Basin Campground

Elevation
5400 ft. above sea level

There are 60 campsites at the Chisos Basin Campground, mainly designed for tent campers, pop-up campers, and small RVs and trailers. The fee is $14.00 per night. All camp sites have a picnic table and a bear-proof food storage box. Some have canopies over the tables; none have electricity or water hookups. There are several water spigots located throught the campground where you can fill canteens or water jugs.

Campgrounds tend to fill during holiday weeks (Easter, Spring Break, Thanksgiving, and Christmas). Mid-week is usually less crowded than from Friday through Sunday.

Campsites #48 through #60 are located in a "no generator" zone. Ironically, the pump from the sewage treatment lagoons a quarter mile away can almost always be heard from this northernmost area. Quiet times are from 8PM to 8AM for the entire campground. Please leave your music and barking dogs at home.

There are three restrooms (separate men's and women's facilities within each) spaced through the campground. Outside each restroom is a dishwashing sink for campers cooking their own meals to use for cleanup. Dumping dishwater at campsites is not allowed since black bears and other wildlife are attracted to camp food.

Services and Facilities
A dump station is located near site #11 for the convenience of RVers.

The campground has a pay telephone located across from site #14 near the restroom ($0.50 for local calls).

There are no showers in the Chisos Basin Campground. Showers are available for $1.50 at the Rio Grande Villiage Store and Laundromat located 30 miles away.

Rangers give talks and slide shows several times a week at the amphitheater located at the southeast edge of the campground. Starting time varies in different seasons, but is generally 30 minutes after dark. Programs last about an hour.

A fairly well stocked convenience store is located near the Basin Ranger Station. No gasoline is sold there. The nearest gas station is 9 miles away (1/8 mile west of Panther Junction Headquarters).

A restaurant located in the basin lodge serves three meals a day. Souvenirs can be purchased in the lobby.

Below is the campground layout. In the table that follows, sites with either rock or metal canopies over the tables are identified. Also comments about the parking and general characteristics of each site are listed.