Park scenic drive, Big Bend National Park · Texas

Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive

About 30 miles across Big Bend's Chihuahuan Desert, past old ranches and volcanic peaks, to Castolon and Santa Elena Canyon on the Rio Grande.

Also known as Big Bend National Park

Along the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive

Photo: Jonathan Cutrer, CC BY 2.0, source

  • LengthAbout 30 miles[1]
  • Drive timeNot verified
  • RoadsNot verified
  • Start and endFrom the main park road to Castolon and Santa Elena Canyon[1]
  • Fees and passesBig Bend National Park entrance fee: $30 per private vehicle, valid 7 days.[2]
  • Best seasonNot verified
  • SurfaceNot verified
  • Vehicle notesDistances between services in the park are long; bring plenty of gas, food and water.[2]
  • Seasonal closuresThe park is open 24 hours a day, all year.[3]

Before you go

Road status and weather can change quickly. Check the official road-conditions link before you go.

Facts last checked against the sources on October 22, 2026.

About the drive

Texas has no federally designated byways, so we start with the Park Service's own showcase drive. The Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive runs about 30 miles through the west side of Big Bend National Park to the Rio Grande.

It passes the ruins of early 1900s ranches, Sotol Vista, and the twin Mule Ears Peaks, then reaches the historic Castolon district and ends at Santa Elena Canyon, where the river has cut a 1,500-foot chasm through limestone.

Services are far apart in Big Bend. Fill up and bring water before you set out.

Stops along the way

  1. Sam Nail Ranch

    Early 1900s ranch site with a desert oasis.

    Official information · 29.27921, -103.36866

  2. Homer Wilson Ranch Overlook

    View of a historic ranch on Blue Creek.

    Official information · 29.21641, -103.36906

  3. Sotol Vista

    Overlook about 8 miles in, with Santa Elena Canyon visible far off.

    Official information · 29.21473, -103.37737

  4. Mule Ears Overlook

    View of the twin Mule Ears Peaks.

    Official information · 29.16634, -103.4354

  5. Castolon Historic District

    Old trading post and army camp on the Rio Grande.

    Official information · 29.13406, -103.5145

  6. Santa Elena Canyon Overlook

    End of the drive at the mouth of a 1,500-foot limestone canyon.

    Official information · 29.16845, -103.60376

Stops are listed in order along the route; the numbers match the map. Stop locations come from the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey place-names database, the stop's own official page or, where noted in the data, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors).

Sources

  1. Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, Big Bend National Park (NPS) (checked 2026-10-22)
  2. Big Bend National Park: fees (NPS) (checked 2026-10-22)
  3. Big Bend National Park: operating hours (NPS) (checked 2026-10-22)
  4. Route line: U.S. DOT scenic byways map service (geo.dot.gov), retrieved 2026-10-22.

Written by VanillaGoods from the cited official sources. This is a drive to know, not a ranking. Road status and weather can change quickly; check the official road-conditions link before you go.

Spot something out of date? Email help@vanillagoods.com (help@vanillagoods.com).

More drives in Texas · All scenic drives