All parks › Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park: fees, hours, camping and when to visit
- Private vehicle, 7 days
- $30[1]
- Busiest month (2025)
- March[2]
- Recreation visits, 2025
- 568,104[3]
- Campgrounds
- 7[4]
Big Bend National Park is a National Park in Texas, part of the U.S. National Park System[5]. NPS lists a private vehicle entrance fee of $30, good for 7 days[1], and the park entrances stay open around the clock all year[6].
Entrance fees and passes
Fees as listed by the National Park Service. Fees change, so confirm on the park's official fees page before you go.
| Fee or pass | Price |
|---|---|
| Private Vehicle[1] | $30 |
| Per Person[7] | $15 |
| Non-commercial Groups[8] | $30 |
| Motorcycle[9] | $25 |
| Annual Entrance - Park[10] | $55 |
The America the Beautiful pass is accepted here[11].
Entrance fee payment is cashless (card or mobile payment)[12].
America the Beautiful passes cover entrance fees at national parks and other federal recreation sites.
| Pass | Who can get it | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Resident Annual Pass[13] | US citizens and residents | $80 |
| Non-Resident Annual Pass[13] | Non-US residents | $250 |
| Senior Annual Pass[13] | US citizens and residents 62+ years old | $20 |
| Senior Lifetime Pass[13] | US citizens and residents 62+ years old | $80 |
| Military Annual Pass[13] | Current US military and dependents | Free |
| Military Lifetime Pass[13] | Gold Star Family members and veterans | Free |
| Access Pass[13] | US citizens and residents with permanent disability | Free |
| 4th Grade Pass[13] | US 4th graders | Free |
| Volunteer Pass[13] | Federal recreation site volunteers with 250 service hours | Free |
When to visit and hours
NPS says the park is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, so you can come and go at any hour[6]. The busiest month in 2025 was March with 106,911 recreation visits, and the quietest was August with 19,830[2]. NPS describes March as a warm and pleasant spring month and calls spring the park's peak season[14]. Heat starts in May, and NPS names May through August as the hottest months[14]. From November to February, NPS describes the weather as mild, though freezing can happen and snow is rare[14].
Show visits by month
| Month, 2025 | Recreation visits |
|---|---|
| January | 49,001 |
| February | 52,227 |
| March | 106,911 |
| April | 64,252 |
| May | 41,026 |
| June | 24,636 |
| July | 21,457 |
| August | 19,830 |
| September | 23,789 |
| October | 47,064 |
| November | 55,779 |
| December | 62,132 |
Camping
NPS and Recreation.gov list 7 campgrounds in the park[4]. The largest listings are Big Bend Backcountry Camping with 112 sites and Rio Grande Village with 100 sites, and Chisos Basin Campground has 62 sites[4]. NPS lists nightly fees for individual sites from $16 to $36[4]. Group camping is listed at Chisos Basin Group Campground and Rio Grande Village Group Campground[4].
- Big Bend Backcountry Camping, 112 sites[4]
- Rio Grande Village, 100 sites
- Chisos Basin Campground, 62 sites
- Cottonwood, 31 sites
- Rio Grande Village RV, 25 sites
- Chisos Basin Group Campground, 7 sites
- Rio Grande Village Group Campground, 4 sites
Pets and dogs
Under the national NPS pet rule, pets must be crated, caged or on a leash of six feet or less wherever they are allowed, and they cannot go into public buildings[15]. Each park may close extra areas to pets[15]. NPS marks some park activities as pet friendly, such as viewing the night sky and birdwatching at Cottonwood Campground[16].
Before you go
- NPS says entrance fees here are cashless, so bring a card or mobile payment[12].
- The Big Bend National Park Annual Pass costs $55 and covers entry to this park for a year from purchase[10].
- The park accepts the America the Beautiful pass[11]. NPS lists the Resident Annual Pass at $80[13].
- NPS lists 5 visitor centers, including Panther Junction and Chisos Basin[17].
- Fees and hours change, so check the official NPS park page before your trip.
Questions people ask
- How much is the entrance fee for Big Bend National Park?
- NPS lists $30 for a private vehicle and $15 per person for walkers and cyclists, each valid for 7 days[1][7]. A private motorcycle is listed at $25[9].
- What is the best time to visit Big Bend?
- NPS describes spring as warm and pleasant, and March was the busiest month in 2025[14][2]. November to February is mild per NPS, while May through August are the hottest months[14].
- Can I bring my dog to Big Bend National Park?
- Where pets are allowed, they must be on a leash no longer than six feet or crated, and they cannot enter public buildings[15]. NPS marks some activities, such as night sky viewing, as pet friendly[16].
- Does Big Bend accept cash at the entrance?
- No. NPS says entrance fees at Big Bend are cashless, paid by card or mobile payment[12].
- Can I use the America the Beautiful pass at Big Bend?
- Yes. NPS says the park accepts the America the Beautiful pass for entrance[11].
Facts and sources
- Entrance fee, Private Vehicle: $30. National Park Service
- NPS recreation visits by month, 2025 (chart on this page). NPS Visitor Use Statistics
- NPS recreation visits per year: 2021: 581,220, 2022: 514,107, 2023: 509,129, 2024: 561,458, 2025: 568,104. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
- Campgrounds in Big Bend National Park (list on this page). National Park Service
- Big Bend National Park is a unit of the U.S. National Park System (designation: National Park) in Texas. National Park Service
- Operating hours, Big Bend National Park: Big Bend National Park is always open. You can enter and exit at any time of the day or night. Park entrances are open 24 hours daily, all year. National Park Service
- Entrance fee, Per Person: $15. National Park Service
- Entrance fee, Non-commercial Groups: $30. National Park Service
- Entrance fee, Motorcycle: $25. National Park Service
- Annual Entrance - Park: $55. National Park Service
- Big Bend National Park accepts the America the Beautiful (interagency) pass for entrance. National Park Service
- Entrance fees at Big Bend National Park are cashless (cards or mobile payment, no cash) according to NPS. National Park Service
- America the Beautiful pass prices (table on this page). NPS Passes
- NPS weather and seasons overview for Big Bend National Park. National Park Service
- National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.15: where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, and pets are not allowed in public buildings, on public transportation or on designated swimming beaches (service... eCFR, 36 CFR 2.15
- NPS lists 19 things to do at Big Bend National Park: Backpacking Big Bend, Get a Big Bend Passport Stamp, Big Bend Junior Rangers, View the Night Sky, List of Hiking Trails in Big Bend, See the Rio Grande, Hike the Lost Mine Trail, Hike Into Santa Elena... National Park Service
- Visitor centers listed by NPS: 5 (Panther Junction Visitor Center, Chisos Basin Visitor Center, Persimmon Gap Visitor Center, Castolon Visitor Center, Rio Grande Village Visitor Center). National Park Service