the Revolution was over and the camp was disbanded. The buildings were most likely never used by the soldiers, and included an officers’ quarters, enlisted men’s barracks, latrine, granary, shed, and stable.
From 1919 to 1961, when Big Bend National Park acquired Castolon, the area was used by ranchers growing cotton. The cotton boom lasted from 1922 to 1942, and there are some pieces of machinery and equipment from that period scattered among the buildings.
La Harmonia Store
Much of the action at Castolon revolved around the La Harmonia Store. It was founded by Cipriano Hernandez in 1901 as a trading post run out of his home. He sold it to Clyde Buttrill in 1914, who hired James Sublett to manage the store and farm. Sublett relocated the store to another building at Old Castolon in 1918. In 1919, Wayne Cartledge, the bookkeeper for Howard Perry (1858-1944) of the Chisos Mining Company in Terlingua, partnered with Perry to buy the store. Cartledge renamed it La Harmonia Store and ran it with his son, Eugene.
In 1921, the La Harmonia Store moved into the building originally meant to serve as the barracks for Camp Santa Helena. It operated in that location until 1961 under four different managers, and park concessioners have run it ever since.
When we visited the park in November 2015, the store was in operation and doubled as the Castolon Visitor Center. There were exhibits about the harsh life in the area, racial injustice, and eyewitness accounts from ranchers and soldiers who were posted there. Sadly, the store burned down on May 22, 2019. Park officials are consulting with historians and experts about the possibility of salvaging or rehabilitating the building, but until then, the store will remain closed (as of April 2025).
Officers’ Quarters
Across from the store is the Officers’ Quarters of Camp Santa Helena. It was built along with the other army structures between 1919 and 1920. Today, it has served as the Castolon Visitor Center ever since the fire at the La Harmonia Store.
Magdalena House
The Magdalena House was built after the military camp was abandoned. Magdalena Silvas, who lived and worked in the Castolon area for over 30 years, moved into the house in the 1950s with her 5 children. She worked as a cook at the La Harmonia Store and also washed and ironed clothes. After the park acquired Castolon, the house was used as a home and office for government employees. Today, it features exhibits about life in Castolon.
Garlick House
The Garlick House sits a few steps past the Magdalena House. It was also built after the military camp was abandoned. The house was owned by Fred Garlick, who was the farm manager for the La Harmonia Company.
After its acquisition by the National Park Service, the Garlick House served as an office for rangers. The house is one of the best examples of an adobe structure in the park.
Alvino House
The Alvino House is just downhill from the Garlick House. Built in 1901 by Cipriano Hernandez, it’s the oldest surviving adobe structure at Big Bend National Park. Hernandez used the house as the original Castolon store and it remained there until 1918.
Alvino Ybarra moved into the house in 1918. He married Teofila Luna in 1922, and they raised three sons and three daughters in the house until Luna died in 1936. Ybarra continued living in the house until 1957 when he moved to Alpine. He earned his living by operating the engines powering the cotton gin and water pump that brought water from the Rio Grande to irrigate the cotton fields. He also worked as a tenant farmer for the La Harmonia Company.
The Alvino House was used as a community center while Ybarra lived there. Religious events such as Mass, baptisms, and weddings were performed there several times a year, and the community came together to celebrate holidays there as well.
The house was restored in 1994. Adobe masons manufactured bricks on-site to repair the walls, and they also fixed the sagging roof. A berm around the foundation was built in 2008 to protect it from flooding.
Desert Mountain Vista
Following the Castolon Historic District, the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive meets the Rio Grande. A pullout not marked on park maps, Desert Mountain Vista, provides great views of the desert landscape.
Dorgan-Sublett Trail
The Dorgan-Sublett Trail explores a part of the farming history of Big Bend National Park. It’s located near the end of the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. The trail is an easy one-mile round-trip hike with an elevation change of about 56 feet. It should take about a half hour to complete. The trail is mostly rock and sand. A small parking lot at the trailhead can accommodate two cars.
Grand Canyon Farms
The first part of the trail leads to a ruined stone farmhouse owned by James and Melissa Belle Sublett. They’re credited with introducing mechanized farming to the Big Bend area. The Subletts first arrived in Castolon in 1913 and moved into the Alvino House in 1914, running the Castolon Store and a small farm. In 1918, they purchased 2,560 acres of land surrounding today’s trail and called it Grand Canyon Farms.
The trail continues through a grass field to a small house, La Casita, also built by the Subletts. It’s the only building remaining from Grand Canyon Farms that’s fully intact.
The Dorgan-Sublett Trail then takes you through desert scrub and up a hill where it forks. There are some spectacular views of the park including the Chisos Mountains and Santa Elena Canyon from the top of the hill.
Sublett House
The right fork leads hikers on a short walk to the remains of the Sublett House, which was built in 1918. It was once a large adobe house with sweeping views of their farmland and the desert landscape. Unfortunately, during the early years of the park, the house was either destroyed or allowed to naturally deteriorate because it was not yet considered historically significant.
