Big Bend National Park has the kind of vastness that makes you wonder “how many years would it take anyone to realize I had disappeared out here?”I’m going to guess at least a week.

It’s about two houtahoe blog big bend signrs off the main highway, and that’s due south: which means in the summer, it’s at least 110 degrees. In fact, I thought my air conditioning was broken, but it turns out there’s just zero impact from AC when it’s, scientifically, hot AF.

There are several entrances in, but no matter where you enter, you’ll want to make your way to Santa Elena canyon, which is sort of the view Big Bend is known for. It’s at the bottom of the park (which is south of Mexico, literally at the edge of the U.S.) so make sure to plan accordingly with enough gas and water to get you there. There is apparently some great hiking around the canyon, but it was too muddy when I was there to get very far without sinking knee deep.

Since I was by myself in an area I didn’t know with all my valuables in my car, I decided to drive back via “Black Gap Road,” the one literally described on the park map as “not maintained” and “not recommended for most vehicles.” Away I went.

A solo road trip through Big Bend National Park Turns out the warning was not without reason. Not only did I roll over rocks and holes my SUV was never intended for, I literally had to stop on two or three occasions and figure out how, exactly, to make it around certain obstacles in the road. But if you’re up for it, there are historical sites where people somehow managed to live (without overheating and dying!) and, of course, gigantic jackrabbits and tumbleweeds, both of which you’re likely to see. Hopefully, it’s only the tumbleweeds you have to pull off your car.

You won’t see another person for miles (or at least I didn’t,) so if the idea of potentially getting stuck in the middle of nowhere doesn’t appeal to you, you may want to stick to the main roads in Big Bend.

The park is amazing and my photos don’t even begin to do it justice. Big Bend is also very close to Contrabando and Terlingua Ghost Towns, both of which are can’t-miss destinations if you’re anywhere near Big Bend.