Open year-round, the Panther Junction Visitor Center is located in the heart of Big Bend National Park. Specifically, the visitor center is at the junction of the main north-south road from Persimmon Gap and the main east-west road between Terlingua and Rio Grande Village. Paved parking is available for two-dozen passenger vehicles, four RVs, and two handicap placarded vehicles.
The visitor center has a large 3-d relief model of the park near the entrance, along with an information desk, bookstore, exhibits, and theater. In the same building, but with separate entrances are restrooms and a post office.
When we visited in September 2021, COVID-19 protocols required face masks regardless of vaccination status and limited the number of visitors allowed inside the visitor center. The orientation movie was not being shown.
About 1000 feet west of the visitor center is a fuel station selling gasoline and diesel. Gas prices were slightly higher than locations outside the park like Marathon, Terlingua/Study Butte, and Alpine. The fuel pumps are open 24-hours per day for credit card payment. The small store is open daily with a limited variety of groceries. Cold drinks and ice are also available.
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| Panther Junction Visitor Center |
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| Curve-billed thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre) |
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| Some of the exterior informational signage |
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| Detail of the three-dimensional relief map that dominates the entrance area |
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| Four-foot long femur of a duck-billed dinosaur |
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| Chihuahan desert exhibit |
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| Three-dimensional model of the park with a Rio Grande exhibit on wall |
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| History of the park creation |
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| Books and souvenirs |
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| More books for sale |
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| Souvenirs and clothing for sale |
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| NPS Passport books and stickers and more books |
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| The Chisos Mountains |
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| Adaptation |
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| Gas station from the visitor center parking lot |
An entry fee of $30 per vehicle, $25 per motorcycle, or $15 per person is valid for seven consecutive days at Big Bend National Park. Other fee payment options include the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands passes including the Annual Pass ($80), Senior Pass ($80 for a lifetime), Access Pass (free with a documented disability), and Military Annual Pass (free for active-duty personnel). Also available is a Big Bend National Park Annual Park Pass for $55.
The Big Bend National Park website is https://www.nps.gov/bibe/index.htm.
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