10 Things Kids Should See in Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park feels like another world. Mountains rise from the Chihuahuan Desert, the Rio Grande winds along the park’s southern edge, and a family road trip can take you through landscapes that seem to change every few miles.
For kids, Big Bend is the perfect place to discover that a desert isn’t simply “hot and dry.” It is filled with life, geology, history, and surprises.
1. Santa Elena Canyon
Start here if you want your kids to experience the scale of Big Bend. The canyon walls rise dramatically above the Rio Grande, and the short trail into the canyon offers an unforgettable introduction to the park. This is generally a safe place to take the kids and kayak; however, please note that according to the National Park Service, illegal border crossings are known to occur in this area. If you encounter anything that appears illegal, suspicious, or out of place, please do not approach or intervene. Note the location, description, time, direction of travel, and call 911 as soon as possible.
2. The Rio Grande
Look at a map and then find the river in real life. Talk about how rivers shape landscapes and why water is so important in the desert. Big Bend's diverse habitats, the Rio Grande river corridor, the Chihuahuan Desert and the Chisos Mountains, are all rich with plants, animals, and stories of human history that offer a variety of learning opportunities for children of all ages. There are several easy hikes in the park that kids of all ages enjoy, including the Window View and the Basin Loop trails in the Chisos Basin.
For older children, the Lost Mine Trail provides a good challenge and is an excellent day hike. Other hikes children may enjoy include the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Trail at Dugout Wells, the Rio Grande Village Nature Trail (with a boardwalk across a beaver pond), and the Boquillas Canyon Trail. Kids may also enjoy viewing fossils and exhibits about dinosaurs at the Fossil Discovery Exhibit and Panther Junction Visitor Center. The Chisos Basin Visitor Center has an excellent mountain lion exhibit and neat information about bears.
3. Chisos Basin in Big Bend National Park
The mountains rising from the desert are one of Big Bend’s defining sights. Let kids look for differences between the mountain environment and the desert below. Chisos Basin in Big Bend National Park with kids offers spectacular cooler mountain views, short family-friendly hikes, and wildlife viewing, although you should check current National Park Service alerts regarding ongoing area and road construction projects.
4. The Window
The Window is a natural opening through the mountains that creates an incredible view toward the desert. It’s a great place to discuss erosion and drainage. The Window Trail in Big Bend National Park's Chisos Basin is a stunning, family-friendly hike. The Window View Trail is categorized as ‘easy’ and totals 0.3 miles. It’s a paved path with a gentle incline and is even wheelchair accessible. We recommend this walk around sunset to really take advantage of the stunning views.
5. Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive
Turn the drive into a scavenger hunt. Look for mountains, desert plants, rock layers, historic structures, and wildlife along the way. Driving the thirty-mile Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive with kids may seem daunting, and we've got just the book for you to help create a memorable drive. The road leads to the Castolon Historic District and Santa Elena Canyon. The road also showcases some of the historic and geologic features this region is famous for.
6. Fossils
Big Bend’s geology contains an incredible fossil story. Kids can learn that the landscape we see today has changed dramatically over millions of years. Big Bend National Park has a Fossil Discovery Exhibit. It is a Fossil Discovery Trail is a sequence of off-grid, open-air interpretive pavilions nestled within the site near Tornillo Creek at Big Bend National Park. Using a combination of fossil replicas, interpretive displays and geologic diagrams, visitors develop an understanding of the correlation between the dinosaur fossils discovered in the region and the geologic formations visible from the pavilion.
7. Sam Nail Ranch
The remains of old ranches help children imagine what life was like for people trying to make a living in this rugged landscape. In 1916, Sam Nail built a two-room adobe house on the banks of Cottonwood Creek. He soon married, and he and his wife raised a family there. Today, you can wander through their homestead. Look for the remains of the original house, its adobe walls melting back into the desert. Sit in the shade of the orchard and look for remnants of their garden. Find the chicken coop shaded by soapberry trees. Imagine a day when the old, wooden windmill pumped water up to a tank on the top of Burro Mesa for the Nail's cattle.
8. Hot Springs
The historic hot springs area combines geology, water, and human history. Talk about how groundwater moves beneath the earth. Hot spring water is considered old water, fossil water, ancient and irreplaceable. Heated by geothermal processes and emerging at 105° F., the water carries dissolved mineral salts reputed to have healing powers. The therapeutic value of heat has long been touted as a remedy of both body and soul. Be aware that some hot springs can burn you either with the scalding effects of heat or the caustic nature of the water chemistry. Use caution when bathing and limit the exposure of children to the warm waters. Make sure to check with Rangers before taking the kids in case of flooding.
9. A Ranger Program
Big Bend offers ranger-led programs that explore the park’s nature, science, history, and culture. When discovering 10 Things Kids Should See in Big Bend National Park remember that Big Bend interpretive rangers provide a variety of fun, informative, and free ranger-guided activities. Join us for a guided hike, patio talk, activity, or engaging evening program and discover the many "stories behind the scenery" of YOUR national park and don't forget about the Jr. Ranger Program.
10. The Stars
Big Bend’s remote location makes nighttime one of the great experiences here. Turn off the flashlight, look up, and let your kids experience a sky filled with stars. Big Bend National Park is known as one of the outstanding places in North America for stargazing. In fact, it has the least light pollution of any other national park unit in the lower 48 states. One factor that makes this possible is simply the sparse human occupation of this region.
Park Rangers and volunteers offer a variety of regularly scheduled night sky interpretive programs. Programs are fun, informative, and FREE. From star parties, to moonlight walks, our programs encourage discussions about the importance of dark night skies.
Make your trip to Big Bend a learning adventure: Things Kids Should See in Big Bend National Park Have kids keep a “Big Bend Field Journal” and draw three things they saw in the desert, three things they saw in the mountains, and three things they learned about water.
Love the National Parks?
Big Bend is one of the 16 parks featured in For the Love of the Parks: Southwest Region: The Science, Stories, and Secrets of 16 National Parks. It’s more than a checklist of places to visit. It’s an invitation to slow down, ask questions, and discover the stories behind the landscapes. Start planning your family’s Southwest national park adventure, and take the stories with you.
Thanks for being here,
Nicole
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