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Contact: Don Corrick, 432-477-1107
Park officials have announced that the Chisos Basin area of the park will remain open this year throughout the park’s busy winter months. Construction projects in the Basin to replace the Chisos Mountains Lodge and the entire water distribution system will have a revised start date of May 1, 2026. The beginning of May generally marks the start of Big Bend’s hot season, and visitation to the park traditionally begins to greatly decrease at that time.
Facilities that will remain open during the upcoming fall, winter, and early spring include the Chisos Basin visitor center, Chisos Basin campground, and the entire Chisos Mountains trail system. The park’s concessioner, Casa Grande Hospitality, LLC, subsidiary of Aramark, will continue to offer visitor services in the Basin such as food services and the camper store. Lodging options will also reopen in the Basin and visitors should check directly with Casa Grande Hospitality, LLC, subsidiary of Aramark, for availability of these amenities by visiting their website at www.chisosmountainslodge.com. Reservations for campsites should be made at www.recreation.gov.
Next summer, thanks to funding from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund, construction work on significant improvements to the Chisos Basin area of the park is expected to begin on May 1, 2026, and continue for approximately two years. As work begins, the Chisos Basin area will be closed to visitor entry. This includes the Basin Road, lodging units, Basin Campground, restaurant, NPS visitor center, camper store, and trails within the Basin area. This work will ONLY affect the Chisos Basin area of Big Bend National Park. As major components are completed, park managers will assess which areas can be safely reopened to regular public access.
During the work in the Chisos Basin, Big Bend National Park will remain OPEN year-round with over 800,000 acres of canyons, desert, historic sites, diverse wildlife, scenic drives, backcountry roads, and over 150 miles of hiking trails for visitors from around the world to enjoy.
Information is regularly updated at:
https://go.nps.gov/chisosbasinfuture
Last updated: August 20, 2025