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Originally Posted by sourdough
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I hope you like it. I like taking the back trails; quite a few old 4x4 trails with a lot of historical stuff but don't know if you want to do that with the camper. Check out the history at the park office. Be sure and check out Terlingua and if you have time cruise over to Lajitas (short drive). Depending on where you stay there might be a place to eat.....or not. If you stay anywhere near Terlingua try the La Kiva. Not a mega dollar restaurant but good food and a unique place. We've always enjoyed it. Haven't been since the long time owner died but I think it's still pretty good from what I've read (trying to schedule a trip back).
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We have been camping in the La Kiva campground since the 80s.
When Gil Felts, the guy that built the original oasis, died, his nephew Glen took over and he was over his head... he could barely manage keeping the bar/restaurant going so the campground suffered, but he let us stay in the dilapidated campground, for free, as long as we frequented the La Kiva... we did not mind, the food was good, the drinks were cheap, Glen was a great guy, there was usually live music and lots of locals that made it interesting.
Glen was murdered 4 years ago and the new owners, John Holroyd & his wife Jossie, spent a ton of money fixing up the La Kiva. Since it had changed owners it needed to be brought up to current code standards.
By The time John came into the picture Glen had bulldozed the RV campground, which used to have full hookups and stately cottonwood trees and there was very little left of the tent campground, but John would let us camp there, as long as we frequented the La Kiva :-)
They are truly awesome people and the improvements they have made will allow the La Kiva to endure for a long time.
Check it out, it is a really unique and quirky place, the food is good, they usually have live music, the drinks are great and the people are fantastic.
I read somewhere that it is was one of 50 bars in the US that you need to visit, before you die.
As for camping in the area, most of the campgrounds have little to offer, other than hookups, which are a good thing to have, so pick one that is close to what you want to do.
I think the next time we go, we will just stay in the one in Study Butte, by the store and hotel, since it is centrally located and there is only one campground in the NP with hookups that it is, literally, 100 miles from anywhere.
The Big Bend Ranch SP is worth seeing too, 4WD is a plus, everywhere, if you go.
The motto down there is "we are all here, because we are not all there", it is definitely as different state of mind and for us, the year is not complete unless we have been.
-Brian