We have staid at Lajitas a few times in thier rv campground and found it very enjoyable. Thier shops were interesting and we ate at thier restuarant which we thought was very good. The people were friendly and helpful... Don't know if this is the information you are looking for! We have not staid in thier rooms, but have seen them... They appear to be clean, neat and nice!!!

Big Bend is one of our favorite vacation spots! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do! We are going again in November! Can hardly wait!

Texan, My question is how far is Big Bend to Lajitas? Is Lajitas a poor choice to stay? We enjoy hiking,and hear Big Bend has alot of that to offer. I don't want to be in the car traveling back and forth alot if you know what I mean. Although, I want to stay at a nice, clean place. I tried to get a room at Chisos mountain lodge, but no such luck. All full. We have never been to Big Bend. My husband has been wanting to go there for along time. We will have our 14 year old son with us also. Would love to hear more about Big Bend. Thanks. Sandy

Sandy,

We just got back from Big Bend. Stayed 10 days, did quite alot of hiking AND driving! We camped at Rio Grande village, but we were in or thru Lajitas several times. It is a long ways from Lajitas to everywhere! If I were going to get a room, I would probably try in Study Butte. They have got 2 or 3 motels there. ( might have more, not certain!) It is closer to the park than Lajitas.

Lajitas is VERY nice, and there are so many new buildings and projects going on there right now, it really is worth driving to it, and there is the State Ranch Park between Lajitas and Presidio. This is a very scenic drive (atleast to us!) Also, there is Closed Canyon which is a really short hike, but is interesting... There is the movie "town" on that road, also! I think they used it filming Lonesome Dove.

Big Bend has a really colorful history, and has some truly unbelievable rock formations and ruins. It is not a place that is easy to describe! We have gone back to the same places and found things we overlooked the first time!

I could type all night and not even scratch the surface of the places we have gone there, and I have loved them all! We figure we could go 3x's a year, for the next 10 years and still not see everything.

A few of our favorite hikes from our first trip were the Windows trail, Lost Mine, Cattail Falls, Hot Springs, Burro Mesa. We canoed up the Santa Elena Canyon and that was wonderful! Ernst Tinajas was interesting. We loved Glenn Springs.

Interesting drives (and hikes!): Old Ore Road, Maverick Road and River Road.

If you haven't already found it, there is a chat forum on Big Bend, called Big Bend National Park Chat Page, and Desert Sports has a very interesting site on the web.

This last trip we enjoyed Grapevine Hills (we have a habit of finding springs or ravines and following them a long way off of the regular trails!) Saw alot of cougar tracks.

If you get the chance, try Pine Canyon!

I was right when I thought of the desert as being hot and dry, but I don't think of it as barren and treeless anymore! It may not be your cup of tea, but we certainly enjoy it!

Hope you have a wonderful time!!!

Take warm weather clothes and cold weather clothing. Also, if you just step out of your vehickle for a quick look at something, carry your water bottle! Those five minutes can turn out to be a very long time! LOL.

There aren't many convience stores there, so be certain to carry your food or snacks with you! Specially if your son is like my kids were at fourteen!

My husband wanted to go to BBNP for YEARS, but I just was not interested. I thought of the desert as hot, dry, barren, dry, nothing to do, dry, no vegetation, dry! No water, no lakes, no trees... etc.

He finally talked me into going about 3 years ago, and we have gone back numerous times. I can't wait to go back!