Big Bend National Park is an underrated destination for landscape photographers, hikers, and nature lovers. Not only is Big Bend NP home to a unique and varied desert beauty, but it also boasts some of the darkest night skies in the country!
I first visited Big Bend while photographing for a campaign with the National Park Foundation. I was tasked to explore the park to promote the best trails and vistas through photography.
Consider this your cheatsheet for taking home the best Big Bend National Park pictures possible. I spent a week photographing sunset, sunrise, and the famously dark night skies of Big Bend, and I have created this guide to share what I learned with first-time visitors.
This includes explanations on what makes each region unique, the best time of day to shoot, and professional tips on camera settings and compositions.
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๐ธ Regions to Photograph in Big Bend National Park
Big Bend is massive. I found it easier to consider logistically by breaking the park into the following five unofficial regions.
๐ Region 1: Exhibit Ridge
Exhibit Ridge is my favorite place in Big Bend National Park for capturing unique pictures.
You will find Exhibit Ridge on “Main Park Rd” as you enter Big Bend NP from the North (specifically from the town of Marathon).
The only official sights and trails along the way to Exhibit Ridge are Dagger Flats, Dog Canyon, and the Fossil Discovery Exhibit.
The Fossil Discovery Exhibit is certainly worth a quick look, but do not expect much in the way of photos.
What makes Exhibit Ridge so special is an area that is not on any official map. You will be looking for the unusual rock formations known as “hoodoos.”
You will see these rock formations and layered hills in the distance as you drive along Main Park Road, but you will have to hike in via the (usually) dried-up river bed of the Tornillo River.
You can access the riverbed from many places, but the easiest way is from the Fossil Discovery Exhibit.
The best time to explore the hoodoos is absolutely at sunrise when the angular light accentuates the textures in the rock. This shadow play and golden light really bring the hoodoos to life.
I also loved shooting some Milky Way photos here.
๐ Region 2: Grapevine Hills
The Grapevine Hills region is probably the worst-kept secret destination for Big Bend landscape photography.
At the end of a very rough 7-mile road, visitors will discover a fascinating tapestry of bubbled rock formations that glow the color of blood-orange in the evening. Splicing between these textures hills is a lone trail that leads to a popular geological phenomenon known as Balanced Rock.
As mentioned, the road here is very rough, and 4WD is recommended. More important than 4WD, however, is at least high clearance. There are some major potholes along the way, many of which occur on hills, making it dangerous for low-clearance vehicles to navigate.
If you are willing and able to make the journey, I recommend being prepared to stay through the night so that you can capture sunset, sunrise, and Milky Way here. Getting a picture of the Milky Way over Balanced Rock is probably the highest priority on most photographer’s Big Bend bucket list.
The colors in the hills are equally amazing during both morning and evening golden hours.
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๐ Region 3: Chisos Basin
The Chisos Mountains are the natural feature that set Big Bend National Park apart from other similar desert regions in the south. Adding these rugged rock mountains to the backdrop adds an important layer of interest to your pictures.
It is no wonder, then, that the Chisos Basin region is the most-visited part of the park. This area boasts some impressive elevated views, and also has the most trails available.
If you have already researched pictures of Big Bend National Park, you will have seen many from the popular Lost Mine Trail and South Rim trail, both of which are absolutely worth hiking if time permits.
However, I must admit that my favorite composition from Lost Mine Trail came within the first mile, where the trail hits a clearing and reveals an amazing view of the Chisos Mountains. This is particularly beautiful at sunrise.
The South Rim trail was a bit too long for me, but is definitely something to consider for those of you looking to wilderness camp.
For most mortals, I recommend shooting sunrise from the Lost Mine Trail and sunset from the Window View. During the right time of year, the sun will actually cross the horizon perfectly set within a natural rock frame known as “The Window”. You will likely have some company as this viewpoint requires no hike at all and is, perhaps, the most popular destination for Big Bend sunset pictures.
๐ Region 4a: Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive
Region 4 was broken down into 4a & 4b because both regions provide different photo opportunities, but will be part of one trip.
In order to access the incredible Santa Elena Canyon, you will “have to” drive the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. This beautiful stretch of roads traces the Chisos Mountains. Along the way, you will be treated to plenty of photo ops and natural features.
The best-known formation is the “Mule Ears,” which can be a fantastic subject for sunset pictures if you are fortunate to have some sky interest. They will be silhouetted at sunset and, accordingly, I found them a bit lackluster on a blue-sky day.
Other popular stops along the way are the Homer Wilson Ranch and Sotol Overlook. While I would definitely recommend stopping at each, neither felt like strong enough compositions for me to rank higher on the list. With that said, the Milky Way does rise directly over Homer Wilson Ranch which I wanted to try shooting but never had the opportunity.
For me, the best time to get pictures from the Ross Maxwell Road is during the evening golden hour. Sunset itself is unlikely to put on much of a show as you are driving through a bit of a valley, and will therefore be in shadow late into the evening. However, the Chisos Mountains reflect the golden and red hues of the setting sun very dramatically and provide a great backdrop.
