Getting Oriented in Big Bend National Park

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• Chisos Basin. This bowl-shape canyon amid the Chisos Mountains is at the heart of Big Bend. It's a trailhead for numerous hikes and a prime place to watch a sunset through a "fracture" in the bowl known as the Window.
• Castolon. Just east of Santa Elena Canyon, this cluster of adobe dwellings was once used by ranchers and the U.S. military, earning it a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Rio Grande Village. Tall, shady cottonwoods highlight the park's eastern fringe along the Mexican border and Rio Grande. It's popular with RVers and bird-watchers.
• North Rosillos. Dinosaur fossils have been found in this remote, northern portion of the park that sees very few visitors. Comprising primarily back roads, this is where nomadic warriors traveled into Mexico via the Comanche Trail.