Big Bend National Park Texas
Midway through a challenging hike, taking in amazing vistas from the South Rim
- Major Airports:
- Midland (MAF)
- San Antonio (SAT)
- El Paso (ELP)
- States:
- Texas
One of the best places to admire the stars
Known for its vast starry skies and temple-like canyons, Big Bend National Park in western Texas is one of the USA’s most enchanting parks. Not only is it one of the most remote parks in the state (it’s a six-hour drive west of San Antonio), it’s also the largest — encompassing over 324,000 hectares.
The rugged mountains and canyons carved from limestone provide an incredible contrast to the weather-beaten Chihuahuan Desert. You’ll have a tough time tearing your eyes away from the striking landscape. To see the canyons up close, take a scenic drive through the more than 160 kilometers of paved roads or take a day hike through the more than 240 kilometers of hiking trails. However, this park really impresses come sundown. Boasting the least amount of light pollution of any National Park, people flock to Big Bend to stargaze. On the clearest nights, you can see about 2,000 sparkling stars with the naked eye.