- Alpine
Terlingua Ranch Primitive Camp
Hosted by Terlingua · Alpine, Texas
20 sites · RV, Tent · 425 acres
Amazing views
Hipcampers say this spot has amazing views.
Family-friendly
Recent Hipcampers say this Hipcamp is great for families and kids.
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Tent-only sites
11 sites
Instant book
Lower Primitive Camping - Site B
97%
(31)Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Showers
Picnic table
Instant book
Lower primitive camping - Site A
93%
(28)Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Showers
Picnic table
Instant book
Lower Primitive Camping - Site C
79%
(12)Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Showers
Picnic table
Instant book
Lower Primitive Camping - Site D
100%
(4)Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Showers
Picnic table
Instant book
Lower Primitive Campin - Group Site
100%
(3)Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Showers
Picnic table
Instant book
Lower Primitive Camping - Site E
100%
(2)Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Showers
Picnic table
Instant book
Lower Primitive Camping - Site F
100%
(1)Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Showers
Picnic table
Instant book
Lower Primitive Camping - Site H
100%
(1)Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Showers
Picnic table
Instant book
Lower Primitive Camping - Site I
100%
(1)Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Showers
Picnic table
Instant book
Lower Primitive Camping - Site J
100%
(1)Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Showers
Picnic table
Instant book
Lower Primitive Camping - Site G
Booked 3 times
Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Showers
Picnic table
RV/tent sites
9 sites
Instant book
Upper primitive camp - site 7
100%
(20)Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Instant book
Upper primitive camp - site 6
89%
(14)Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Instant book
Upper primitive camp - site 5
100%
(12)Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Instant book
Lower RV - Site 1
100%
(5)Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Electrical hookup
Water hookup
Instant book
Lower RV - site 2
100%
(3)Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Electrical hookup
Water hookup
Instant book
Lower RV - site 3
83%
(3)Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Electrical hookup
Water hookup
Instant book
Upper Primitive Camp - Site 3
100%
(3)Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Instant book
Upper Primitive Camp - Site 2
100%
(2)Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Instant book
Lower RV - site 4
100%
(1)Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Electrical hookup
Water hookup
Reviews
95% Recommend150 ratings · 111 reviews
Recommends
· April 2026
Wonderful night sky views, great bathroom facilities, camp store, etc.
M
Montana J.
1 month on Hipcamp
Recommends
· April 2026
Tent · With kids ·
Lower Primitive Camping - Site D
Very private and quiet. Beautiful every direction I looked. The pool is well maintained. When I needed anything, the staff was very helpful. My 2 Granddaughters traveled with me and they loved being there.
Susan L.
1 month on Hipcamp
Recommends
· March 2026
17 ft rooftop tent ·
Lower RV - Site 1
Beautiful location of the night skis
Very pleasant
B
Blanca T.
3 months on Hipcamp
Recommends
· March 2026
I had a great stay here. Do note that it is a ways from the main road which is itself pretty far from anywhere. But the ranch itself has everything you need to include very helpful staff. Beautiful views of the mountains from my site along with some great stargazing. Facilities were clean and well maintained and the nights were quiet and peaceful.
C
Colin S.
2 reviews
Recommends
· March 2026
This was more than a camping spot. The journey, the views, the people, and did I mention the views?
You may find something closer to wherever you’re doing but you’ll miss out.
I will now always camp here when I’m visiting Big Bend an if you don’t, you’re missing out.
B
Benjamin G.
3 months on Hipcamp
Recommends
· March 2026
I loved camping out here! Definitely make sure you have a full tank of gas and the food you need before arriving. My car wouldn’t turn on and needed a jump start and they had cables and where able to help out love this place!
J
Jadyn H.
3 reviews
Recommends
· March 2026
Nice campsite. Having a heated shower and toilets close plus a staffed restaurant was a bonus.
S
Steven H.
1 month on Hipcamp
Recommends
· March 2026
22 ft travel trailer · With kids ·
Lower RV - site 2
Great spot overall. Super friendly service, great food, tons of wildlife, and beautiful views.
A few things to keep in mind:
It’s about an extra 30 minutes out of the way. In an area where most things are already an hour drive, that time adds up. That said, you really don’t need to leave camp, just something to be aware of.
