My husband and I made a trip out to Big Bend National Park before the Texas summer heat.....but it…read morewas unfortunately unseasonably hot this year. The dessert was beautiful and the park as a whole was very well taken care of! Old Mine Trail: Since we went around "Spring Break", the parking lot was very busy and spaces were limited. I would recommend downloading the "All Trails" app to gauge how busy the trails are. By 7:30, all the spots in the small parking lot were already taken. The trail itself was very well managed. Although the parking lot was busy, the trail was not bad! We were pretty spaced out between hikers! Take lots of water and snacks! The views up top are spectacular. Star Gazing: We were at Sotol Vista (for panoramic stars). The stars were especially beautiful inside the park because there was no light pollution (aside from the headlights from passing cars down below us).

I once hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and spent a few nights camping down there. While…read moredown there, an elderly man easily every bit of 70 years old asked me if it was my 1st time down at the bottom. I told him that it was and asked him if it was his 1st time. He chuckled and said, "No this is my Sanctuary". After my 3rd visit to Big Bend in 12 years, I think Big Bend may be my sanctuary. Big Bend is in the middle of nowhere. You do not just stumble upon Big Bend; it is a planned destination. You won't find a Gatlinburg like town next to it or an exit sign off the interstate saying 8 miles from here. It's miles from anything. The type of place you don't pass a gas station, and you carry a case of water in the vehicle. We have hiked various trails before and canoed Santa Elena Canyon, but I will focus on the trails we hiked this visit. Note: I have only done day hiking here, so no Insite in this review about backpacking although I would love to at some point. We started off at the visitor's center at Panther Junction as everyone should do in my opinion. Rangers can give you up to the minute updates like telling us the Hot Springs road was still closed because of a flood this past July (2025). She said we could still hike it but it would add an additional 4 miles (2 each way) to our trip. Good Insite. Our 1st hike was a short one in Boquillas Canyon. It was a short 1.4-mile round trip up a small cliff and back down to the Rio Grande river. It was an extremely easy hike that anyone who can walk can do. we then did a forementioned Hot Springs hike. This is a very cool spot with old, abandoned buildings from a time when the area was a resort. There is still a hot spring alongside the river that had people soaking as we walked past. The only downfall of the area was it still hadn't been repaired since the flood, so picnic tables were under sand, and I don't want to tell you what the bathroom looked like. The next day we did the Window Trail and it's a 5.6 miles hike right in the middle of the Chisos Basin. This one was I guess I would call moderate, but I am also an overweight old fart. It's really not bad except if it's hot out because you will be in the direct sun and the small number of switchbacks on your return trip. Other than that, the views are gorgeous. Just don't slide off the rocks at the "window", it's a long way down. The last hike we did was the Grapevine Hill's Trail aka The Balanced Rock. This one is a little more challenging to get to as you have to drive miles down a dirt road that is a little rocky. You don't need a 4-wheel drive, just don't be a speed demon. The hike itself is short, 2.2 miles each way and 95 percent of it is easy. The last little bit is a rock scramble up to see the balanced rock. It is worth it. Amazing views. We had the whole area to ourselves for most of the hike but saw lots of people on the way back so go early. Big Bend is amazing but requires some planning. Don't wing it. Bring lots of water and be smart. Cell service is limited but a lot better than 13 years ago.

Had a wonderful stay in casita #3…read more The casita was clean and modern, and in a quiet location too. Soft towels, soft sheets, adjustable AC and heat, TV, and ceiling fan. In kitchen there's a table and mini fridge, and limited amenities in the cupboards (dish soap, sponge, rags, only a few plates, few cups, silverware, knives, microwave, etc). Any cooking should be done outside on the grills. Outside there's also an ice machine, lawn games (corn hole, giant jenga), as well as a fire pit (closed in summer), hot tub (closed in summer) and pool. The grounds are well kept with gardens and a variety of plants. There's also a coffee shop onsite that serves a variety of drinks and a few food items. Grateful for the free wifi because my Verizon phone had 0 service here or at the park. AT&T had good service though. Stargazing: Beside the annoyingly bright streetlight at the white house on the adjacent property, it's very dark here and we saw more stars here than at home. Sunset and sunrise were both beautiful here too. Awesome location, just a short drive from Big Bend National Park! There's also as a small grocery store (Cottonwood), gas station (Alon), and a few restaurants within a short drive. There's even a liquor store next to the property that has beer, wine, liquors and more! Friendly service too. Truly an excellent place to stay!

