Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [44]
Where to Dine
INSIDE THE PARK
Chisos Mountains Lodge Restaurant Chisos Basin, Big Bend National Park. ☎ 432/ 477-2291. Main courses $6.25–$16. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 7–10am, 11:30am–4pm, and 5–8pm. AMERICAN.
Good food at reasonable prices, plus the best location in the area, is the draw here. The dining room is simply but attractively decorated, with good views from the large windows. The menu changes periodically but generally includes steak, burgers, and sandwiches, plus Southwestern and Tex-Mex dishes. At breakfast, there's a buffet ($8.95) as well as a menu.
NEAR THE PARK
Ms. Tracy's Cafe
West side of Tex. 118, Study Butte; 2 miles west of the park entrance. ☎ 432/371-2888. Breakfasts, sandwiches, and Mexican items $3.50–$9; main dinner courses $9–$17. DISC, MC, V. Mid-Nov to Apr daily 7am–9pm; May to mid-Nov daily 7am–5pm. AMERICAN/MEXICAN.
This somewhat funky roadside cafe has a decidedly Western look, with cattle skulls, cowboy chaps, and other Old West memorabilia, but it's owned and operated by a Manchester, England, transplant. She sometimes pays homage to her homeland by serving one British item, such as a shepherd's pie, as a lunch special. Other than that, Ms. Tracy's is pure Texas, with beef and buffalo burgers, a variety of sandwiches, a few salads, and a variety of surprisingly good Mexican dishes including burritos, tamales, and quesadillas. Breakfasts feature American and Southwestern standards. Full dinners, served only in winter, vary nightly depending on Ms. Tracy's mood, but often include steak Diane, a fish of the day, vegetarian items, and specialties such as chicken veronique—sautéed chicken breast with
white wine tarragon sauce and white grapes.
Ocotillo
At Lajitas, the Ultimate Hideout, HC 70. ☎ 432/424-5000. Reservations required. Main courses $21–$41. AE, DISC, MC, V. Tues–Thurs 6–9pm, Fri–Sat 6–10pm. WILD GAME.
Quite possibly the finest restaurant on the entire Texas-Mexico border, Ocotillo specializes in wild game with Mexican-inspired sauces. Executive chef Blas Gonzales' seasonal menu includes a few stalwarts: elk shingled with Maine lobster in a guava–sour cherry sauce; fluffy corn pudding; and great tres leches cake for dessert. There are also specials, like boar and ostrich. The building, a completely reinvented historic trading post, has a fourth-floor lookout that's a great locale for a cocktail.
Picnic & Camping Supplies
Inside the park, limited groceries and camping supplies are available at Chisos Basin, Rio Grande Village, Castolon, and Panther Junction. There is also a gift shop in the lodge at the Basin. Gasoline is available at Rio Grande Village and Panther Junction only, so check your gas gauge before heading out— everything in this park is pretty far from everything else. Minor car repairs are available at Panther Junction.
Outside the north entrance to the park, southeast about 7 miles on FM 2627, is Stillwell Store and RV Park (☎ 432/376-2244), where you'll find groceries, limited camping supplies, and gasoline. Just outside the west entrance to the park, in Study Butte/ Terlingua, you'll find several gas stations, car repair, a convenience store, and a liquor store. Also in the Study Butte/Terlingua area is Desert Sports (see earlier), with rental equipment, bike and boat parts and supplies, maps, and guidebooks.
Nearby Attractions
On the west side of Big Bend National Park, just beyond the communities of Study Butte and Terlingua, are three worthwhile side trips. Heading west, the first you'll encounter is the Barton Warnock Environmental Education Center, 1 mile east of Lajitas on FM 170 (☎ 432/424-3327; www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ park/barton). Named for botanist and