Camping in Big Bend
- Campgrounds
- 4
- Sites
- 196
- Reservable
- 196
- Longest RV
- 38 ft
- 3 dump stations
- Cell service
- 1/4
- campgrounds
- From
- $16
- per night
Every campground
Sites, rules and amenities
| Campground | Sites | Reservable | First-come | RV max | Cell | Showers | Dump | From | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Grande Village Campground | 93 | 93 | 0 | Yes | No | — | Yes | $16 | Reserve |
| Chisos Basin Campground | 56 | 56 | 0 | 24 ft | Yes | No | Yes | $16 | Reserve |
| Rio Grande Village RV | 25 | 25 | 0 | 38 ft | No | — | Yes | $36 | Reserve |
| Cottonwood Campground | 22 | 22 | 0 | Yes | No | No | No | $16 | Reserve |
When booking opens
Booking windows for campsites and lodges
Campground booking · Recreation.gov (National Park Service)
Chisos Basin Campground, Rio Grande Village Campground
6 months for most sites; 2 weeks for the sites listed
Reservable year-round (Chisos Basin) with some sites bookable six months in advance and some two weeks in advance. Chisos Basin two-week sites: 8-10, 12-15, 31, 37 (accessible) and 48-60. Rio Grande Village sites listed with the two-week group: 14 (accessible), 20-25, 34, 61-65, 67-70, 72, 74-75 and 87-100. There is no first-come, first-served camping at eit…
“The campground is reservable year-round, some sites six months in advance, some two weeks in advance (Sites 8 - 10, 12 - 15, 31, 37 (accessible), and 48 - 60.”
Campground booking · Recreation.gov (National Park Service)
Cottonwood Campground
2 weeks
Individual sites are on a 2-week reservation window: a reservation can be made no more than 2 weeks before arrival.
“The individual sites are on a 2-week reservation window, which means you can make the reservation no more than 2 weeks in advance of your arrival.”
Campground booking · Aramark (park concessioner)
Rio Grande Village RV Park (25 full-hookup sites)
“Concession Campground Rio Grande Village RV Park (Operated by Aramark. 25 sites with full hook-ups).”
Lodging booking · Aramark (park concessioner)
Chisos Mountains Lodge
“The Chisos Mountains Lodge , operated by Aramark, is nestled within the Chisos Basin at 5,400 feet elevation.”
What the NPS says
Reservations, in the park's words
Rio Grande Village Campground
Please plan ahead. Reservations are required for this campground. There are no first come, first served campsites. This campground is open year-round, but only a limited number of campsites are available in the summer months due to the extreme heat (110+ degrees). May 1 - October 31, 2021: 17 campsites reservable 6 months in advance and 7 sites reservable up to 14 days in advance. November through April: 60 sites reservable up to 6 months in advance and 33 sites reservable up to 14 days in advance Reservations for Rio Grande Village Campground are made at: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/ca…
Recreation.gov →Chisos Basin Campground
Reservations are required. No first-come, first-serve camping. The Chisos Basin Campground is open year-round. -- 2/3 of campsites are reservable up to 6 months in advance. -- 1/3 of campsites are reservable up to 14 days in advance. Reservations for Chisos Basin Campground are made at: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/234038
Recreation.gov →Rio Grande Village RV
Please Plan Ahead: Reservations are required. You MUST call 855.765.1324 to prearrange camping at this facility.
Reservation site →Cottonwood Campground
Plan Ahead: there are NO first come, first served campsites Reservations required. All campsites are reservation only, up to 14 days in advance. Campground is operated at a reduced capacity during the heat of summer (May 1- October 31) Reservations for Cottonwood Campground are made at: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/234078
Recreation.gov →About this data
Site counts, reservation splits, RV limits and amenities are the National Park Service’s own records for each campground, retrieved from the NPS Data API and shown without edits (a dash means the park did not state it). Seasons, fees and availability change — the campground’s Recreation.gov page is the authority for what is open and bookable today.
Sources · 3
- 1.NPS Data API — /campgrounds · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
- 2.Reservation, permit, lottery and camping pages of each park on nps.gov and Recreation.gov, read and quoted · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
- 3.Big Bend National Park — Camping (nps.gov) · National Park Service
FAQ
Big Bend camping questions
- How many campgrounds does Big Bend have?
- The National Park Service lists 4 campgrounds in Big Bend National Park with 196 sites in total: 196 reservable.
- Do I need a reservation to camp in Big Bend?
- Every campground reservations. For Chisos Basin Campground, Rio Grande Village Campground: 6 months for most sites; 2 weeks for the sites listed.
- Can I bring an RV to Big Bend?
- Yes. 2 campgrounds allow RVs; the longest stated limit is 38 feet (Rio Grande Village RV). 3 campgrounds have a dump station. Hookups are rare in national parks — check each campground's details.
- Is there cell service at Big Bend campgrounds?
- The NPS reports cell reception at 1 of 4 campgrounds (Chisos Basin Campground). Coverage depends on your carrier.
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