November in Big Bend National Park is a best window month: highs around 69°F, lows around 42°F. Crowds: moderate — #5 busiest of the park's 12 months. Superb hiking weather; car parks start filling early again. The editorial best window here is February & April & October–November. You get about 10h 41m of daylight. To finish South Rim Trail (5h) before dark, leave the trailhead by about 12:56 PM.
Month data reviewed · how we check this
| Verdict | Best window The editorial pick — weather, access and experience line up. |
|---|---|
| Temps °F | 69° high / 42° low |
| Crowds | moderate · #5 busiest of the park's 12 months |
| What November is like | Superb hiking weather; car parks start filling early again |
| Best window (whole year) | February & April & October–November |
| Peak crowds (whole year) | Feb–Mar |
CROWDS: RELATIVE SEASONALITY FROM NPS VISITATION STATISTICS · TEMPS: APPROXIMATE NOAA NORMALS AT MAIN VISITOR ELEVATION — HIGH COUNTRY RUNS 10–20°F COLDER
DAYLIGHT ON NOVEMBER 15 · LOCAL PARK TIME (CST)COMPUTED FROM THE PARK'S OWN COORDINATES FOR THE 15TH — THE MIDDLE OF THE MONTH STANDS FOR IT, AS IT DOES FOR CLIMATE NORMALS. WITHIN A MONTH THESE TIMES SHIFT BY UP TO AN HOUR
LEAVE THE TRAILHEAD BY — TO FINISH BEFORE DARK ON NOVEMBER 15WALKING TIMES ESTIMATED FROM EACH TRAIL'S MEASURED DISTANCE AND ELEVATION GAIN — A PLANNING FIGURE, NOT A PACE. ADD YOUR OWN MARGIN FOR PHOTOS, REST AND CROWDS. WATER AT THE COOL-WEATHER RATE, BECAUSE THIS MONTH AVERAGES 69°F. TRAILS WE HAVE NOT MEASURED ARE LEFT OUT RATHER THAN GUESSED
WHAT NOVEMBER ASKS OF YOU HEREBig Bend National Park in December — Good, highs around 65°F, crowds: moderate (cool, clear and dark — the best night skies of the year).
Our verdict for November is "Best window". The editorial pick — weather, access and experience line up. Expect highs around 69°F and lows around 42°F, with crowds at the "moderate" level. Temperatures are approximate NOAA normals at the main visitor elevation; crowd levels follow published NPS visitation statistics.
Across the full 12-month review, the best window is February & April & October–November, and the peak-crowd months are Feb–Mar. November itself we rate "Best window".
December we rate "Good" against "Best window" for November, with highs around 65°F and crowds at the "moderate" level.
About 10h 41m on November 15: the sun rises around 7:17 AM and sets around 5:57 PM local park time (CST). Computed from the park's own coordinates, so it is the light you actually get at the trailhead, not the nearest city's.
South Rim Trail takes about 5h of walking, so on November 15 you would need to leave the trailhead by about 12:56 PM to finish before dark — the sun sets around 5:57 PM local park time (CST). Walking times are estimated from each trail's measured distance and elevation gain, so treat them as a planning figure and add your own margin for photos, rest and crowds.
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