Download once.
Lose signal happily.
Cell service is spotty across Big Bend. Save the whole park before you drive in.
Self-guided GPS audio tour
Your Big Bend
tour guide.
A self-guided driving tour that needs no signal: stories and insider tips play on their own as each stop comes into view.
Free on the App StoreGet the Big Bend tour
★★★★★ 4.7 · 8,600+ ratings Works offline
On your computer? Scan with your iPhone camera to open Parkwolf in the App Store. Also on Google Play.
124Big Bend stories & tips, triggered by GPS
0 barsneeded once Big Bend is downloaded
5,000+five-star App Store reviews
CarPlayon your dash, eyes on the road
Hear the guide
It knows which hike is worth the climb.
This is the real narration from Parkwolf’s Big Bend tour. It starts on its own as you approach each stop, so you never tap or read while driving.
Tap to listen
Lost Mine Trail: A Legendary View
0:35
“…one of the best reward-for-effort hikes in all of Big Bend… Just a heads up, the parking lot here is famously small, so finding a spot can be a challenge.”
The Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, narrated
The tips that save your Big Bend day.
Three real lines from the narration, each with the app’s tip for that stop, in the order you’ll reach them driving the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive to Santa Elena Canyon.
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Sotol Vista Overlook
Stay for sunset“This is the spot for that classic, wide-open Big Bend panorama, looking across the desert all the way to Santa Elena Canyon in the distance.”
App tip Sunset offers the most dramatic light; return after dark for stargazing.
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Mule Ears Overlook
Go at sunrise“The pull-off coming into view is for the Mule Ears Overlook, named for the two rock spires that look exactly like a pair of mule’s ears.”
App tip Time your stop for sunrise or early morning light.
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Santa Elena Canyon
Check the creek“…the trail begins by crossing Terlingua Creek. Depending on recent rain, you may have to get your feet wet…”
App tip Bring plenty of water and sun protection—shade is limited.
+ 121 more stories across Big Bend: the Chisos Basin, the Window and Emory Peak, Panther Junction, Castolon, Tuff Canyon, the Hot Springs, Rio Grande Village, Boquillas Canyon, the Fossil Discovery Exhibit, where to fuel up, and how to handle the heat.
The real app, on a real drive
Glance down.
Know what’s next.
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Up next, with the distance
Every overlook, trailhead and turnoff ahead, so you can signal in time.
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Stories that start themselves
Narration plays as you approach, then gets out of the way for quiet stretches.
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Gas, food and restrooms
Always on screen, always counting down. Big Bend has only two gas stations inside the park.
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Fully offline
Big Bend’s roads, trails and every story work with zero bars.
Real screen recording, in real time, on the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive.
No edits, no speed-up: this is what you see and hear driving to Sam Nail Ranch.Self-guided, in your own car
All of the guide. None of the bus.
Question
Bus tour
Parkwolf
Parkwolf
When you go
Set departure times
Whenever you’re ready, sunrise included
Where you stop
Where the group stops
Anywhere. Skip anything.
How long you stay
On the group’s clock
As long as the view deserves
Who’s along
A busload
Just your crew, in your car
What it covers
The planned route
Ross Maxwell, the Chisos, the Rio Grande, and 100+ other parks
Beyond the audio tour
Everything Big Bend, in one offline app.
Download once.
The good and the catch,
for every stop
Santa Elena’s trail enters the canyon, unless Terlingua Creek runs high. Know before you go.
44 trails,
honestly rated
The South Rim, Santa Elena Canyon, Lost Mine: difficulty and distance at a glance.
Know where
wildlife shows up
Heatmaps and peak hours for each animal, from black bears to roadrunners.
Works with CarPlay
Start the tour from your car’s screen. Stories play through your speakers.
64 places to stop
Overlooks, canyons, hot springs and gas stops, each with real tips.
From the App Store
Like a guide in the car with you.
“The local wildlife, park site and geography commentary were informative and timely. The fact that it works without cell service is a real plus, as Big Bend has very spotty coverage.”
“This was a life saver in Big Bend. Can’t wait to use it for our next NP trip.”
“We drove the entire length of the Going-to-the-Sun Road with no cell service for the majority and this app gave us information as we approached areas and even during our hike that was educational and helpful.”
“The app was excellent providing a driving tour guide. We stopped in places we would have normally drove right past.”
Good to know
Questions before you go
How does the self-guided Big Bend tour work?
Open Parkwolf, tap Start Tour Guide and drive. Your phone’s GPS triggers each story as you approach an overlook, trailhead, pullout or hidden spot. There’s no set route, so take any road in any order.
Will it help me plan my Big Bend itinerary?
Yes. Every stop has the app’s tips on water, heat, timing and parking, and every trail lists its distance, climb and time, so you can plan each day before you go. Then the guide narrates it as you drive.
Does it work without cell service?
Yes. Download Big Bend before you go and the map, the narration and every tip work offline, even where your phone shows no bars.
What does it cover?
The Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive to Castolon and Santa Elena Canyon, the Chisos Basin Road, Panther Junction, the road to Rio Grande Village and Boquillas Canyon, Persimmon Gap and the Fossil Discovery Exhibit, plus backcountry roads like Old Ore Road and River Road: 124 stories in all.
How much does it cost?
Parkwolf is free to download. The Tour Guide is part of Parkwolf PRO, which starts with a free trial, and one subscription covers everyone listening in your car.
Does it work with CarPlay or Android?
Both. Parkwolf works with Apple CarPlay, and it’s available on Google Play for Android.
Can I use it in other parks?
Yes. The same guide covers 100+ national parks, state parks and scenic drives, from Yellowstone to the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Download Big Bend before you lose signal.
Free to download. Your guide starts talking the moment you start driving.
Free on the App StoreGet the Big Bend tourOn Android? Get Parkwolf on Google Play