Big Bend Camping
 

We're planning a (tent) camping trip to Big Bend for next Spring and I need help with reservations. As I search, I see there is a national park and a state park, and I don't see that either offers any electrical or water hookups. Is that right? It's important to me that the campsites not be crowded together. (I loved Yellowstone, but the campgrounds were miserable). Advice on which park or campground would be best for us?

The state park is fairly remote and not at all convenient to the national park.

In the national park, I don't believe any tent sites have hookups. Cottonwood is the quietest but I don't think they take reservations. Some of the sites at the Basin campground are fairly well screened from each other. Those tend to be at the far end of the campground. Same foes for Rio Grande, the sites at the far end (generator free zone) are better screened from each other than anywhere else.

Of course, being screened means there is brush around them so you'll need to watch for critters, especially at night.

If you really want something non-crowded try to get a roadside campsite. Those are going to be really hard to come by over spring break.

Does this look like what you're looking for? http://www.bigbendresortadventures.com/RVpark
Bring your own 5 gallon container of good tasting water and only use the camp water for washing dishes.
If you need 120V power for tent camping get an inverter to hook to your battery.

Surely you want to be in the National Park? I didn't look at the campsite when we were there 2 years ago. However, we were there during spring break and it is virtually a ghost town compared to Yellowstone, IMOP. Look on youtube and even google photos. Just search Big Bend Camping and it will give you an idea.

The RV park that tomfuller linked to is in Study Butte just outside the park, but it is basically a dirt/crushed rock lot. You would not be happy there if you're looking for a quiet/nature experience.

Spring Break is the busiest time of the year in Big Bend. It somewhat depends on when you have spring break compared to the Texas schools. When Texas schools are on break every campsite in the park will be taken.

We were there March 15, 2012. The lodge had availability and we never saw more than us and 1 other table eating at the restaurant. The weather was perfect, so that wasn't it. I imagined it to be busy, but it just wasn't the case when we were there.

We were there for 3 nights

Define "Spring." May is not "Spring." I camped at the RGV one May and it was well over 100 deg F at the Camp Store.

The Basin sites are at higher elevation and the air has more of a mountain quality. The Cottonwood site offers some shade, but it is at river level; it will be hotter and more humid there.

I have stayed in the Basin cabins, too. There is a store there and an interpretative center.

You can now cross into Mexico from Big Bend. Be sure to take your US PP or PP Card to reenter.