The sites are a bit tight. Not a huge issue, but the photos made it feel more secluded than it actually is.
The pool wasn’t working during our stay, which was a dealbreaker for us with five young kids since there isn’t a ton for them to do otherwise. It would’ve been helpful to know ahead of time, though it sounded like the reopening timing was changing day to day. We ended up moving to another place that wasn’t as nice but did have a pool. Not necessarily a knock on Terlingua Ranch, just our situation.
The on-site restaurant was great. Simple menu, but everything was done really well and had what we needed.
Overall, I would go back 100% on an adult trip, or with kids if the pool was open.
Wesley O.
2 reviews
Recommends
· March 2026
Tent · With pets ·
Lower Primitive Campin - Group Site
Ti be honest at first I was a bit scared, driving in the middle of nowhere what seems at first.. specially with a 2 year old granddaughter and first camping experience for all of us. But once we got there and meeting tje surrounding area and people, I felt more at ease... the scenery is spectacular, beautiful... and the surrounding hills... I t was an amazing experience.... I will do it again!
D
De Anna G.
2 reviews
Recommends
· March 2026
Tent · With kids ·
Lower primitive camping - Site A
We greatly enjoyed our trip to Big Bend and our stay at Terlingua Ranch camping area. The primitive camping sites are very rocky so be sure to bring your tarps for below your tent to avoid making holes in the tent or other gear. Very nice people, incredible views of the Christmas Mountains (you’re staying in the valley between several!), and of course great night skies. It’s quite a drive in from the main TX-118 highway, about 20 mins, the last 3 miles of which are unpaved dirt road so be prepared. Overall, good access to Terlingua/Study Butte, BBNP, and BBRSP. Highly recommend!
S
Shawn S.
2 months on Hipcamp
Recommends
· March 2026
18 ft rooftop tent · With kids ·
Lower RV - site 3
Great staff. Nice clean facilities and extras like laundry room and pool that you’re not going to find in many other places.
G
Greg B.
1 month on Hipcamp
Recommends
· March 2026
Tent · With kids ·
Lower primitive camping - Site A
Loved that it was tucked away and secluded, it was great having a restaurant on site, and a shower after backpacking overnight in Big Bend! I know the description does mention part of the drive being unpaved roads but Apple Maps took us down a really rocky, bumpy unpaved road. This was not the campsite’s fault, just letting people know to be mindful and to take the Terlingua Ranch Rd route…unless you enjoy a rocky, hilly “adventure”. Haha there were some great views, though.
Milky Way/star viewing was amazing during our stay, surrounded by hour groups scenery. Would definitely stay here again!
L
Leticia L.
1 year on Hipcamp
Awesome. Off the beaten path, helpful kind staff, clean and dog friendly
Tim S.
2 reviews
Recommends
· March 2026
This place was awesome! I was just passing through for a night and it had all the amenities from a restaurant to showers to a pool. I was able to find multiple spots I could charge my devices. Also, not to mention the beautiful views at night and during the day, you are truly surrounded by tranquility. I will most definitely be back and for a longer stay!
B
Brisa C.
1 month on Hipcamp
Recommends
· March 2026
Adventure Approved… will be back!
Tent · With kids ·
Upper Primitive Camp - Site 2
We absolutely loved this campground, and honestly, Big Bend as a whole is one of those places that’s hard to put into words without sounding dramatic… but it really is that good.
From the second we pulled in, it felt completely different from anywhere else we’ve camped. No crowds, no chaos—just wide open desert, mountains in every direction, and that kind of quiet you don’t realize you need until you finally hear it. It’s the kind of place that makes you slow down whether you planned to or not.
The campground itself was clean, well-maintained, and spread out, which we really appreciated. We weren’t stacked on top of other campers, and it actually felt like we had our own space instead of sharing it with ten other families. The sites had plenty of room for the kids to move around, explore, and just be outside without me constantly stressing about them being in someone else’s way or too close to the road.
Now, I’ll be honest—not everyone in our group is fully committed to the camping life yet 😅. If I let them vote, at least two of the kids would probably choose a hotel every time. But even they had moments here where they forgot about that and were just soaking it all in. That says a lot.
