There are 4 developed campgrounds in Big Bend National Park, 3 of which are managed by the National Park Service, and 1 (a full hook-up RV camping area) managed by park concessionaire Aramark Destinations. Advance reservations are required for all these campgrounds.
Below is a quick rundown of each campground. Click on each campground name for more detailed information.
NPS-Managed Campgrounds
Chisos Basin Campground area, Big Bend National Park / NPS file
Chisos Basin Campground is open year-round and offers 56 standard sites and 7 group sites (tent-only, no RVs) accommodating 9-20 people (size is site-dependent). There is one ADA accessible campsite (site #37). Standard sites will accommodate 8 people and two vehicles.
Trailers over 20 feet (6 m) and RV's over 24 feet (7 m) are not recommended due to the narrow, winding road to the Basin and small campsites at this campground. There are no hook-ups. Each site has a picnic table and above-ground grill. There is running water as well as flush toilets but no showers. A camp store is nearby.
Standard sites are $16 per night and reservations are required through recreation.gov. Group sites range from $60 - $100, depending upon site capacity, and reservations are required for these sites through recreation.gov.
Rio Grande Village Campground, Big Bend National Park / NPS file
Rio Grande Village Campground, open May through October, is the most popular campground in the park. Located near the Rio Grande River and Mexico, this campground offers 93 standard sites, including 1 ADA accessible site, plus 4 group sites (tent only, no RVs) accommodating a minimum of 9 and a maximum of 40 people (maximum size is site-dependent).
Paved roads connect each campsite, and grassy areas separate each site. Flush toilets, running water, picnic tables, grills, and some overhead shelters are available. A dump station nearby, as are a camp store with showers and a park visitor center.
Standard sites are $16 per night and will accommodate 8 people and two vehicles. Reservations are required through recreation.gov. Group sites range from $40 - $60, depending upon site capacity, and reservations are also required through recreation.gov.
Due to extreme temperatures, the Rio Grande Village Campground operates at a reduced capacity of 25 sites from May 1 until October 31.
Cottonwood Campground, Big Bend National Park / NPS file
Cottonwood Campground is closed for the 2024 summer season but open November 2024 through April 2025. This campground offers 22 standard sites, including one ADA accessible site, plus 1 group site accommodating 9-25 people.
Cottonwood Campground is located in a more remote part of the park, between the historic Castolon District and Santa Elena Canyon. There are no hookups, and no generators are permitted. The campground offers potable water, vault toilets, and food storage lockers, and each site has a grill and picnic table.
Standard sites are $16 per night and will accommodate 8 people and two vehicles. The group site is walk-in tent camping only and is $60 per night. Reservations for all sites at this campground are required through recreation.gov.
Concession Campground
Rio Grande Village RV Park, Big Bend National Park / NPS file
Operated by Aramark Destinations, the Rio Grande Village RV Park is open year-round and is a pet-friendly campground offering 25 sites for RVs with full hook-ups (50 amp). There are public showers and a camp store, plus 4 grills and 4 picnic tables available on a first-come, first-served basis. All sites are back-in only, and the maximum RV/Trailer length is 40 feet (12 m). The nightly fee for these sites is $42. For more detailed information, click on the campground name above or call 855-765-1324.
Campgrounds Outside Of Big Bend
If the in-park campgrounds are full, there are plenty of other camping options outside the park. Click here for a list of campgrounds, locations, and links to their websites.
Backcountry Camping
If you want to get away from it all, there are designated backpacking and primitive roadside campsites. Check out the Chisos Mountains Backpacking Trails Map to see the available sites along the backcountry trails. You can also view and print out the Chisos Mountains Backcountry Camping Guide.
A backcountry permit is required for all backcountry camping and an organized group or individual party may not exceed a 15-person limit.
Most backcountry campsites (both Chisos Mountains Backpacking and Primitive Roadside Campsites) are available for online permitting up to 180 days in advance for $10 through www.recreation.gov or through the recreation.gov call center at 877-444-6777.
Permits for desert wilderness backpacking and the primitive roadside sites along Maverick Road and the River Road are available in person only at Panther Junction and Chisos Basin Visitor Centers, 24 hours in advance of your first night's stay.
Note: A rugged high-clearance 4x4 vehicle is required to access the primitive roadside campsites. You will NOT be able to reach these sites with a passenger car, minivan, or RV, and rangers will not issue permits for those types of vehicles.
Grapevine Hills Road is one place where you can go for some primitive roadside camping, as long as you have a high-clearance 4x4 vehicle, Big Bend National Park / NPS file