Dorgan House
The left fork leads to the ruins of the Dorgan House. In the 1930s, architect Albert Dorgan and his wife, Avis Ann, bought land near the Sublett’s farm. Dorgan was a business partner of Sublett, and together they purchased 640 acres of farmland in the floodplain below their homes.
Their first house was a two-room stone house, but they later built an adobe house that was much larger than most in the area. The large fireplace in the center of the house provided a place for wooden beams holding up the roof to meet, allowing for a much wider and deeper house.
The Dorgans left Big Bend in 1938 due to business and health issues, and in 1941 leased their property to A.F. Robinson. Robinson was hoping to profit off the new park, which was at the time a state park, and turned the house into the Mexitex Resort. The resort failed and Dorgan later sold his property to the National Park Service in the 1950s.
Walking around the Dorgan House, I was able to see some artifacts left behind. There were pottery shards as well as rusted tin cans. It was also interesting to notice that the house was wired for electricity.
Santa Elena Canyon Overlook
Further down the road is the Santa Elena Canyon Overlook. There are excellent views of the spectacular Santa Elena Canyon, which is a 1,500-foot vertical chasm cut by the Rio Grande.
Looking at the canyon, it’s interesting to note that the left wall is in Mexico while the right wall is in Texas. Visitors can continue down the road from this point to hike the Santa Elena Canyon Trail or drive the unpaved Old Maverick Road 14 miles to Maverick Junction near the park’s western entrance.
Santa Elena Canyon Trail
Finally, at the end of the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive is the Santa Elena Canyon Trail. One of the most popular trails at Big Bend National Park, it takes hikers through the stunning Santa Elena Canyon. The Santa Elena Canyon Trail is a moderately difficult 1.7 mile round-trip hike. Hikers should be prepared for mud. Visitors can also take an overnight rafting trip down the river through the canyon from Lajitas. This requires a river use permit.
The first part of the trail leads you to the Rio Grande, which formed the canyon. This is a great spot to look down the canyon.
The trail then cuts to the right at Terlingua Creek and follows the creek to a narrow spot where you can jump across. When the creek floods, the trail is impassible.
Entering Santa Elena Canyon
After crossing Terlingua Creek, the trail heads back towards the mouth of Santa Elena Canyon where a steep climb on a series of paved steps awaits. Once at the top, there are spectacular views of Big Bend National Park.
From there, the trail follows a ridge and gradually returns back to ground level along the Rio Grande. It then takes you all the way to one of the narrowest points of the canyon before the trail naturally ends.
Santa Elena Canyon is eight miles long and 1,500 feet deep. In some places, it’s only 30 feet wide at the bottom. The canyon also forms an international border. The canyon wall on the trail side is in the United States while the opposite wall is in Mexico.
The powerful waters of the Rio Grande carved this natural wonder over millions of years, leaving us with dramatic scenery to enjoy while visiting Big Bend National Park.
Chisos Basin
The Chisos Basin is an area in the heart of Big Bend National Park. It features a visitor center as well as both a campground and the park’s only lodge.
The Chisos Basin is part of the Chisos Mountains, which is the only mountain range to be contained entirely within a national park. The mountain system covers 40 square miles and is the southernmost mountain range on the United States mainland.
To get to the Chisos Basin, it’s a roughly nine-mile scenic drive up from Panther Junction. There are a few places to stop and take in the beautiful views along the way.
Window View Trail
There are several hiking and backpacking trails that begin at the Chisos Basin. Since we weren’t prepared to go backpacking and had plans to hike other trails in the park, we only did the short Window View Trail.
The Window View Trail is an easy ⅓ mile paved accessible loop trail. It provides views through a rock formation called the Window as well as the peaks surrounding the Chisos Basin.
The Window View Trail is an amazing place to catch the sunset. The Window makes for a spectacular scene as the sun goes down for the night. Sit on one of the benches to enjoy this event.
Dugout Wells
Dugout Wells is an area once known as the “cultural center of the Big Bend”. You can access it from a turnoff along Park Route 12 east of Panther Junction.
The area making up Big Bend National Park was settled by ranchers and farmers in the early 1900s. Dugout Wells attracted two families in particular, the Greens and the Averys. It contains a spring dug out by a settler, hence its name.
The families built a schoolhouse to educate children from other nearby farms, and this made Dugout Wells a magnet for social activity. It remained as such until two events occurred. First, the Great Depression greatly affected area residents, many of whom left for better opportunity elsewhere. Second, the State of Texas purchased the land in the mid-1930s with the aim of creating the first national park in Texas.
Dugout Wells is a great place for a picnic. We had the whole area to ourselves. There’s also toilet next to the parking lot.
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Trail
Today, all that’s left of Dugout Wells is a windmill and some debris scattered throughout the area. The Chihuahuan Desert Nature Trail, an easy ½ mile loop, showcases some of these human remnants as well as a typical Chihuahuan Desert habitat.
