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Big Bend National ParkHiking the Pine Canyon Trail
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Big Bend National Park
Backpacking for Organized Groups
A group dayhiking on the Boot Canyon Trail

NPS/Eric Leonard

Many groups come and enjoy hiking, camping, backpacking, and other activities in Big Bend National Park.

Bringing large groups into the backcountry can pose many challenges, as the chance for negative impacts on the resources of Big Bend increases with the number of people using them. No overnight backcountry camping group or party can be larger than 15 person. In open-zone areas groups larger than 15 must camp in non-adjacent zones (separated by paved or unpaved roads).

In the High Chisos area, a number of designated campsites can accommodate groups, though it may be necessary to split into a number of nearby sites. As advance reservations for permits are not possible, it is best to plan ahead and have a number of alternative sites if your first choice is not available.

Campsite # of Persons # of Tents
Pinnacles 3 (PI-3) 15 5
Colima 1 (CO-1) 15 5
Boot Canyon 2 (BC-2) 12 5
Northeast 4 (NE-4) 10 5
Southeast 3 (SE-3) 10 5
Southwest 3 (SW-3) 10 4
Laguna Meadow 2 (LM-2) 10 5
Fur trading at Johnson's Ranch  

Did You Know?
Border trading posts were located on the Texas side of the Rio Grande because it was easier to obtain supplies from the United States markets. These operators not only sold merchandise but purchased products from their customers who could, in turn, purchase store items as needed.
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Last Updated: September 01, 2006 at 17:23 EST