Nice and comfortable stay with all the amenities we needed. Great views and sunsets. Close to Big…read moreBend National Park. Was able to see more stars than in the suburbs of Buffalo and I got some decent long exposure pictures of the sky at night.

This is my heaven on earth! The Main House is beautiful, well decorated, warm & has every…read moreaccommodation you can think of! The porch has the most amazing views of the desert & Chisos Mountains! I have now stayed at Villa Terlingua 4 times and will be back there as many more times as I can find time for! I watch the sun rises over the mountains every time I am there and it is always unlike anything I have ever seen. There is a sense of peace & escape from the busy hustle & bustle of city life. I am always able to gain perspective and be reminded of what is important. Cynta, the owner, is warm, funny, wise and SO helpful in sharing the history of the area and making recommendations of what spectacular adventures there are to be had in Big Bend National Park! Baxter is always there to great us with a tail-wag as well! I highly recommend Villa Terlingua as a place to stay for couples (there is the Paper Crete house) or small families (there is a Guest House) or small groups (Main House).

This is absolutely THE place to stay in Terlingua. My husband and I eloped in the area last week,…read moreand stayed in the Guest House. The house is gorgeous and so unique! The views from the outdoor daybed and the patio couch are AMAZING. We even decided to stay home one day rather than venture into the park, because we enjoyed relaxing there so much. I was worried about having to get ready for our elopement ceremony in the little bathroom, but it was so cozy and absolutely perfect. When we got back to the room after eloping/taking pictures, Cynta had decorated the room with flowers, towel swans and prosecco. I was absolutely not expecting anything like that and it was really touching that she went out of her way to do something special for us on our day. Cynta is an absolute angel! We also loved being able to walk to the Starlight Theatre for dinner! I could literally go on and on about the perks of this place. We can't wait to visit again soon and stay in the Main House with our family!

Booked one of the bubbles, and less than a week before our reservation, it was canceled because of…read morewinds having damaged the bubble we had a reservation for, and they didn't have any alternative accommodations that weekend. It's not like this was the result of some historic storm event, just the kind of moderate winds that some should expect to experience almost every year out in the west Texas desert. So getting people to commit to these fragile accommodations months in advance without actually being able to provide the service isn't a good business model, and I don't recommend people booking this place when you'll risk finding you have no place to stay for your trip to Big Bend where there aren't any alternative accommodations you can book on the short notice that Basecamp gives you to tell you they canceled your reservation.

Had such a cool experience at staying at one of these bubbles! Was the perfect escape while I was…read moreon my Big Bend trip. Was able to easily find the location because of the instructions sent prior - you are pretty out there! I enjoyed the privacy of my bubble/section but enjoyed being part of the larger set of bubbles and having access to the main pool. Loved the hot tub, made for a relaxing time. The inside of the bubble had everything I need with the coffee maker and fridge, and the wifi was strong. Great, unique experience would love to return!