Surprisingly, my favorite pictures from the drive came from the roadside pull-offs at Mile Marker 2 and 3.
๐ฉณ Region 4b: Santa Elena Canyon
At the end of the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive is the Santa Elena Canyon. Here, the Rio Grande river winds its way through towering limestone cliffs in a spectacular display.
First off, I think the casual visitor will find more interest in getting some quick “grab shots” here than perhaps any of the places above. The scene is naturally unique and beautiful, so it seems easy to get a pretty photo. I would argue that while it is easy to get something good, it is more challenging to get something great. My favorite photo of the region showed a Milky Way cutting right through the canyon, but turned out to be a fake. Don’t be fooled by everything you see!
With that said, I have seen some night photos here that I really liked, but otherwise found very little advantage in being here early or late enough for golden hours.
If time is plentiful, by all means plan to spend an evening here, but otherwise I suggest shooting around mid-day when the light is balanced and even and using your precious sunset time elsewhere.
๐ต Region 5: Rio Grande Village
The final region of the park and the one that I consider least photogenic is the Rio Grande Village.
This comes with a major caveat, however!
First, I must explain that there are plenty of great Big Bend pictures to be captured in this region! In particular, the viewpoint from the Nature Trail ranks high on my list of favorite places to shoot sunset in Big Bend.
I had also scouted a Milky Way composition that I think could have been intriguing from the beach on the Boquillas Canyon Trail.
With that said, the reason this ranked last says more about how beautiful I found other areas of the park. It is also because I could not access the Ernst Tinaja trail, which looks incredible enough to push things up a spot or two. Unfortunately, the road there is incredibly difficult and requires a proper rough-road vehicle.
Furthermore, the Hot Springs trail was also closed when I visited.
What I would say about the Rio Grande Village area is that there are experiences to be had, such as swimming in the Rio Grande, buying tamales from across the border along the walk, taking a soak in natural hot springs, and so on that do not translate as magically to a photograph.
Of the pictures I did keep, my favorites were from the Nature Trail viewpoint and taking the Boquillas Canyon Trail until it dead ends beyond the beach, looking back the way you came. The green water and looming canyon walls provide all the Big Bend feels you could ask for!
๐ When and Where to Get the Best Big Bend Pictures
Of course the term “best” is always subjective. To determine what I consider “best”, I took into consideration a few different factors:
- Strength of the composition
- Ease of access
- Potential for an “epic” shot
As an example, The Window View is the most popular spot for sunset in Big Bend. This ranks high on my personal recommendation list due to the absolute ease of access and being a strong composition with the natural framing of the rocks. However, even with the best sunset I have seen in recent memory, I would argue that the photos still do not make my “trophy wall”. More on that to come!
๐ Best Locations for Big Bend National Park Sunset Pictures
Unfortunately, I found sunrise to be a better time for most photoshoots, which means getting up very early. Still, whether you are a casual visitor or photography enthusiast, it is worth arranging your daily itineraries so that you end your day in one of these amazing places to capture a Big Bend sunset.
๐ Grapevine Hills
This was my favorite place for photographing sunset as I found the landscape more interesting here than anywhere else. The hills really pick up some fantastic color, and while I didn’t get the blockbuster sky I was hoping for, I still found the scene photogenic.
- Composition: 5
- Ease of Access: 2
- Potential: 5
- Overall Score: 12
๐ช The Window View
A 1-minute walk delivers you to a clear westerly view where the sun will, at times, be perfectly framed by V-shaped rocks.
- Composition: 3
- Ease of Access: 5
- Potential: 3
- Overall Score: 11
๐ Rio Grande Village Nature Trail
Just a half-mile hike in and up provides a really nice composition featuring the snaking Rio Grande as a leading line to the mountains and sunset. While I was not here for sunset, I did see images to confirm it as a solid choice.
- Composition: 3
- Ease of Access: 4
- Potential: 3
- Overall Score: 10
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โ๏ธ Best Locations for Big Bend National Park Sunrise Pictures
The good thing about getting sunrise pictures in Big Bend is that you are more likely to have great light and quiet scenes. The bad thing is that you have to be up very early!
I prefer sunsets as a rule as they are easier to prepare for. Being able to scout compositions and watch the light change is my easier going from day to night, but shooting sunrise means you are doing a lot of guesswork as you wander in the dark. Hopefully, this guide can help get you in the right direction.
๐ต Exhibit Ridge Hoodoos
As mentioned before, you can wander around the open desert and get very creative with the hoodoos, which get the most interesting light during sunrise. The hike is slightly tricky in the dark if you have never seen what you are looking for in the day, but stick to the river bed and there is no chance of getting lost.
- Composition: 5
- Ease of Access: 4
- Potential: 5
- Overall Score: 14
โฐ Lost Mine Trail Overlook
The Lost Mine Trail is 5+ miles, but fortunately my favorite view is just a mile up! From this first clearing, you will get a beautiful view over the Chisos Basin. I love the way the first light kisses the mountains. It is also good to get here for sunrise as the parking lot fills up very early.
