Bike the Parks

Parks / Texas

Big Bend National Park

Winter desert miles: big paved descents and lonely dirt roads to the Rio Grande.

4/5
Great riding

Hundreds of miles of quiet paved and dirt roads through the Chihuahuan Desert make it a winter destination for gravel riders and bikepackers.

Riding here

Big Bend is vast and empty, and its roads are the way to see it. Paved routes drop from Panther Junction to the Rio Grande and climb into the Chisos Basin, while a web of dirt roads like Old Maverick and Old Ore crosses open desert. Riders come in the cooler months for long days and multi-day loops, carrying everything they need because services are far apart.

Where you can ride

Bikes, including e-bikes, may use any park road, paved or dirt. The park lists recommended paved rides (Rio Grande Village, Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, the Chisos Basin) and dirt rides (Old Maverick, Old Ore, Glenn Spring to River Road, Grapevine Hills, Paint Gap, Dagger Flat).

Where you can't

No riding off-road or on any trail.

Rides

  • Panther Junction to Rio Grande Village

    • Road
    • 20 mi one way
    • Paved
    • Easy

    Mostly downhill, losing about 1,900 feet to the river; plan a shuttle or a long climb back. NPS estimates 1.5 to 2.5 hours.

    Start: Panther Junction

  • Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive to Castolon

    • Road
    • 35 mi from Panther Junction
    • Paved
    • Hard

    A strenuous paved ride past mountain viewpoints to the historic Castolon area near Santa Elena Canyon. Allow 3 to 6 hours.

    Start: Panther Junction

  • Chisos Basin climb

    • Road
    • 20 mi round trip from Panther Junction
    • 1,650 ft climbing
    • Paved
    • Hard

    The park's big climb, with grades up to 15 percent and a 45 mph speed limit for the cars beside you.

    Start: Panther Junction

  • Old Maverick Road

    • Gravel
    • 13 mi one way
    • Dirt
    • Easy

    An easy dirt road across open desert to Santa Elena Canyon; NPS suggests riding it north to south.

    Start: West side, off Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive

  • Old Ore Road

    • Gravel
    • 26 mi one way
    • Rough dirt
    • Hard

    A rugged, remote road along the eastern foothills, best ridden north to south. Allow 4 to 6 hours.

    Start: North end near Dagger Flat turnoff

When to go

Cool-season riding is the draw. May through September brings dangerous heat, and traffic peaks from March to early April and on holiday weekends.

Safety

Paved roads are narrow with little or no shoulder: ride single file in bright clothing. Carry far more water than you think; services are many miles apart and summer temperatures are extreme. Sand and washouts can stop you on dirt roads after storms.

E-bikes

E-bikes may use the same park roads as regular bikes; the bicycling page gives no further e-bike rules.

Fees

Arriving by bike, you pay the park's individual (per-person) entrance fee, normally valid for 7 days, or ride in on an annual or America the Beautiful pass. Amounts change, so check the park's Fees & Passes page. Overnight trips using the park's primitive roadside campsites need a backcountry permit.

Rentals, tours and shuttles

  • Your bike shop hereSample listing

    This spot is for one rental shop, guide service or shuttle near Big Bend: your name, what you offer, and a link straight to your booking page, at the top of this section.

    Feature your shop on this page, free until spring 2027

Run a shop near Big Bend? Add it here.

Sources

Checked November 2026 against these sources. Rules, closures and fees change; confirm with the park before you ride.

  1. Bicycling — Big Bend National Park (NPS)
  2. Improved Dirt Roads — Big Bend (NPS)
  3. Primitive Dirt Roads — Big Bend (NPS)

Edited by David Bussell. Spot something out of date? Tell us.

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