Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive

A thirty-mile paved drive in Big Bend National Park running from the Chisos basin road down to the Castolon Historic District and Santa Elena Canyon. The route drops steadily toward the Rio Grande with graded descents, curves through volcanic badlands and desert overlooks. Summer heat is extreme and services are effectively nonexistent, so carry water and fuel. The unpaved Old Maverick Road, a 14-mile improved dirt road, offers an alternative return but is not suited to low-clearance cars.