The Best Time To Visit Big Bend National Park Is When You'd Least Expect It

Stretching for more than 1,250 square miles across the expansive Chihuahuan Desert, Big Bend National Park is a dream spot for outdoor enthusiasts. The Texas based park features hiking trails, waterways for swimming and exploring, and a great big open sky for those who love to close their day by looking towards the heavens.

But, before you pack your hiking boots, swim trunks, and telescope, you're going to want to know when the best time to visit Big Bend National Park is... as well as the one time of year you should absolutely stay away. Keep reading to find out more.

According to the National Park Service (NPS), the busiest time of year to visit Big Bend National Park is also the best time when it comes to the park's weather. That includes October through April, which kicks off just as the summer heat has finally died down a bit, and ends right before it picks back up.

The NPS notes that they also see an uptick over the winter holidays, which likely has a lot to do with people getting time off from work or school, so you're likely to see even more folks hitting the trails on holiday weekends and those times when things back home tend to shut down.

Of course, that means that you'll be contending with a bit more traffic during that time of year, and you may need to arrive earlier in the day to ensure you'll be able to find ample parking near the trailheads and other popular spots, including:

• Lost mine Trail
• Chisos Basin
• Hot Springs
• Boquillas Port of Entry
• Boquillas Canyon
• Santa Elena Canyon Trail.

Visitors to these spots should expect to experience delays during peak travel times.

There's a good reason why more people head to the park starting in the fall, and it is mostly because of the cooling temperatures. The Far Flung blog notes that this time of the year definitely has some pretty great weather, with temperatures dropping significantly down from those summer highs. People coming this time of year can expect September to trend more hot, with a dramatic cooling coming in October and November.

Along with those cooler temperatures comes a bit more precipitation, so fall visitors should be prepared for some rainy weather and pack accordingly, especially when heading out on hikes.

The park sits in a desert on the border of Texas and Mexico, so you won't see traditional winter weather like you'd expect to see at Yellowstone National Park. Instead, visitors will get to experience temperatures that remain chilly during the day, and then drop slightly overnight to just around the freezing mark, which could be comfortable for those who can't take the heat.

When spring arrives so do the bulk of the parks visitors who want to take advantage of those warmer days before things really get cooking. You can expect to see average daytime temps at the 75-degree mark in March. Guests who arrive during this time won't be alone, since this is when the park sees most of its hustle and bustle. Once April moves in, those milder temperatures start to move out though, so if you want to beat the heat you'll need to book early.

Given its location, it should be no surprise that Big Bend gets very hot during the summer. In fact, the 2024 season has seen several Extreme Heat Warnings issued. On these days, park visitors can expect to see temperatures hit triple digits by late morning, and they'll remain that way for most of the rest of the day.

During these heat advisories hikers are advised to stay off of the trails, limit their exposure to the sun, and stay hydrated, making summer a bad time of year to visit if your goal is to get some hiking in. That being said, the summer isn't all bad at Big Bend, in fact the Far Flung blog notes that this is a great time of year if you're hoping to spend your trip enjoying the park's waterways!