We spent our time doing a little bit of everything—hiking, climbing around rocks like we had any business doing that, chasing views, and just exploring wherever the day took us. Every direction you look feels like something out of a movie. It doesn’t even feel like real life at times.
A
Anna D.
6 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· March 2026
Tent · With kids ·
Lower Primitive Campin - Group Site
We had a great time! Bathrooms and cafe are really nice
D
Domingo R.
2 months on Hipcamp
Recommends
· March 2026
Great place to stay in the big bend area. Has everything you need.
Tommy W.
5 reviews
The Terlingua Ranch camping was a wonderful experience. From the 16 mile turn off the main road you know you will be out in nature. The staff and facilities are welcoming. If you catch clear sky as we did, the night sky is worth every mile to get there. At the ranch there is an amazing café The Bad Rabbit. Breakfast, lunch, dinner with great staff, food, drink and atmosphere.
S
Shawn R.
2 reviews
Recommends
· March 2026
Canadian Rick is the goat, genuinely the best part of my stay
E
Eric B.
1 month on Hipcamp
Recommends
· March 2026
The views from this land was amazing, it also had the amenities that you really need! I would definitely come back and camp over here again!
B
Brian E.
1 month on Hipcamp
I went tent camping here solo and was a bit worried about my toyota corolla and/or getting hauled off by a coyote but instead i was greeted with warm smiles, clear views, and decent wifi.
E
Ethan D.
4 months on Hipcamp
Recommends
· January 2026
Running water, hot showers, clean bathrooms, beautiful night sky.
M
Marek K.
3 months on Hipcamp
We got in late and were grateful for the excellent directions because it gets DARK! Also, the front desk was there to check us in. The primitive camping on the upper rim was nice and overlooked the RV and cabin sites. Bathrooms and showers were clean. The Bad Rabbit Cafe was also a plus.
Katheryn And Con E.
2 reviews
Recommends
· January 2026
16 ft car ·
Lower Primitive Camping - Site C
Cool spot! Mike was really flexible and easy going. Nice views.
C
Caroline T.
2 reviews
Beautiful place to camp, staff were super friendly, cafe was yummy! Highly recommend!
A
Alyssa L.
2 reviews
Mixed feelings
· January 2026
It was a long drive on rough roads to get there. The campsite has power lines going through it and some rough structures around it so not that visually appealing. I couldn't get cell service so couldn't check in on the app and had to just grab a site. The mountain behind it offers a pretty view of Big Bend. Improvement could include more communication regarding the site and check-in, closest resources for water, garbage, etc.
T
Trevor C.
4 months on Hipcamp
Recommends
· January 2026
16 ft travel trailer ·
Lower RV - site 2
We enjoyed the Ranch and facilities. The staff was very friendly and helpful.
A
Angela F.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· January 2026
16 ft car ·
Upper primitive camp - site 5
Beautiful site, well-maintained facility. Sky and surrounding area views were great, and staff was very helpful! Having the cafe on site was fantastic after a long day in the park or on the road.
Z
Zoe W.
4 months on Hipcamp
Recommends
· January 2026
Very relaxing place. Friendly staff. Good food at the Bad Rabbit. A bit off a drive to Big Bend, but managable..
W
Whitney C.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· December 2025
Tent · With kids ·
Lower Primitive Camping - Site D
Really cool stay outside of big bend. If you are looking for clean bathrooms with flush toilets, and potable water in your stay (these are hard to find out here) with small convinces like medicine and frozen foods in their store (that are reasonably priced). The bad rabbit café is also conveniently located on property just in case your hike took the wind out of you and your not up for cooking. Spotty wifi in the lower D area but something is better than nothing considering your out in the middle of the desert. If your going to big bend do be prepared for a 1h 20m drive to panther junction visitor center, and the closest gas is in study butte. Over all great stay would come again!
M
Mark M.
3 years on Hipcamp
Location
Alpine, Brewster, Texas, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
Hosted by Terlingua Ranch T.
Joined in December 2023Things to do nearby
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