- Composition: 4
- Ease of Access: 4
- Potential: 4
- Overall Score: 12
๐ Grapevine Hills
As beautiful for sunrise as sunset, the Grapevine Hills are a stunning place to take in a sunrise. There is no one specific composition necessarily, allowing you to be creative. Personally, I love the view looking back down the Balanced Rock trail capturing the entire valley.
- Composition: 5
- Ease of Access: 2
- Potential: 5
- Overall Score: 12
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๐ Best Locations for Big Bend National Park Milky Way Pictures
Photographers planning a trip to this remote destination are most likely interested in snapping off some Big Bend National Park pictures featuring the renown night skies. After all, Big Bend is home to the darkest night skies in the lower 48 states!
The following list is my favorite compositions and locations for getting Milky Way pictures in Big Bend.
โจ Exhibit Ridge Hoodoos
No surprise here! My favorite place to take night pictures in Big Bend National Park is wandering around the hoodoos of Exhibit Ridge. I’ve mentioned this in the blog already, but the fact that this is the one composition I have not seen photographed before made it all the more exciting for me.
- Composition: 5
- Ease of Access: 4
- Potential: 5
- Overall Score: 14
๐ชจ Balanced Rock
This is the classic Big Bend Milky Way picture. Photographers from all around drive all the way here and put their car through a bumpy ride just to capture this one shot of the Milky Way over the natural miracle known as Balanced Rock. I must admit, it is completely worth the effort.
- Composition: 5
- Ease of Access: 2
- Potential: 5
- Overall Score: 12
๐ Bonus: Grapevine Hills
While most people head straight to the Balanced Rock formation, I also enjoyed the view of the Milky Way over the Grapevine Hills from the trail. It many not be as striking as the main attraction, but I think it is worth shooting on your way in!
๐ Lost Mine Trail
If you’re noticing a correlation between sunrise destinations and Milky Way destinations in Big Bend, that is because both occur in the Southeastern skies. Accordingly, what is good for one tends to be good for the other, and the view from the first Lost Mine Trail overlook is no exception.
- Composition: 4
- Ease of Access: 4
- Potential: 4
- Overall Score: 12
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๐ท Places to Photograph Near Big Bend NP
As you leave or enter the park, there are a few other places to consider saving time to photograph as well.
๐ชฆ Terlingua
The main attraction in the nearby town of Terlingua is the cemetery. This is a particularly good option for the majority of you who will be staying nearby. From the cemetery, you get nice dark skies and plenty of opportunity for creative compositions using the above-ground graves for your subject with the Milky Way sky behind.
๐ค Big Bend Ranch State Park
If you have a Jeep or rugged vehicle of some kind, you may actually find more fun and adventure in the wild landscapes of Big Bend Ranch State Park than in the National Park. There are tons of dirt roads to explore with waterfalls, canyons, and scenic vistas.
Even if you are relegated to paved roads as I was, it is worth driving through the park and enjoying some spectacular overlooks.
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If you enjoyed the photos and writing in this guide, you may also find some of the following resources helpful:
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๐ง Final Thoughts on Capturing Epic Big Bend National Park Pictures
The two of us work very hard to create these free travel guides to help you plan your dream vacation. If you think we’ve done a good job and would like to say thanks, please consider clicking the donate button below ๐
My goal in photographing any place is to try to capture the essence of the place. What I found fun and challenging about getting such pictures in Big Bend was trying to fit such a unique, diverse, and grandiose landscape into still frames.
At the end of the trip, I will unabashedly say that I am very pleased with what I was able to capture.
I hope you have found this guide useful, inspirational, and/or informative in some way! As always, please leave a comment below if you believe anything to be inaccurate, or if you want to mention something I’ve missed.
I truly welcome all constructive feedback.
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What a beautiful landscape to photograph. I especially love the night shots with the bright stars in the sky.
Thank you so much Krista. The night skies truly are remarkable in Big Bend.
Wow! These shots are beautiful! I love the sunrise and sunset shots, the lighting look so soft and romantic. And the night shots, they are just stunning!
Thank you so much. It is definitely one of the most underrated national parks with so much beauty to offer.
These are amazing, you are very talented! I especially loved the astrophotography. This definitely seems like a photographers playground so many beautiful views to capture.
Thank you so much. That is the perfect description – it truly is a photographer’s playground!
found this site really helpful, and the photos look fantastic. Thank you!
Thank you much for taking the time to leave a comment. We’re glad you found the post helpful and appreciate your kind words ๐
This is fantastic- exactly what I needed! I’ll be traveling to Big Bend in May for landscape and Milky Way photography. Will only be there 2 1/2 days, and you saved me hours of scouting time! Thank you!
I love hearing this Chris! I hope you get great conditions and take home some winners ๐
As we plan our trip to Big Bend this article is both timely and very informative. I’ve gained more knowledge of the area and help with narrowing down my photography choice’s just in the 10 minutes of reading your guides! Thank you so much for this! Is there any way I can get this is booklet form- just makes it easier to read and keep with my other travel info.
Apologies for the late reply John! Unfortunately we do not have a booklet version but you may be able to copy and paste it into Word and create one yourself ๐