• Big Bend National Park - Fossil Bone Exhibit - This tour lasts approximately two to three hours, with an option for a one-hour detour midway if you wish to extend your adventure. This detour leads to the remnants of a historic village by the Rio Grande and a hot springs hiking trail. A notification will be provided as we approach.

Note: This 72-mile-long tour highlights the essentials of Big Bend in 3-4 hours.

Purchase once, enjoy for a year! Perfect for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.

• Entrance Station - Located near Alpine, Texas, Big Bend National Park’s entrance station serves as the main gateway to this vast and rugged national park. The entrance station is a simple structure, often featuring a small building with a rustic design that harmonizes with the surrounding desert landscape. Visitors are welcomed by a sign marking the park’s entrance, typically displaying the park’s name and emblem.

• Chihuahuan Desert - The Chihuahuan Desert surrounds us—a desert so vast that the entire country of France could fit comfortably within it! Don’t let the name “chihuahua” mislead you into thinking this is a small desert. It spans across Texas, New Mexico, and several Mexican states. This desert gives its name to the state of Chihuahua, which is also where the little dogs originated, hence their name!

• Sierra Del Carmen - These mountains border the park along the Mexican side of the Rio Grande. With no rivers, roads, or towns in the Sierra, the region is known as one of the most remote places on earth!

• Chisos Mountains - Named after the Chizos tribe, these mountains stand out as forested amidst the desert landscape of Big Bend. How does this green oasis exist in a sea of brown? It’s a sky island.

• Fossil Discovery Exhibit - Opened in 2017, this exhibit showcases replicas of some of the most renowned fossils found in Big Bend. Paleontologists have been diligently working here for years, unearthing over 1,200 fossils! This is also the only National Park where rocks from the Cretaceous period have been discovered!

• Avery Canyon - Named after J.C. Avery, who ranched here in the early 1900s. During this period in Big Bend’s history, settlements began to emerge rapidly. The influx of people was due to the expanding railroad, which reached the nearby town of Marathon in the 1880s. With the addition of 4,000 miles of tracks, Brewster County was established—that’s the county we’re traveling through now.

• Chisos Mountains - The Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park rise majestically from the desert floor, offering a striking contrast to the surrounding arid landscape. These rugged, forested peaks are often shrouded in mist, with their rocky crags and lush greenery providing a haven for diverse wildlife. The dramatic vistas from the mountain trails reveal sweeping views of the park’s vast expanse, punctuated by deep canyons and the winding Rio Grande.

• Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive - Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive in Big Bend National Park winds through some of the park’s most stunning and diverse landscapes, from sweeping desert vistas to rugged canyons. The drive offers panoramic views of the Chisos Mountains, Santa Elena Canyon, and the vastness of the Chihuahuan Desert, with frequent pullouts for scenic overlooks and photo opportunities.

• Marfa Lights Viewing Area - One night in 1883, a young cowhand was driving cattle back to a ranch when he saw something strange. A flicker of light, intense and brief, off in Big Bend’s distance. He continued traveling after a moment, assuming it was simply an Apache fire. But the next day the young man talked with other settlers, who’d also seen the inexplicable lights.

• Sam Nail Ranch - This 15,000-acre ranch operated for nearly 40 years and witnessed a whole lot of Big Bend history. In 1916, two brothers set out for Brewster County during the ranching boom. America saw an increase in homesteads since the government encouraged folks to grow their own food and conserve resources during the first World War.

• Lower Burro Mesa Pour-off Trail - Long before miners came to this area in the 1900s, Burro Mesa was one of the most valuable natural resource sites around. 13,000 years ago, hunter-gatherers during the prehistoric period found something called chert here. This colorful sedimentary rock was perfect for stone tools like spearheads for hunting.

• Homer Wilson Ranch - You’ll also get a scenic view of the Blue Creek Valley—the same sight that probably drew Wilson to settle here in 1929. As a World War I veteran, Wilson returned to Texas looking for a peaceful place to build a home for his family.

• Sotol Vista - Sotol Vista Overlook in Big Bend National Park offers breathtaking panoramic views of the expansive desert landscape, with the rugged Chisos Mountains silhouetted against the horizon. From this vantage point, visitors can see the vastness of the Chihuahuan Desert stretching out below, punctuated by the Rio Grande and distant canyons.

• Mule Ears Spring Trail - The odd geological formation is made up of rhyolite—a type of volcanic rock. But how did the unnatural ears form? Two words: Geological dikes. These occur when magma flows into the crack of an existing rock mass, then it cools and solidifies.

• Terlingua - On the outskirts of Big Bend sits Terlingua, a mining district turned ghost town. The name derives from tres lenguas, or referring to the three languages that were spoken during its founding—English, Spanish, and Lipan Apache. At one point, Terlingua was a sleepy Mexican village that sprung up near the Rio Grande.

• Tuff Canyon Overlook - We’re approaching Tuff Canyon Overlook, where you’ll get a chance to observe a deep canyon gouged in Big Bend’s landscape. The muddle of red and tan rock is evidence of the region’s volcanic years.

• Cerro Castellan - This majestic mountain is the subject of many photos and even more questions. How did Cerro Castellan form? What is the red-orange surface made of?

• Castolon Historic District - We’re about to enter the Castolon Historic District. I know, it doesn’t look like much. But pretty soon you’ll see a few historic buildings off to our right—some of the only remnants of the pre-park days here.

• Santa Elena Canyon River Access - Want to get up close and personal with the Rio Grande? Our best chance is just ahead! We’ll soon reach a great spot for river access, where plenty of folks come to hang out by the river’s edge.

• Santa Elena Canyon - Here you’ll get a jaw-dropping view of the limestone cliffs. If you take a moment to look over the edge, you’ll see the Rio Grande plunging 1,500 feet below. So, how did the landscape take such a dramatic shape?

• Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone
• Great value: purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!
• Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
• Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
• Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
• Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
• Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
• Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!

• Attraction passes, entry tickets, or reservations

Explore the authentic American West with a self-guided driving tour of Big Bend National Park, Texas. Journey through expansive desert landscapes under the Chisos Mountains’ shadow. Discover the rich history of Spanish presidios, Comanche Moon raids, and legendary cursed silver in the mountains. Enjoy breathtaking views from Sotol Vista and Tuff Canyon Overlook, and explore the historic town of Castolon. This park is a hidden treasure waiting to be explored!

Purchase one tour per vehicle, not per individual. Everyone can listen together!

After booking, check your email to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action, enter your unique password, and access your tour. These steps require a reliable internet/Wi-Fi connection. Then, follow the audio instructions and the route.

Buy once and use for a year! Perfect for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.

This is not an entrance ticket. Please check opening hours before your visit.

• How to access: Once you book a tour, you’ll get a confirmation email and text with instructions: • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password • Download the tour MUST DO while in strong wifi/cellular Works offline after download
• How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
• Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
• Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
• Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
• Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.