Chisos Basin Campground

Open — Open year-round with advance reservations required. No first-come, first-served sites available. Some sites are reservable six months in advance, while select sites can be booked two weeks ahead. The entire Chisos Basin area, including this campground, will close beginning May 2026 for lodge reconstruction and water system improvements.

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From Recreation.gov

During the lodge construction the High Chisos area trails (South Rim, East Rim, Colima, Boot Canyon) and their designated campsites will be accessible from trails that originate from outside the Chisos Basin (Blue Creek Trail or Juniper Canyon Trail). Beginning May 2026 and until normal trail access resumes from the Chisos Basin, Chisos Backpacking campsites will not be reservable online. A backpacking permit will be required and can be obtained in person up to 24 hours in advance at the Panther Junction Visitor Center.

From Recreation.gov

During the lodge construction the High Chisos area trails (South Rim, East Rim, Colima, Boot Canyon) and their designated campsites will be accessible from trails that originate from outside the Chisos Basin (Blue Creek Trail or Juniper Canyon Trail). Beginning May 1, 2026 and until normal trail access resumes from the Chisos Basin, Chisos Backpacking campsites will not be reservable online. A backpacking permit will be required and can be obtained in person up to 24 hours in advance at the Panther Junction Visitor Center. During this Consruction the Chisos Basin campground will be closed, please consider a stay at the Rio Grande Village campground.

About

Chisos Basin Campground is perched high in the rugged Chisos Mountains at an elevation of 5,400 feet, making it the most sought-after campground in Big Bend National Park. Surrounded on all sides by tall, rocky cliffs, the campground offers spectacular views and serves as the primary base camp for hikers exploring some of the park's most iconic trails. The basin's montane shrubland environment features Arizona cypress and mesquite at lower elevations, with maple, aspen, pinyon, and ponderosa pines growing on the slopes above. The campground has 60 individual sites, each equipped with a picnic table, raised charcoal grill, and bear-proof food storage container. Some sites include picnic shelters for shade. Sites are generally small, rocky, and not level, requiring leveling blocks for RVs. The steep, winding Basin Road has sharp hairpin turns and restricts access to RVs under 24 feet and trailers under 20 feet. Most sites fall within a no-generator zone. The campground provides drinking water, vault toilets, and a dump station, though no hookups are available at individual sites. From the campground, visitors can access trailheads for the Lost Mine Trail, Window Trail, South Rim Trail, and Pinnacles Trail leading to Emory Peak at 7,825 feet, the park's highest point. The Chisos Basin area also houses a visitor center, general store, and lodge with the park's only restaurant. The basin's unique microclimate and isolated mountain environment make it the only nesting site in the United States for the Colima warbler, which arrives in mid-April and departs by mid-September. Bears are active in the area, requiring strict food storage protocols.

Directions

From Interstate 10, take Highway 385 south through Fort Stockton to Marathon. From Marathon, continue 40 miles south on Highway 385 to Big Bend National Park's north entrance. Drive 26 miles to Panther Junction, turn right for 3 miles, then turn left at the Basin sign and continue 7 miles before turning right into the campground road. The road is steep and winding with sharp hairpin turns.