Cottonwood trees, cacti, and ocotillos attract birds and other wildlife. I was surprised to see a palm tree growing there.
Hot Springs Historic District at Big Bend National Park
Hot Springs Historic District is a popular area of Big Bend National Park where it’s possible to soak in a natural hot spring along the Rio Grande. To get there, follow a two-mile gravel road down a narrow wash. It’s very rough but it’s doable without a 4×4.
The first recorded European visitor to the area was Spanish military officer Pedro de Rábago y Terán (d. 1756). When he passed through in 1747, he found Apaches farming in the area. Pictographs and petroglyphs made by Native Americans can be found on the limestone walls along the trail to the hot spring.
In 1909, J.O. Langford arrived in the area and filed a claim under the Homestead Act with the intention of curing his poor health at the hot springs. His claim was accepted two weeks later and he moved to his new homestead with his wife and daughter. After treating himself for 21 days and regaining his health, Langford opened the hot springs to other bathers. He charged 10 cents a day or US$2 for the entire 21-day treatment.
In 1912, border trouble arrived and the US Army suggested residents leave the area until things calmed down. Langford left but didn’t return until 1927, when he developed the property even further. In 1942, after the establishment of park in 1935, he sold the property for inclusion for US$10. Maggy Smith then managed the hot springs as a park concession until 1952 when it closed permanently. Hot Springs Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
Hot Springs Post Office
The first building visitors see at the Hot Springs Historic District is the old Hot Springs Post Office. Langford built the post office, which doubled as a store, in 1927. Mail was delivered weekly and the building served as a community gathering place.
It’s possible to peek inside the building and see the remnants of the colorful paintings that used to decorate the walls. There’s also a photo of Maggy Smith running the store. She was popular on both sides of the border, often serving as a midwife and administering first aid.
Hot Springs Motor Court
A few steps away is the Hot Springs Motor Court. Langford built this motel in 1927 to accommodate guests visiting the hot springs. It was constructed of stone and had concrete floors. Guy Lee of Marathon decorated the walls with paintings of burros, horsemen, and other scenes.
According to an ad in 1933:
Light housekeeping rooms, furnished, except linens, blankets, and pillows, rent for $1 per day; $6 per week; baths 25 cents each; patients with contagious diseases 50 cents a bath; room, board, and baths $3 per day. Or you can, free of charge, camp outdoors under the shade of the trees, and fish in the waters of the Rio Grande.
Hot Springs Historic Trail
The Hot Springs Historic Trail continues past the Hot Springs Historic District. Following the motel are the limestone walls containing the Native American pictographs and petroglyphs. Birds also nest on the sides of the walls.
The trail is a ½ mile round-trip to the hot springs themselves, where you can bathe in the original Langford Hot Springs. The bathhouse constructed by Langford shortly after 1909 was demolished in the early 1950s, but the foundation as well as the pool remains. The pool was actually modified from an ancient thermal bath used by Native Americans.
The water flowing into the pool is heated by geothermal processes and emerges at 105° F. It contains calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, sodium sulfate, sodium chloride, and lithium as well as dissolved mineral salts reputed to have healing powers. The pool sits right next to the Rio Grande, making a spectacular setting for a relaxing soak.
The Hot Springs Historic Trail can continue as a two-mile loop, heading up to the bluff above the pool, or you can connect with the Hot Springs Canyon Trail and walk three miles all the way to Rio Grande Village.
Rio Grande Village at Big Bend National Park
Rio Grande Village is an area on the east end of Big Bend National Park. It contains a handful of trails and overlooks as well as a campground.
Rio Grande Village was originally the settlement of Boquillas, Texas. It was known for Chata’s Place, a store and restaurant that operated from 1901 to 1936. The store was owned by María Sada (1884-1973) and it was the last store in Boquillas in the 1930s. Today, there’s a campground, visitor center, and the border crossing to Boquillas del Carmen in Mexico.
Rio Grande Overlook
The first stop approaching Rio Grande Village is the Rio Grande Overlook. It was created in 1959 and looks out onto the former Daniels Ranch and the Sierra del Carmen Mountains, which are across the river in Mexico. Cottonwood trees block the view of the Rio Grande.
Daniels Ranch
The road forks shortly after the Rio Grande Overlook. Following the fork to the right leads you to Rio Grande Village. There, you’ll find a small adobe house that was once part of the Daniels Ranch, which was founded in the early 20th century. The house is all that’s left of the ranch structures. An elaborate network of irrigation ditches is visible as well.
Boquillas Overlook
Following the fork to the right takes you down Boquillas Canyon Road. It first leads past the border crossing then forks itself. To the left are two trailheads, and the road to the right ends at the Boquillas Overlook.
From the Boquillas Overlook it’s possible to see the mouth of Boquillas Canyon and the Rio Grande. You can also see Boquillas del Carmen and the Sierra del Carmen Mountains in Mexico.
