Backcountry Road Info at Big Bend
Glad to hear you're making a trip to Big Bend. The national park has several backcountry roads rated as 4WD although 4WD in the national park is usually not considered necessary unless it has rained. If it has rained most agree to stay away. High clearance, though, is very helpful. There six 4WD roads. Here is the list and my limited knowledge:
1) Old Ore - 4 - 8 hours, 26 miles, very enjoyable drive
2) Glen Spring - mostly not too bad except for one section
3) Black Gap - Notoriously the worst. There is one significant ledge that may require stacking large rocks to navigate. This road is not maintained.
4) River Road - Doing this road in a single day is considered one of the rites of passage in Big Bend. Over 50 miles. A two day with an overnight stop will be much more enjoyable.
5) Dagger Flat - Short drive, recently graded - mostly only worth the effort when the dagger yucca are in bloom
6) Old Maverick - Not much info on this one.
I've driven Dagger Flat and Old Ore. I definitely recommend Old Ore. Last time we camped along Old Ore at the La Noria. Here is my campsite:
It is just a remote as it looks.
If you want to prepare for a trip to Big Bend, your best resource is the forum at
http://www.bigbendchat.com which includes an are where the back country roads are discussed. I'll be watching out for any questions you post.
It sounds like you have found the State Park website so you have probably found this publication:
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/...cations/pwd_bk_p4501_0152k_RoadsToNowhere.pdf
It should tell you everything you need to know about driving in the State Park. As a rule, the 4x4 designations at the national park are considered to be very conservative, the state park not so much.
I see you are planning to go in the summer. You need to make sure you understand the environment there in the summer, especially the need for sufficient water and some form of shade with you. If you break down on a back country road in Big Bend it may be days before someone else drives by. If you run out of water you may die that day. Common recommendations are to have 1 gal of water per day per person if you are just sitting in the shade and to have at least 3 days worth of water with you as well as some for your vehicle.
Sorry if you know all of this.
I love Big Bend. I hope you have a great time but I would plan a trip in the cooler months if I were you.
Here are some photos from a couple of my recent trips which will hopefully keep up your interest.
http://thornsberry.smugmug.com/Travel/Texas/2011-2012-Big-Bend/20911730_fXF7MN
http://thornsberry.smugmug.com/Travel/Texas/Big-Bend-Spring-Break-2012/22008715_XM4VP3
