How to Get to the Big Bend of Texas

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How to Get to the Big Bend of Texas

Details: Published on Sunday, 10 January 2010 19:44

Big Bend is one of the most remote areas of the lower 48 states. Because of this, it can be hard to visit, unless you have a good idea of how to get here and how to get around once you are here. Traveling to the Big Bend can be part of your adventure, but that excitement soon fades if you haven't planned your route well.

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Driving
Most people who visit the Big Bend drive to get here. Why? Mainly because of convenience, but also because of the lack of public transportation once you get here. This region is so large, it helps to have a personal vehicle to visit the many interesting place. Driving here will probably involve traveling via Interstates 10 or 20, and then taking US highway 385 to Marathon, or US 67 to Alpine.
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Flying
Flying to Big Bend can be somewhat difficult, mainly because the closest commercial airports are in Midland, which is about 3 hours from Marathon, and El Paso, which is about 4 hours from Alpine. So, you'll most likely need to rent a vehicle to drive from these airports. Alternatively, you can travel via private aircraft to Alpine or Lajitas, both of which have paved airstrips. Several dirt strips are available in Terlingua and Terlingua Ranch.
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Renting a Vehicle
Renting a vehicle is easy, and if you arrive at the El Paso or Midland Airports, vehicle rentals are available right at the airport. Alpine and Terlingua have smaller rental operations that provide a local outlet.
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Arriving by Train
Traveling by train in West Texas is a long-standing tradition. Schedules can vary, but Amtrak's Sunset Limited runs through Alpine 3 times a week from each direction. From there, you'll probably want to rent a vehicle to continue south towards Big Bend National Park. It is wise to allow extra time and flexibility in your schedule if you are traveling by train, but the scenery will be worth it.
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Taking the Bus
Getting to Alpine via bus is easy, and service is available from the Midland Airport. This is not a scheduled stop, so visitors must alert the Midland Greyhound Terminal one hour prior to pick up. The drive takes about 4 hours. Options are also available from El Paso (2 departures per day) and San Antonio (2 per day).
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Motorcycles
One of the best ways to see Big Bend is from the back of a motorcycle or scooter. The region features hundreds of miles of scenic roads and winding curves. Traffic is usually very light, so bikers rarely have to worry. The weather is generally great for bikes year round. Most of the businesses in the area are motorcycle friendly, and Big Bend hosts several motorcycle events during the year.
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Planning your trip to Big Bend will require a thorough look into how to arrive. With the many options available, your trip will be exciting and fun.

Would you like to learn more about Traveling to the Big Bend?
visitbigbend.com/site09/en/plan-your-trip/gethere.html

Worth a Thousand Words

There are some views you just can't take in all at once. Like a dazzling sunset or breathtaking field of wildflowers—you just can't appreciate such beauty in the moment, a moment that is often over before you realize it, the forms and colors of that marvelous vista already fading in your memory. Perhaps it was with the goal of preserving such scenes that the first camera was invented, a goal that you may still share when you visit a place as beautiful as Big Bend and the surrounding area. Why not take a look through our new and improved photo galleries to see what amazing sights have been preserved by astounded visitors and appreciative locals? When you see the mountains, plains, flora, and fauna displayed in those images, you'll be glad the gallery contributors took their camera along.

Birding in Big Bend

Among the many activities available in Big Bend National Park that highlight the region's diversity of wildlife, birding can be enjoyable and promising. Big Bend engulfs a vast area, bounded by the the rushing Rio Grande valley to the south, containing high peaks in the Chisos Mountains, and boasting both desert and forest climates between the two. It embodies the very diversity that makes America great, providing countless opportunities to spot more than 450 birds in one area.

Your Big Year is Here

What are your new year's resolutions for 2012? Did you keep your resolutions for 2011? While the top resolutions each year include losing weight, learning something new, traveling, or getting out of debt, here's a new challenge you can take on this year: spot all the bird species in Big Bend National Park.

Big Bend Video Collections

Big Bend has some of the most spectacular scenery in Texas, if not the entire US. Our big sky country rivals any other state and our night skies are as dark as anywhere for excellent star gazing. The beautiful light and great scenery make for a photographer’s paradise.

Trails and Wildlife

There are many things you may love to do in Big Bend National Park in the heat of summer, but running or jogging is probably not one of them. With 90+ degree temperatures, there simply is no such thing as a nice July run in West Texas. With the dry weather we've had this year, you have truly hostile workout conditions. That all changes this time of year, though, as temperatures drop and the sun gives us a break for a few months. What a great time to get out on some trails in Big Bend!

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