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Please help with Big Bend, TX route planning

Discussion in 'Texas' started by wexttxco, Sep 19, 2021.

  1. Sep 19, 2021 at 8:37 AM
    #1
    wexttxco

    wexttxco [OP] New Member

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    Hi everyone,

    As a new overlander, and fairly experienced off-roader (ranch work in west Texas, thousands of hours driving off-road, but not lots of super technical stuff), I am requesting help with route planning for Big Bend. I am somewhat closeby as I live in west Texas already. I am wanting route recommendations. I have the packing/supplies stuff down, solely looking for a recommendation on a route. I will be the lone vehicle, with myself and my father in law as the only people on the trip.

    I have a 2021 double cab 4x4, and will be on a 2.75/1 suspension lift, 35x12.5x18 before the trip. Not sure if I will be able to get gears and locker installed before the trip, though, so 2 open diffs. Will try to have skids installed before the trip, but don't know if that will happen due to lead time. So plan around a factory 4x4 DC, with a small lift and 35's.

    What is a good route to take, I don't mind taking it nice and slow and prefer that to just driving around gravel roads, and will apply some road warrior paint protection to help prevent scratches so my wife doesn't strangle me. But, I don't want to take a trail so technical that I will have to turn around and backtrack for half a day, get hopelessly stuck, or break my suspension or driveline on my new truck. I will have a full size spare, all needed recovery gear (just no winch), etc. Just would like a recommendation on a route that is fun, not just gravel roads, but not ruin the truck or the trip due to it being a really technical jeep trail.

    Thanks!
     
  2. Sep 19, 2021 at 9:21 AM
    #2
    Desert Dog

    Desert Dog Nobody rides for free

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    Not sure how much time you've allotted for your trip but here's a link to some of the more easily passable roads and beautiful scenery. I went with a couple of friends about 30 years ago and we took the southern route out of Marathon, Tx down to Big Bend proper before heading westward toward Terlingua then headed northwest into Presidio then north into Marfa before finally heading into El Paso. Although it may have changed since then there was at least one area that I remember seeing a sign that read "Last chance for gas 50 miles". Just something to consider. Enjoy your trip, it is awesome country.

    https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=10-7rZZt58FTeO2NHxh8J34oGIUA&ll=29.614738211425156,-103.13153357390583&z=9
     
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  3. Sep 19, 2021 at 9:24 AM
    #3
    Sonicbluerider

    Sonicbluerider New Member

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    lol! seriously! we found zero off roads to get their this spring! 70 miles from nearest town then 20+ ONCE inside! we did old river road an the dirt / rock road to Rio grand where river comes through mountain,awesome!! we tried to get disperse camping but all full! lucky wife hit website just as 4 days opened up for Chisos campground! awesome site! an we did several other off road roads inside park!
     
  4. Sep 19, 2021 at 9:28 AM
    #4
    wexttxco

    wexttxco [OP] New Member

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    Awesome, thank you. We can spend up to 4 days, if we wanted. I'm starting out only 2 hours away from the park.
     
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  5. Sep 19, 2021 at 9:41 AM
    #5
    Desert Dog

    Desert Dog Nobody rides for free

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    Consider posting some pix of your trip. We like pix. Like, a lot*.

    *Trademark property of @bmf4069
     
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  6. Sep 19, 2021 at 5:04 PM
    #6
    wexttxco

    wexttxco [OP] New Member

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    Anyone else?
     
  7. Sep 19, 2021 at 5:30 PM
    #7
    Mallcrl

    Mallcrl New Member

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    We were out in Big Bend NP in January for 3 nights/days, and definitely wished we had a little longer. We did all (most?) of the "high clearance" roads around the park and experienced no issues at all.

