General Visitor Guides
More than a hiking guide. While the guide contains info on hiking and outdoor activities, it also contains sample itineraries, guidance on clothing, and what to keep in the car for safety.
Wildsam is one of my favorite guidebooks. Its short on information on hotels and restaurants, but full of interesting and unique information including interviews and stories of the area that aren't found in other guidebooks.
Hiking Guides and Maps
Falcon Guides is a great guide to the hiking trails in the park. It has hikes from beginner to difficult. The intro chapters provide good basic information on the challenges of hiking in such a challenging environment.
National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps are among the best for all but those venturing into the backcountry and wilderness. The accompanying day-hike guide lists numerous shorter hikes ranging from beginner to advanced.
Nature Guides and Natural History
Big Bend is one of the premier birding areas in the country with nearly 500 species either native or migrating through the park. While definitely not comprehensive, this handy guide covers more that 120 species in a format that is easy to throw into the backpack.
Another pamphlet-style guide that is easy to carry on a day hike and is entertaining for the kids. Helps identify a number of common mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds found in the park.
Despite being in a desert, there is plant life can thrive. This book covers 75 native plants in detail - from trees and shrubs to cacti and succulents. A good guide to understanding the flora of a large part of the park.
A rare paleontological guide to a park. This book covers the basics of the geological history but details what type of fossils exist in which areas. For instance, the Boquillas area was once under the inland seas, so marine fossils are predominate in the area.
This is an older book so some of the information on services and park rules might be out of date. However, most of the book is still very relevant. The guide covers both the geological and more recent history of the areas as well as the various ecosystems in the park. While the park is predominantly desert, the elevation change leads to a more diverse environment than one would think.
Art and Photography
This photographer's guide to the park details when and where to get the best photos with tips on subject matter, time of day, etc. The book also contains dozens and dozens of tips on composition, lighting, and techniques such as night photography. One of the best park photography books I have read.
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