Big Bend Ranch SP

— There is something about Big Bend Ranch State Park. For some, it is the vastness of the park. It is, after all, Texas’s largest state park with over 300,000 acres! There are also its rugged mountains, impressive views, and 238 miles (383 km) of trails to please hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. There is even a 5,500-foot (1,676-meter) paved airstrip if you don’t want to drive to the Sauceda Ranger Station pictured above.

There is a lot to do at the park, and you won’t be bored. The photo here was taken on my first visit back in 2009. The park truly deserves to be called “the other side of nowhere” because of its remoteness. To get to the Sauceda Ranger Station, one drives a 27-mile (43.5-km) gravel road off FM 170 (the River Road). I have done the drive on a sedan, so high-clearance vehicles are not required to get to the station. However, they will be a tremendous addition to your experience in the park if you want to drive the 70 miles (112.5 km) of unmaintained dirt roads scattered throughout the park.