Sights to See in Big Bend National Park

At the center of Big Bend National Park, Douglas firs and Aspen trees surround the Chisos Mountains Basin, a circular valley with nearby peaks. It is here that the only restaurant and lodging facilities are found in the park. Other highlights include a National Park Service visitor center and store for campers. Sleep under the stars at the campground and awake to day hikes with plenty of trails delivering views of sunsets and mountain terrain.

Leading to the Rio Grande and offering a sampling of the Chihuahuan Desert, many tourists take a trip along the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. Popular stops include Sotol Vista, Mule Ears Overlook and Tuff Canyon, where scenic overlooks and historic features await. Birds and desert wildlife frequent the Sam Nail Ranch. Travel the 30-mile stretch to reach the Castolon Historic District and Santa Elena Canyon.

Representing a large portion of the western section of Big Bend National Park, the Castolon Historic District attracts tourists looking for educational exhibits and historic adobe buildings. Stop by the seasonal visitor center and the year-round historic La Harmonia Store to stock up on supplies. The Cottonwood Campground offers quiet surroundings without noisy generators. Hiking and sightseeing are also popular activities in Castolon.

Flowing from the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico, nearly 120 miles of the Rio Grande call Big Bend National Park its home. Follow the river to visit three major canyons of the region -- Santa Elena, Mariscal and Boquillas -- that offer rapids for tourists looking to indulge in single and multiday float trips, rafting, kayaking and canoeing on the Rio Grande. The Rio Grande Village offers one of the best places to observe wildlife at Big Bend.

Big Bend National Park, which accommodates more than 450 species of birds, is the only place in the United States that the Colima warbler calls home. From April to September, the bird dwells in the Chisos Mountains. Other birding highlights of the park include the presence of the Mexican duck, Lucifer hummingbird and Mexican jay. For the best birding locations, visit sites in close proximity to food, water and habitat, such as the Cottonwood Campground and Rio Grande Village.