    Our itinerary was as follows
    • Night 1 - Camp @ Grapevine Hills 4
    • Day 2 - Sunrise hike to Balanced Rock, Panther Junction, Chisos Basin, Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive(Mule Ears, Tuff Canyon, Castolon), Santa Elena
    • Night 2 - Camp @ Cottonwood Campground
    • Day 3 - River Road (East/South) to Mariscal Mine, then backtrack a bit to Black Gap Rd (North) to Glenn Springs Rd back to River Rd; Boquillas Canyon, Rio Grande Village, then North on Old Ore Rd to see Ernst Tinaja, and continued North on Old Ore Rd.
    • Night 3 - Camp @ Telephone Canyon
    • Day 4 - Finish Old Ore Rd North to Dagger Flat Rd to Main Park Rd, see the Fossil Discovery exhibit and head North out of the park
    Not having travelled the area at all, and making the drive out from Maryland, we wanted some sort of an idea of what to follow, and used the "Big Bend Adventure Route" GPX from Overland Trail Guides as a rough path to follow, apparently they make you pay for it now, if you want/need it, I'd be more than happy to send you the GPX, but it's really just following the roads.

    We were perfectly content in 2WD for just about everything. There was one off-camber heavily rutted climb on Black Gap Rd (I believe) and a few washouts on Old Ore that 4wd was helpful for. That being said, we were in (fairly well) prepped 4Runners, but the Tundra shouldn't be any different. Additionally, there was one section, I believe where Black Gap Rd meets Glenn Springs that got fairly tight with the shrubbery, but to be honest, nature's pinstripes aren't something I've ever been concerned about (the paint on the 4Runner had permanent pinstriping within a few months of ownership, the Tundra has only been saved because it's a little too large to be wheeling through the super tight East coast trails). On our last night we saw headlights (slowly) making their way up Old Ore Rd, appearing to be making it 30-50ft at a time, then you could see people get out, get back in, move forward, and repeat. The next day on our way out we found what we believed to be what we had seen, which was a GMC Acadia, at a campsite a few miles up the road. So just about anything can make it with a bit of patience and good lines.

    Some pics of our trip

    Grapevine Hills 4 campsite
    [​IMG]

    Balanced Rock
    [​IMG]

    River Rd. (the roof rack/tent/etc is my girlfriend's go-to photo taking spot)
    [​IMG]

    Telephone Canyon campsite
    [​IMG]


    Let me know if this is helpful at all or if you have any other questions
     
  8. Sep 19, 2021 at 5:42 PM
    #8
    szabo101

    szabo101 New Member

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    If you are there for several days, my advice is to stay in Terlingua/Study Butte Area with Get Lost Tours. Chris Tschacar, great guy, does his own tours and will let you stay on his property if no one else is there, appreciates doing a tour with him. Beautiful secluded area with sunset and sunrise views of the Christmas mountains in his back yard. The trip, just to his place, is a bit of an offroad experience itself. Told me he once got lost coming home to his own place from a friend's house just a couple miles away. It is that remote.
     
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  9. Sep 19, 2021 at 6:35 PM
    #9
    wexttxco

    wexttxco [OP] New Member

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    Wow, beautiful pictures and thank you for the detailed description! Have you visited the ranch state park?

    Also, is it true that you have to get a new camping reservation every day?
     
    Last edited: Sep 19, 2021
  10. Sep 19, 2021 at 6:35 PM
    #10
    wexttxco

    wexttxco [OP] New Member

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    Very cool, thank you sir!
     
  11. Sep 19, 2021 at 7:34 PM
    #11
    Mallcrl

    Mallcrl New Member

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    Thanks! We skipped (missed out is more appropriate probably) on the state park. To be honest, we were so hyper-focused on the NP that the state park didn't even show up on our radar until we were in Austin two days before arriving in Big Bend.

    As far as camping reservations, from what I remember, Recreation.gov would allow you to book multiple nights in the same site, although that's not generally how our trips work out (we enjoy the "wake up, pack up, go see a bunch of stuff, camp in a new spot" travel flow). I don't believe there is any BLM/NF land in the area where you can freely dispersed camp though, something we are learning to really appreciate on our trips to the Western half of the country
     
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  12. Sep 22, 2021 at 8:02 AM
    #12
    wexttxco

    wexttxco [OP] New Member

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    Thank you for the info! Looks like we're going to do the NP this time!
     
  13. Sep 22, 2021 at 8:04 AM
    #13
    wexttxco

    wexttxco [OP] New Member

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    Would you mind shooting me the gpx?
     
  14. Sep 26, 2021 at 7:12 PM
    #14
    wexttxco

    wexttxco [OP] New Member

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    So we're planning to start at the north end, take old ore road south, camp at ernst. Then the next day, get a pass from chisos to camp on river road west, then head back down, take black gap road to river road west, camp, then likely loop around and camp out north of chisos. Anyone see problems with that plan?

