Covering more than 300,000 acres of Chihuahuan Desert wilderness, Big Bend Ranch is the largest state park in Texas. Its mountains, canyons, and waterfalls make it a visually and physically engaging place, and archeological evidence supports human activity in this area for over 11,000 years, as diverse people and cultures have been drawn by the abundant resources of the Rio Grande River corridor. Ranching and mining were common modern-day enterprises.

Embracing some of the most remote and rugged terrain in the Southwest, the primary attraction of the Big Bend country is its scenery, and here, scenery is geology. The mountains, canyons, plateaus, rivers and waterfalls are all the direct result of geologic processes of mountain building, volcanism, rock formation, subsequent faulting, folding, weathering and erosion. Geology and resultant landforms ultimately determine where and how the region’s plants, animals and humans live. The park also provides birdwatchers opportunities to explore Chihuahuan Desert habitats including grasslands, desert scrub, canyons, and riparian woodlands and thickets.

Other activities include hiking and mountain biking, horseback riding, 4X4 touring, rafting, canoeing, and fishing. Raft trips may be arranged through local outfitters in Terlingua and Study Butte. Park permits for backpacking and camping (no hookups) are available at the park's two visitor centers - Fort Leaton State Historic Site to the west near Presidio, and Barton Warnock Visitor Center on the eastern edge of the park near Lajitas. Visitors can also purchase river-use permits, licenses, and information about the Big Bend region.