Top Big Bend National Park Day Trips

Spend a day in the great outdoors and experience the Chihuahua Desert during this canyon float tour. Paddle along the Rio Grande River, which straddles the US-Mexico border, in a kayak, canoe, or rafts—dependent on the water level—and take in the desert scenery. Learn about the area’s geology from your guide, take a dip in the river, and enjoy a picnic over the course of the day.

Rather than joining a guided tour and rushing through Big Bend National Park’s dramatic local landmarks, explore the area at your own pace with this self-guided audio tour. Pause whenever you like to take in towering cliffs and rugged canyons, hike through trails such as along the Rio Grande River, keep an eye out for local wildlife, and much more.

Why visit one park when you can tour two of West Texas’s rugged icons! This narrated, self-guided driving tour takes you through Big Bend and the Guadalupe Mountains, from the Big Bend entrance to the Chisos Mountains, Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, Hot Springs, and Santa Elena Canyon, then on to McKittrick Canyon, Guadalupe Peak, Devil’s Hall, El Capitan, and the Salt Basin Dunes. Explore both parks with maximum flexibility, safety, and value—stopping whenever you want. Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together! After booking, you can check your email before downloading the Tour Guide App by Action, entering your unique password, and accessing your tour. The preceding steps require good internet/Wi-Fi access. Simply follow the audio instructions and the route from there. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. This is not an entrance ticket to attractions along the route. Check opening hours before your visit.