    I will be on 35s and a 3/1. Ill have a front skid plate but won't have sliders in time. Kinda worried about old Ore and black gap, doing some body damage due to the long wheelbase. Going with my FIL in mine and a buddy in his JKU.
     
    Last edited: Sep 26, 2021
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  15. Oct 12, 2021 at 3:56 AM
    #15
    wexttxco

    wexttxco [OP] New Member

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    Found sliders and front/mid skid, and differential skid, and LCA skids that will all be here in time! Overkill but why not get them installed before the trip just in case.

    Also plan to do basically every road in the park over 3 days, including black gap and old ore, so we'll see how it goes. Maybe even old ore from both directions.
     
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  16. Oct 18, 2021 at 12:27 PM
    #16
    equin

    equin Texarican Tundra

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    Jealous! Be sure to post lots of pics when you get back!
     
  17. Oct 18, 2021 at 6:02 PM
    #17
    wexttxco

    wexttxco [OP] New Member

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    I definitely will!
     
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  18. Nov 19, 2021 at 1:36 PM
    #18
    wexttxco

    wexttxco [OP] New Member

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  19. Nov 19, 2021 at 1:38 PM
    #19
    wexttxco

    wexttxco [OP] New Member

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  20. Nov 19, 2021 at 1:39 PM
    #20
    wexttxco

    wexttxco [OP] New Member

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    20211114_071456.jpg
     

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    Last edited: Nov 19, 2021
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  21. Nov 19, 2021 at 1:43 PM
    #21
    wexttxco

    wexttxco [OP] New Member

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  22. Nov 19, 2021 at 1:47 PM
    #22
    wexttxco

    wexttxco [OP] New Member

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    20211119_153352.jpg 20211119_153401.jpg

    Heads up for anyone going, the shelf at black gap was easy had it not been for a washed out hole once you get up. You will notice watching video of black gap, once your tires are up, you keep on cruising. Well due to the hellacious rains they had, it was washed out, and since you are driving blind, you have to feel your way through the hole. My diff drug a bit, and my hitch did as well. With 3/2.5 suspension lift and 35's. Not as easy as the videos make it seem, until they do road work. No scraping from the lifted JKU I was with.
     
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  23. Nov 19, 2021 at 1:49 PM
    #23
    wexttxco

    wexttxco [OP] New Member

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    20211114_074144.jpg

    Sorry for the crappy pictures and pictures of video footage! I was more focused on the trip than taking pictures.
     
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  24. Nov 19, 2021 at 1:51 PM
    #24
    wexttxco

    wexttxco [OP] New Member

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    Big Bend National Park gets a 10/10 in my book. More beautiful and fun than I even imagined. Especially since the roads were in real bad shape. We did every road in the park, other than the dead end roads to individual campsites and trailheads. The full outside loop, old ore, black gap, river road east and west, glen springs, all of it.

    It will be an annual trip now, whether to the national or state park.
     
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  25. Nov 19, 2021 at 1:54 PM
    #25
    Sundog

    Sundog Zoom Zoom

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    Great pics. Looks like an awesome time.
     
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  26. Nov 19, 2021 at 6:49 PM
    #26
    Mallcrl

    Mallcrl New Member

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    Glad you enjoyed it! We will be somewhat close on our Winter trip and I had considered swinging back through for a night or two in Big Bend on the way home...
     
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  27. Nov 19, 2021 at 8:21 PM
    #27
    equin

    equin Texarican Tundra

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    Great pics! Nice Silver Sky! And cool Altamas. I have the same multi-cams but low cut.
     
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  28. Nov 19, 2021 at 9:44 PM
    #28
    wexttxco

    wexttxco [OP] New Member

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    Definitely worth it, lmk if you have questions.
     
  29. Apr 2, 2022 at 6:57 AM
    #29
    Mohoman

    Mohoman TTC 165

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    Reviving old thread but looks like a great time! Still have yet to discover what BB has to offer!
     
  30. Apr 2, 2022 at 7:19 AM
    #30
    34KING18

    34KING18 New Member

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    Where is the location for that last picture with the water? If you don't mind
     

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