Advocate III
Went to Big Bend Ranch State Park for a week with my son a few weeks ago. This was my first trip to this park, but have been to Big Bend region many times. I decided to catalog the trip only using my phone and gopro and have shared via Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2q1cQf8sgpYqRdULGbaFHQ
Some of my key observations.
1. Size matters. I had forgotten just how enormous this area is and getting around exploring takes a lot longer than I remember. The park road just to get into the interior and the Sauceda ranger station is a bone-rattling 26 mile drive. Definitely air down for this one. I saw a few regular cars (Honda Accord) at the ranger station and I'm not sure how they had the patience for the drive in.
2. Plan well for water. The ranger station has potable water, but there isn't readily potable water anywhere else in the park that wouldn't require purifying/filtering. My son and I needed around 5 gallons a day for drinking/cooking/cleaning.
3. I would not bother with sites that don't have a shade structure (aka ramada). Even in late February/Early March the sun is relentless. I made the mistake of booking Yedra 2, which I thought had a ramada, which it did not. After staying at Pila Montoya 3 for several days and having one, I just couldn't give that up. Which brings me to my next point.
4. The site reservation system is a giant pain and the rangers at Sauceda are not able to book sites more than 1 night at a time...apparently. So changing sites on the spot can be an issue if the park is busy. Also, sites that are booked yet unoccupied aren't available, so people that end up not showing up have no incentive to call and forfeit the site.
5. Something I learned, most sites are at least 1/4 mile from the main road or main trail, and 1/4 mile from any other site. For me, the remoteness of my site was what I wanted, however, some of the trails to the sites can be really slow and very narrow. So you may be less than 1/2 a mile to the main road, but it might take 20-30 minutes to get in/out of your site. Factor that time into travel time for exploring or going to Sauceda.
6. Consider protective film for your vehicle. I now have the pinstriping badge of honor on my Tacoma - it will likely buff out for the most part, but I think full size vehicles on some trails would come away with some serious scratches in the paint.
7. It is an amazing place, so huge, remote, and I still can't get over the silence, when there is no wind is a little eerie at how there is no sound.
8. Be prepared for wind, A LOT OF WIND.
9. Would I do it again? Yes - but not for 7 days. I would combine it with travel to Big Bend NP, Fort Davis State Park, McDonald Observatory, maybe add in Guadalupe Mountains NP.
Hope this helps.
Some of my key observations.
1. Size matters. I had forgotten just how enormous this area is and getting around exploring takes a lot longer than I remember. The park road just to get into the interior and the Sauceda ranger station is a bone-rattling 26 mile drive. Definitely air down for this one. I saw a few regular cars (Honda Accord) at the ranger station and I'm not sure how they had the patience for the drive in.
2. Plan well for water. The ranger station has potable water, but there isn't readily potable water anywhere else in the park that wouldn't require purifying/filtering. My son and I needed around 5 gallons a day for drinking/cooking/cleaning.
3. I would not bother with sites that don't have a shade structure (aka ramada). Even in late February/Early March the sun is relentless. I made the mistake of booking Yedra 2, which I thought had a ramada, which it did not. After staying at Pila Montoya 3 for several days and having one, I just couldn't give that up. Which brings me to my next point.
4. The site reservation system is a giant pain and the rangers at Sauceda are not able to book sites more than 1 night at a time...apparently. So changing sites on the spot can be an issue if the park is busy. Also, sites that are booked yet unoccupied aren't available, so people that end up not showing up have no incentive to call and forfeit the site.
5. Something I learned, most sites are at least 1/4 mile from the main road or main trail, and 1/4 mile from any other site. For me, the remoteness of my site was what I wanted, however, some of the trails to the sites can be really slow and very narrow. So you may be less than 1/2 a mile to the main road, but it might take 20-30 minutes to get in/out of your site. Factor that time into travel time for exploring or going to Sauceda.
6. Consider protective film for your vehicle. I now have the pinstriping badge of honor on my Tacoma - it will likely buff out for the most part, but I think full size vehicles on some trails would come away with some serious scratches in the paint.
7. It is an amazing place, so huge, remote, and I still can't get over the silence, when there is no wind is a little eerie at how there is no sound.
8. Be prepared for wind, A LOT OF WIND.
9. Would I do it again? Yes - but not for 7 days. I would combine it with travel to Big Bend NP, Fort Davis State Park, McDonald Observatory, maybe add in Guadalupe Mountains NP.
Hope this helps.
