Top Desert Parks: Big Bend National Park, Texas

Big Bend is the most remote national park in the West (excluding Alaska), 98 miles from the nearest major town along scenic roads that traverse almost completely undeveloped land. The park adjoins the Rio Grande in west Texas, and contains a beguiling mix of desert, canyon and mountain scenery, with many and varied species of wildlife and plants, including over 60 varieties of cactus. Landscape features include narrow ravines, colorful badlands, eroded rock formations, sand dunes, desert plains, dry washes and oases. The park has many trails, a good road network, and plenty of visitor facilities.

Big Bend: details, map