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Big Bend National Park: reservations, fees, camping and weather
Big Bend National Park, Texas: what you need to book, what it costs, and when the weather is mildest. Checked November 2026.
Do you need a reservation to enter?
No entry reservation is mentioned on the park's fees page.
Fees and passes
$30 per private vehicle (7 days); $15 per person on foot or bike.
Non-US residents can buy the America the Beautiful Non-Resident Annual Pass ($250).
An America the Beautiful pass covers entrance at every national park. US citizens and residents get free entry on national park fee-free days.
Camping: how to book
Camping and permits differ by area; reservable sites and permits are booked on Recreation.gov. Many Recreation.gov campgrounds open on a rolling window months ahead and sell out within minutes; if yours is full, set up a cancellation alert.
Campgrounds on Recreation.gov (6)
| Campground | Sites | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Bend Backcountry Camping | 112 | Campground | Book ↗ |
| Rio Grande Village (Big Bend, TX) | 100 | Campground | Book ↗ |
| Chisos Basin Campground (Big Bend, TX) | 62 | Campground | Book ↗ |
| Cottonwood (Big Bend, TX) | 31 | Campground | Book ↗ |
| Chisos Basin Group Campground (Big Bend, TX) | 7 | Group | Book ↗ |
| Rio Grande Village Group Campground (Big Bend, TX) | 4 | Group | Book ↗ |
From Recreation.gov's official data (RIDB), November 2026. Campgrounds run by park concessioners and some first-come sites aren't on Recreation.gov, so check the park's camping page too. When can I book?
Official planning pages
The park's own pages for the things that change: conditions, closures, camping and permits.
Key dates
- Wed 11 Nov 2026 National parks fee-free day: Veterans Day Confirmed
- December 2026 · exact dates not announced 2027 national park fee-free days announced Expected
Weather by month
| Month | Camping weather | Avg high | Avg low | Precip. | Snow | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Great · 96 | 61°F | 37°F | 0.5 in | 0.1 in | 10 h 26 m |
| February | Great · 100 | 66°F | 41°F | 0.4 in | 0.1 in | 11 h 06 m |
| March | Great · 100 | 74°F | 47°F | 0.4 in | 0.0 in | 11 h 54 m |
| April | Great · 100 | 82°F | 54°F | 0.5 in | 0.0 in | 12 h 49 m |
| May | Good · 71 | 89°F | 62°F | 1.3 in | 0.0 in | 13 h 35 m |
| June | Fair · 54 | 94°F | 68°F | 1.7 in | 0.0 in | 13 h 59 m |
| July | Good · 60 | 92°F | 70°F | 2.2 in | 0.0 in | 13 h 49 m |
| August | Good · 63 | 91°F | 69°F | 1.9 in | 0.0 in | 13 h 10 m |
| September | Great · 84 | 86°F | 63°F | 1.7 in | 0.0 in | 12 h 17 m |
| October | Great · 100 | 80°F | 55°F | 1.2 in | 0.0 in | 11 h 23 m |
| November | Great · 100 | 69°F | 45°F | 0.7 in | 0.0 in | 10 h 37 m |
| December | Great · 99 | 62°F | 38°F | 0.5 in | 0.2 in | 10 h 15 m |
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at the Panther Junction, TX weather station (3,740 ft). Higher trails are colder; temperatures usually drop about 3–5°F per 1,000 ft. "Camping weather" is our simple score: best with highs of 62–82°F, nights above freezing and under 3 in of precipitation. It rates weather only, not road closures, snow on trails or crowds. Daylight is sunrise to sunset on the 15th. About NOAA normals ↗
Questions
Do I need a reservation to enter Big Bend National Park?
No entry reservation is mentioned on the park's fees page.
How much does it cost to enter Big Bend?
$30 per private vehicle (7 days); $15 per person on foot or bike. Non-US residents can buy the America the Beautiful Non-Resident Annual Pass ($250).
When is the weather mildest at Big Bend?
Using NOAA averages at the park's weather station, average highs are between 60°F and 85°F in January to April, October to December. June is warmest (about 94°F) and January has the coldest nights (about 37°F).
Sources: Big Bend fees and passes (nps.gov), NOAA station data. Rules change; always check the official park site before you go.
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