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Big Bend National ParkWashouts can occur on backcountry roads following rain storms
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Big Bend National Park
Take a Drive
 
The desert road goes on and on
copyright Kipp Baker
The desert road goes ever on...
 
Big Bend is a big place; over three hundred miles of roads allow access to the landscape and locations in the park, depending what what type of vehicle you are driving. The following road descriptions provide a taste of what each road provides. Before you arrive, learn more about our paved roads, improved dirt roads, and primitive dirt roads.

Any park ranger will tell you that neither desert nor mountains will truly reveal themselves to a motor vehicle. To experience the best of Big Bend, you should get out on foot, if only for a short time, and become part of the landscape.

 
Washout on the Old Ore Road
Backcountry Road Conditions
Current conditions on Big Bend's dirt roads
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 Hiking Hot Springs Canyon
What to See and Do
Suggested itineraries to help you make the most of your visit
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Boot Canyon Trail
Things to Know Before You Come
Learn more about what you need to know before coming to Big Bend.
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ATV use is prohibited
ATV use is prohibited
All vehicles driven in the park, on paved or unpaved roads, must be "street legal"
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Big Bend bluebonnets in bloom  

Did You Know?
Mid-February through mid-April is the best time to see wildflowers in the desert, and some wildflowers bloom throughout the summer in the mountains, but you can find something blooming almost any time of the year. Every year is different, depending on rainfall levels.

Last Updated: August 24, 2006 at 11:58 EST