Big Bend protects 800,000 acres of the most remote landscape in the contiguous United States — the great southern bend of the Rio Grande forms the entire 118-mile international boundary of the park, and the Chisos Mountains rise 4,000 ft above the Chihuahuan Desert floor as the only mountain range entirely within a US national park. There are no major cities within 200 miles. The park sees about 500,000 visitors per year — a fraction of what the marquee parks pull — and has an International Dark Sky Park designation rated among the very darkest in North America. The standard route from any direction is through Fort Stockton on I-10 (Exit 257), then 130 mi south on US-385 to the Persimmon Gap (north) Entrance. The Maverick (west) Entrance is reached by US-67 from Marfa via TX-118.
- Largest protected stretch of Chihuahuan Desert in the US (800,000 acres)
- 118 miles of Rio Grande border with Mexico — entire southern park boundary
- Chisos Mountains: only mountain range entirely within a US national park
- Designated an International Dark Sky Park — among the darkest measured skies in North America
- About 500,000 visitors per year; nearest interstate (I-10) is 130 mi away
