Closed Canyon is a gorgeous slot canyon cut by a seasonal stream through the upthrust plateau of Colorado Mesa. The slot canyon cuts from Highway 170/River Road, which provides easy access through Big Bend Ranch State Park, all the way down to the Rio Grande far below. This short, easy hike is one of the most popular hikes in Big Bend Ranch State Park, thanks to both its incredible beauty and its easy access.

Most of Big Bend Ranch State Park is rated class 1 on the Bortle Dark-Sky Scale, meaning it has night-sky visibility of the most remote regions on Earth. Besides jackrabbits and bighorn sheep, the Milky Way is the most common nightly visitor. A visit to any part of the park will give you night-sky views you could only dream of, but some specific spots do stand out for their stellar views and accessibility: the River Road, the West Contrabando Trailhead, Big Hill and the Hoodoos.

Warning: The Fresno-Sauceda IMBA Epic route is a brutal backcountry endeavor that carries very real risks, such as getting lost in the unforgiving Chihuahuan Desert and dying of dehydration and exposure. Even though IMBA has designated this as an Epic Loop, this is a backcountry route-finding expedition of the first degree. This route traverses some of the best and most remote trails hidden deep in Big Bend Ranch State Park.

Those looking for rugged adventure have found their destination: Big Bend Ranch State Park. With one paved road and primitive-only campsites, the park offers hiking and biking trails, pitch-black skies come nighttime and the opportunity to backpack far, far away from it all. It sits right next door to Big Bend National park, but with 238 miles of multi-use trails, 70 miles of unpaved roads and plenty of water for fishing and floating, you won’t run out of things to do right here.