Backcountry Camping Closures

Closure sign near the Boot Canyon Trail junction.

NPS/Big Bend National Park

 

Closed Areas

Parts of the backcountry are closed to backpacking:

• Within 1/2 mile of any developed area, road, the Mariscal Mine, or Hot Springs.
• Within 100 yards of any trail, historical structure, archaeological site, water source, dry wash or cliff edge.
• Pine Canyon Research Natural Area.
• On Burro Mesa above 3,400 feet elevation.
• The north half of the Chisos Mountains, the Basin, and the area around Oak Spring.
• Within 500 yards of any tinaja on the Mesa de Anguila.

Seasonal Closures

To protect the peregrine falcon, an endangered species, the following areas of the park are closed to all use from February 1 until May 31 each year:

• The Southeast Rim Trail and a portion of the Northeast Rim Trail from the Boot Canyon/Southeast Rim junction to a point just north of Campsite NE-4.
• All Southeast Rim campsites as well as Northeast (NE) campsites 4 and 5 are closed during this period. Technical rock climbing on rock faces within ¼ mile of known peregrine eyries, as posted, will not be allowed between February 1 and May 31.

The park does not plan to close any other areas but restrictions may be modified if Peregrine behavior or nesting sites do not follow traditional trends.