Big changes are coming to Big Bend

The Pine Canyon Trail will make a good alternative hike during the Big Bend closure starting May 1, 2025. Pam LeBlanc photo

Big changes are coming to the Big Bend. 

The Chisos Basin section of Big Bend National Park is preparing to close for a two-year construction project. But while parts of the 801,163-acre national park close, lodges at two nearby state parks are reopening after major renovations. 

I spent a week in Far West Texas recently, scratching my shins on cactus, leaping into the world’s largest spring-fed swimming pool, and hiking trails I’ve never explored in my 40 or so visits to the region. 

Read more: Slowing down to soak in the beauty of Big Bend 

Lodge reopens at Balmorhea State Park

The San Solomon Motor Courts at Balmorhea State Park have reopened.

Let’s start with the reopenings. 

After a nearly seven-year closure, the historic 18-room motel at Balmorhea State Park finally opened for business again in August – about five years later than expected. What started as a roof replacement turned into a much more extensive project that included resurfacing wooden floors, refurbishing furniture built by Civilian Conservation Corps craftsmen, repairing the white stucco of the structure, and modernizing plumbing, electric and septic systems. 

I had no trouble getting a reservation for a mid-week visit. When I checked in, only one other room was occupied. I paid about $130 for a unit with a queen-sized bed, a separate sitting room and back patio. (If you can, get one of the rooms that backs up to the canal.) 

The park’s RV and tent campground was also renovated. Look for a new restroom and shower facility, along with a freshly repaved road through the camping loop. 

The best part about staying at either spot? It’s a 3-minute stroll the pool, where the water temperature hovers between 72 and 75 degrees year-round, and you can watch fish swirling in the clear water beneath you. 

Indian Lodge set to reopen this spring

The Indian Lodge at Davis Mountains State Park will reopen this spring after a renovation. Pam LeBlanc photo

Just 45 minutes down the road from Balmorhea, the 39-room Indian Lodge at Davis Mountains State Park is also preparing to reopen after a two-year hiatus. 

I camped at the park during my visit but got a tour of the not-quite-open hotel, where a $6 million renovation is just wrapping up, from Indian Lodge Superintendent Paul Boudreaux.  

The original hotel, also built by the CCC, opened in the 1930. Two more wings and a swimming pool were added in the 1960s.  

A firm reopening date had not been set as of this writing, but Boudreaux said he expects the lodge to open for business sometime this spring. I walked through the lobby, decorated with colorful woven rugs and historic photographs, and admired the new courtyard, complete with a new firepit and outdoor seating area. Improvements also include a new air conditioning system and a makeover of the on-site Black Bear Restaurant. 

While you’re staying at the lodge, make the walk down the hill to the park’s bird blind, where you can look for Montezuma quail, scrub jays or ladderback woodpeckers. 

For a different perspective, drive up Skyline Drive, where you’ll get a great view of the snow-white Indian Lodge, nestled in the hills down below. 

Big Bend closure expected to last about two years

Rock formations rise along the Blue Creek Trail at Big Bend National Park. The trail will offer access to the South Rim during the upcoming Big Bend closure. Pam LeBlanc photo

While the lodges at Balmorhea and Davis Mountains state parks are reopening, a few things are closing down at nearby Big Bend National Park. 

Don’t worry. Only a fraction of the sprawling park will be off limits even when access to the Chisos Basin shuts down for a major construction project starting May 1. You’ll still find plenty of trails to hike, places to pitch a tent, and cool geologic features and historic sites to explore.  

Think of the closure as a chance to check out parts of the park you’ve never visited. 

The construction project calls for demolishing and rebuilding the main Chisos Mountain Lodge building, which houses hotel check-in facilities, along with a restaurant and a gift shop. Lodge rooms won’t be torn down or reconstructed, but they will be closed during construction. Crews will also replace aging water lines. 

Park superintendent Anjna O’Connor says the project will last about two years – but that doesn’t mean the basin facilities, including the campground or trailheads, will stay closed the entire time. After the heavy demo work is done and the project shifts to constructing the new building, park officials  may reopen access to some areas. 

In the meantime, you won’t be able to camp in the Basin campground, stay at the hotel or cabins, or hike the Lost Mines Trail or the Window Trail. Direct access to the South Rim Trail will be closed, too – at least during early phases of the project. And with the closures, you’ll probably see increased traffic at other park hotspots, like Santa Elena Canyon, Rio Grande Village, the Hot Springs area, the Castolon historic district and Boquillas Canyon.  

Read more: In Switzerland’s quiet Val D’Anniviers, hike from one charming village to the next 

Try these trails during the Big Bend closure

I tried out two new trails that don’t require Chisos Basin access during my most recent trip – the Pine Canyon Trail and the Blue Creek Trail.
If you’ve got a high-clearance vehicle, make the drive out Glenn Springs Road to the trailhead for Pine Canyon. The 4-mile out-and-back hike first cuts through the open desert, then ducks into a shady canyon. The trail ends at a 200-foot pouroff, which was dry during my visit in early December. Still, the grotto makes a nice spot to sit a spell and admire the surrounding cliffs. Keep an eye out for black bears, which are known to frequent the area. 

The Blue Creek Trail is a good option if you’re still determined to access the South Rim during the closure – although it’ll take more muscle and energy to get there. (If you plan to camp on the Rim, you’ll have to pick up a permit in person at the Panther Junction Visitor Center.) You’ll have to hike six miles and climb 2,700 feet just to get up to Laguna Meadows, so make sure you know what you’re in for before you set out.  

That said, Blue Creek also makes a good out-and-back hike. From Homer Wilson Ranch, walk up the gravel-filled wash to a bunch of weird rock formations that’ll make you think you’ve landed on the set of a Star Trek movie. Or keep going and you’ll wind through some nicely shaded canyons. 

Other trails to try during the Big Bend closure

Other trails on my recommended list include the Mesa de Anguila Trail, located on a rarely visited finger of the national park near Lajitas, where you can peer down on a horseshoe-shaped bend in the Rio Grande. The super easy Tuff Canyon Trail, where you can walk along the bottom of a shallow canyon carved into soft volcanic “tuff” makes a good option if you want something easy. So does Sam Nail Ranch, which is good for bird watching and a chance to spot a brightly colored greater earless lizard. 

If you haven’t been, try the Grapevine Hills Trail that leads to Balanced Rock. It’s often busy, but if you go at dawn, you might have it all to yourself. I also like the 1.5-mile Boquillas Canyon Trail, which hugs the Rio Grande and serves up beautiful views at sunset.  

Other improvements are on tap at the national park, too. Look for new exhibits at the Persimmon Gap Visitor Center, new shade shelters at Castolon, a night sky viewing plaza at Panther Junction, and renovations at the gas station there in the coming year or two.