It's not the cleanest of places but it's not too bad, and it's close to everything in the area…read morethat's worth seeing so that's nice. While we were on our visit the restaurant that's on site was closed but I'm assuming that was a temporary thing. Honestly, I find myself somewhere in between a good review and a bad review. I can't really compare to anything because I haven't stayed at any other accommodations in the area. It'll probably suit your needs if you're not too picky. one nice thing I can't point out is if it's the needs for everyone a motel if you like sleeping indoors in RV site if you have one and it primitive Campground all at the same location

We recently stayed here in a lodge room for a couple of nights while visiting Big Bend National…read morePark. It was OK. That's it. Nothing great and . . . we felt it was WAY over priced for what you get. There are other options in the area that are much nicer and similarly priced if you can reserve those. Do your research, look around and plan ahead. Thankfully we had a room with two queen beds -- which were comfortable -- and we used both because the top sheets were twin size and didn't even cover the entire top of the mattress. It was clean . . . as much as possible in such a dusty, dry climate. These units have supposedly been recently refurbished, but they need to pay a bit more attention to details (like the sheets) if charging this much. A rug or two to wipe dust from our feet before entering would have been helpful. The sink was new and nice, but the toilet was tiny, low to the floor and old with a big water tank and it flushed really sloowww. No excuse for that these days. Get nicer, more efficient toilets! People available to help or answer questions were scarce and food options not very forthcoming. There are a few places to go for dinner and/or coffee (4-6 miles away), but not a lot of options. Just know that this is a pretty bare bones facility in a pretty bare bones west Texas town . . . Bottom line, if you can't find anything else and don't mind 'semi' roughing it for a few days, you'll be fine. On the other hand, if you expect more for your $275/night, then you're probably not going to like this place.

What a great experience on our Far Flung jeep tour. Our three hours was led by Reed who provided us…read moreexceptional information. He was knowledgeable and engaging throughout. I highly recommend this experience!

Such a great experience. All the guides were friendly and knowledgeable. Can't wait to make it a…read more2 day overnight trip!!

The food is the best in the ghost town, much more flavorful and authentic tasting than the…read moreStarlight Theatre. I really recommend to come here for breakfast and have some really good food to start off your day!

Super super super cute little spot to grab a coffee and a quick breakfast before starting your day…read more Had the asado burrito and it was amazing! It was a special on the board out front, so not sure if it's a regular thing but I loved it and hoping to go back to get it one more time before going back home to Houston. The patio is also a great size, quiet & relaxing, with peaceful views of the mountains in the distance. Make sure to give them a try on your next visit.

Wow! This is one of the coolest places I have ever stayed! So comfortable and relaxing, everything…read morewe needed for cooking simple meals, sitting on the deck, taking a luxurious shower with the best soaps, and sitting at our own fire pit. The bed was comfy and it was so quiet and secluded. Truly a one of a kind, luxury stay!

From the owner: A Desert Retreat bringing mindful luxury to the Big Bend wilderness experience. Minutes from the…read moreNational Park and Terlingua Ghosttown. Epic Mountain Views. En suite kitchen and bathroom.

Really fun trip cruising 19miles down the Santa Elena canyon. Our trip was only confirmed a day…read moreprior because this particular trip has water dependency, since the water had been low so they couldn't tell if we were able to do it. But there was a heavy rain two days before our trip so we were very lucky to be able to do this. The booking is very easy, receptionist always returns your call. And our tour guy is so funny and kept us entertained all day. We didn't have to do anything just sit back and enjoy the view, he does all the work for us. There are small rapids but nothing would rock the boat. Highly recommend this route since you are cruising through international river and one side is Mexico one side of the canyon is America. It's just amazing to see the canyon from the water and with changing scenery throughout the whole trip.

Just finished our canoe trip down the Rio Grande with our guide Therese - she was very…read moreprofessional, knowledgeable and a joy to have as our guide. Great afternoon float, river was low but very enjoyable.

Wow. Mackenzie did a wonderful job guiding and instructing us with our horses. We had a splendid…read moretime. We enjoyed it so much that we booked another ride for the same day at the Big Bend Stables (their sister company).

It was such an awesome experience. I thought it was going to be a regular horseback ride where we…read morejust walk on flat land but we actually went high up on a mountain with a cliff and Evo took some cool pictures! It was so scary but also well worth it once you're at the top. Evo was such an awesome guy and laidback and Azul was such a sweet horse. I definitely recommend doing this if you're ever in Big Bend.