Facility Details - CHISOS BASIN GROUP CAMPGROUND, TX

Overview

Chisos Basin Group Campground, situated high in the rugged Chisos Mountains, is one of the most sought-after campgrounds in Big Bend National Park. It has seven group camping sites available for groups of nine to 20 people (size is site-dependent). At an altitude of 5,400 ft., the campground is surrounded on all sides by tall, rocky cliffs and conveniently located near some of the park's most spectacular and popular trails. The Rio Grande River is only a short drive away.

Also found in the basin area is the Chisos Basin Visitor Center, the Camper Store and the Chisos Basin Lodge, which houses the only restaurant in Big Bend National Park.

Natural Features:

The national park is named for a curve in the Rio Grande River called the "big bend." For 1,250 miles, the river is an International Boundary between the United States and Mexico.

The campground lies at the base of several sloping cliffs amidst Montane shrubland; desert plants such as Arizona cyprus and mesquite trees fill the landscape. Maple, aspen, Pion and Ponderosa pines grow at higher elevations just above the campground. Though it is lower than the surrounding cliffs, the Chisos Basin is at a higher elevation than other campgrounds within the park. Summer temperatures here are cool, yet warmer than other areas in fall and winter due to the cold air sinking into lower regions.

The Chisos Mountains are a popular nesting site for migratory birds. The mountains provide the only nesting ground in the United States for the Colima warbler, which arrives in mid-April and departs for its wintering grounds in southwestern Mexico by mid-September.

Recreation:

This campground is a hub for hikers. Some of the park's most spectacular and popular trails are nearby, including the Lost Mine Trail, the Window Trail, the South Rim Trail and the Pinnacles Trail, with its access to the park's highest point, Emory Peak (elevation 7,825 ft.). Campers can find the trailheads for most of these trails in the main Chisos Basin area a mile or so further down the basin road from the campground.

Access to the river is a few miles away, where visitors can canoe, kayak and fish.

Facilities:

The group campground is located approximately 1/4 mile away from the main Chisos Basin Campground. Each site comes with a picnic table, charcoal grill and bear-proof food storage container and some sites come with picnic shelters for shade. All campsites are within easy walking distance to drinking water and toilets, and a dump station is provided for RVs and trailers.

Nearby Attractions:

Terlingua Ghost Town, a former mining town that is now a popular tourist destination, is about 30 miles from the western side of the park, where Chisos Basin is located.

Activities and Amenities

Within Facility
Accessible Flush Toilets Biking Birding Cabin Rentals Drinking Water Dump Station Food Storage Locker Grills Group Camping Hiking	Host Interpretive Trails Mountain Biking Paved Roads Pay Phone Picnic Tables Recycling Trailheads Trash Collection Wildlife Viewing
Within 10 Miles
Accessible Trails General Store Gift Shop Lodging	Parking Area Picnic Area Restaurant Visitor Center
Greater Than 10 Miles
Bait Shop Bike Rentals Boardwalk Boat Ramp Canoeing Electric Hookups Fishing Golf Horse Corrals	Horseback Riding Hospital Laundry Facilities Rafting River Access Scenic Overlooks Sewer Hookups Showers

Know Before You Go

This is not an authorized border crossing point; the closest legal ports of entry are at Del Rio and Presidio, TX
Tents larger than 8 ft. by 8 ft. are not recommended because of site layout; sites P Q, and R can accommodate larger tents if necessary
Sites P, Q and R have picnic shelters
The road to the campground is steep and winding with sharp hairpin turns
Wood and ground fires are not permitted at any time
There are no electric, water or sewer hookups
First-come, first-served sites are available outside of the reservation season
Generator use is allowed in sites 1 through 18 only
Bears frequent the area; all food must be kept in the food storage locker at each campsite or in a hard-sided vehicle; trash must be disposed of in the animal-proof dumpsters provided; do not place coolers or food boxes on the ground at any time
Motorboats are permitted on the river with some restrictions
Protection rangers on duty in park

Getting There:

GPS Info. (Latitude, Longitude):
29.275, -103.30417
29°16'30"N, 103°18'15"W

From Interstate 10, take highway 385 south to Fort Stockton and then on to Marathon. From Marathon, go 40 miles south on Highway 385 to the north entrance of Big Bend National Park. Drive straight 26 miles to Park Headquarters at Panther Junction. Turn right and drive for three miles. Turn left at the Basin sign and go seven miles to the campground.