Developed campgrounds
Traditional "family style" campsites are available for a self-pay fee of $14/night. During the "reservation season" Nov 15-Apr 15, a limited number of these sites are reservable up to 180 days in advance — 26 at Chisos Basin and 43 at Rio Grande Village, with a limit of 8 people per campsite. For groups of 9 or more, there are a very limited number of designated "group" campsites at all three locations; these are by reservation only up to 360 days in advance and with a rate of $3/night. Those with a Senior Pass or Access Pass get a 50% discount on camping fees.
Reservations must be made at least 4 days before your arrival date and are not made through the park, but rather at +1 877-444-6777 or online (http://www.recreation.gov). Parking is limited, so there may be a bit of a walk from your vehicle to your actual site during the busy season. 10PM to 6AM are designated "quiet hours". Check in is 1PM and check out time is noon.
Chisos Basin Campground
A large high-country campground featuring 63 sites, it also has flush toilets and a dump station.
Cottonwood Campground
A shady, quiet riverside campground with 35 sites. only the group site is reservable; the rest are first-come-first-served. drinking water in spigot form and pit toilets are on-site. no generators are allowed.
Rio Grande Village Campground
The park's largest campground 100 sites; amenities include flush toilets, dump station, laundry facilities and showers.
Rio Grande Village RV Campground
Located next to the rio grande village store and offering 25 full hook-up sites the only such hook-ups within the park, this campground is strictly first-come-first-served register in the store and is operated by forever resorts, inc. fees are $27 + tax/night for two people with a $3/night charge per extra person.
Lodging
Chisos Mountains Lodge
The only hotel option within the park borders offers convenience as well as mind-blowing views, this can't be beat. Although far from luxurious, you are basically at the hub of park activity with numerous guest services just steps away. Various motel-style units are available the "Casa Grande" rooms are newest, as well as pricier stone cottages that can sleep up to 6. TVs are not included but can be rented for about $10 with a choice of 2 DVDs — but why would you need one? The Lodge, along with the restaurant, are not operated by the park but rather by concessioner Forever Resorts, Inc.
The Stillwell Store, just outside of the park's north entrance, offers full RV-hookups or cheap primitive camping with amenities on-site; expect to pay around from $5 for a primitive campsite up to $19 for an RV hook-up.
While there is only one hotel option within the park see below, there are several nice lodging options in the nearby Study Butte-Terlingua area, including some secluded getaways, as well as luxury accommodations in Lajitas the poshest place to stay in the area; all of which are relatively very close to the park.
If you don't mind the drive, your lodging options expand even more if you consider staying in the larger towns of Marathon, Alpine, Presidio, Marfa, or Fort Davis. Expect to add at least an extra hour of driving time one-way if basing yourself in one of these locations except Marathon, which is about a 40-50 minute drive.
Lodging and campsites are literally packed during the busy season Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's weekend, and during Spring Break — all but the most remote backcountry camp sites are filled up. Reserve ahead as far in advance as possible at least several months beforehand if you plan on staying during that time.
Camping at developed sites or in the backcountry is limited to 14 consecutive days, with a maximum of 28 days in any given year but no more than 14 nights in any given site. Wood and ground fires are not permitted in the park, as they would totally wreak havoc in this parched desert ecosystem. Be mindful of cigarettes and any portable heat sources, such as grills.
backcountry camping
To really get away from it all, get off the paved roads and into the backcountry. There are two types of backcountry camping — at one of many designated sites in the Chisos Mountains or "zone camping" for everywhere else. A backcountry permit is required for any overnight park use; also be sure to observe the backcountry regulations (http://www.nps.gov/bibe/p...), put in place to preserve the park for everyone's enjoyment.
When you obtain your permit, you must choose which site or zone you plan on staying at; the park provides very helpful maps or booklets that lay out your options the one for the Chisos Mountains, in particular, is chock-full of campsite descriptions, maps, and trip tips. In the Chisos Mountains, backcountry camping is permitted only at designated sites — these are 42 sites and they tend to be the most popular backcountry spots. Hiking in is the only way to reach them and you'll have to bring in all supplies. The Chisos is bear country, so be sure to store all food, liquids, and anything else odoriferous in the storage lockers provided at all sites, and don't leave food unattended.
If you plan on doing some backcountry hiking in the desert or are just craving the maximum amount of freedom, you can actually camp anywhere in the park again, except for the Chisos. There are also about 30 primitive roadside camping sites scattered throughout the park, accessible along the Rio Grande and from the many unpaved backroads — some of which may require a high-clearance possibly 4-wheel drive vehicle. Big Bend is divided into 5 zones: North, East, South, West, and Central, each of which is further divided into sub-zones nearly 40 in all. When obtaining your permit, it is simply a matter of choosing which one to stay in. There are some limitations to this freedom: you must stay at least 1/2 mile 800 m away from roads and out of sight of them, and 100 yards 90 m away from trails, water, cliffs, and structures. Groups are also limited to a maximum of 15 people any larger, and you have to split up, and cannot camp in zones that are adjacent.