Rio Grande Village campground (Big Bend National Park) - Big Bend National Park, Texas.
(4.6 out of 5 stars on Google Reviews/ 4 stars Tripadvisor)
Cost $ - ($16.00 U.S.) 5 out of 5 for me. Staying under a $20/day lodging budget this is ideal.
Value - 4 out of 5 (specifically had a great, private site. Bathrooms close by. Trail within walking distance. Camp host friendly and helpful. Flat location to camp. 4 out of 5 because camping could be a little bit cheaper)
Other Amenities/Bonus- General Store/gas station nearby, in S.E. corner of park within close riding distance to Boquillas, MX crossing, close to dirt road to hot springs, 30 miles to Jaguar visitor center.
Upon my final arrival into Big Bend National Park, after paying my $35 park entrance fee (good for 7 days) I rode to the Panther Junction Visitor Center. I asked about camping and found out that my original intended planned campground in Chihos Canyon was booked full. Damn.
Arrived!
I was told that there was some spots open a few hours ago down at the Rio Grande campground in the lower, southeast corner of the park. I rode the 30+ miles down to the Rio Grande campground in about 45 minutes.
Rio Grande campground site #28. I had so many people trying to reserved this site after me. They would come up to me asking when I was going to leave or checking my reserve slip. Near perfect site.
Upon arrival, I read the bulletin board explaining how to secure a camp site at this location as well as camp rules. The fee was $16 per night.
I began riding around the site checking the wood posts that contain either a red “reserved” sign or a green “open” sign. All were red and no greens could be found. I began to get nervous because the only other established (i.e. not a rough, undeveloped campsite) camp site was clear on the other side of the park - Cottonwood campground. It would literally be hours away and then there’s no guarantee there would be any open sites there either.
Not long after my arrival…
Almost didn’t get a site.
As I rode around I came across the camp host and she explained to me that if I found a free site that I should place some personal items in the site, ride/walk over to the registration bulletin board, fill out the form on the envelope, keep the receipt to post on the wood post at the site and insert $16 into the envelope and deposit it in the container.
As I got to the back, more wooded section of the Rio Grande camp ground I came upon site #28. It had a green open sign. I parked my bike, took off my bags and placed them on the picnic table and rode over the the bulletin board to pay my $16. After riding back to camp, I unloaded my camping equipment. My neighbor “Kat” came over and explained to me how lucky I was.
The previous tenants had reserved the site for four nights but inexplicably left after one night, the morning of my arrival, leaving the site open to reserve. Apparently they only departed an hour before my arrival.
The site backed up to a wooded section facing Mexico. It was mostly private with a half circle of trees and brush around my site separating me from my neighbors to the right and left. The front had some more brush and trees separating me from the driveway/path that crossed out front. I had an aluminum picnic table, a charcoal stove and a flat, gravel space to pitch my tent.
My campsite to the right. You can see how private it is. My tent is already set up.
The cost was $16/night. There was a very basic (and somewhat, understandably overpriced) general store/gas station about 1/4 mile down the road, bathrooms within close walking distance, a drinking water faucet near the bathrooms and a great hiking path nearby that took you up on a ridge above the Rio Grande River with views of Mexico and Boquillas, Mexico. In my camp I had a bear/javelina box to keep any food away from the beasts.
Overall, a moving and memorable experience. My first time camping in about 20+ years, my first time using this equipment and my first time seeing so many stars.
Big Bend National Park is a recognized International Dark Sky site and it held true to this. Every square inch of the sky was covered in stars and without a rain fly on my tent I could lie on my back in my tent and fall asleep with this view. It was amazing.
Both nights I heard the communications between coyotes and coyote packs. It was amazing to hear them. It was so loud and it was difficult to determine how close they were. It sounded like they were less than 1/8 of a mile. They were loud!
Once I realized how desirable this location was and how unlikely I would find an open site at the original desired location of Chihos Canyon campground, I booked this site for a second night. What an experience!