Photo: John Manard, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Big Bend is three parks in one: the Chisos Mountains rising straight out of the desert, the wide-open Chihuahuan Desert itself, and the Rio Grande carving canyons along the border with Mexico. It's a big place, and the drive from the Chisos Basin to either river canyon takes close to an hour. Give it three days if you can: one in the mountains, one out west on the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, and one on the east side at Boquillas and the hot springs. Come between November and April. Summer afternoons on the desert floor often pass 100°F, and only the Chisos stay comfortable.
TRAILS
1 OF 8
Lost Mine Trail
Difficulty
Moderate
Length
4.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,100 ft
Chisos Mountains · Basin Road mile 5.1 — The best half-day hike in the park. The trail climbs through oak, juniper and pinyon to a rocky ridge with Casa Grande on one side and Juniper Canyon dropping toward Mexico on the other. If you're short on time, the saddle about a mile up already has a fine view. The small lot fills early, so get there at sunrise or start in the late afternoon.
Photo: P. Hughes, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
2 OF 8
Santa Elena Canyon
Difficulty
Moderate
Length
1.7 mi
Elevation gain
100 ft
River · end of Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive — Here the Rio Grande slides out of a slot with limestone walls 1,500 feet tall, Texas on one side and Mexico on the other. You cross Terlingua Creek, climb a short set of switchbacks, then follow the river into the canyon until the cliffs squeeze the path out. Late afternoon light turns the walls gold. Expect mud or wet feet at the creek after rain.
⚠︎ Impassable when Terlingua Creek floods. The paved road past Cottonwood Campground can close after storms.
Photo: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
3 OF 8
Window Trail
Difficulty
Moderate
Length
5.6 mi
Elevation gain
900 ft
Chisos Mountains · Chisos Basin trailhead — The hike runs downhill through Oak Creek Canyon to the Window, the narrow notch where the whole Chisos Basin drains out onto the desert. The last stretch squeezes between smooth rock walls to a pour-off with a view that seems to go on forever. The polished rock at the edge is slick, so stay well back from the drop. All the climbing comes on the way back, so save water and energy for it.
Photo: National Park Service Digital Image Archives, public domain, Wikimedia Commons
4 OF 8
Emory Peak
Difficulty
Hard
Length
10.5 mi
Elevation gain
2,500 ft
Chisos Mountains · Chisos Basin trailhead — The top of Big Bend at 7,832 feet. The Pinnacles Trail climbs steadily out of the Basin, then a spur leads to the summit block. The last 25 feet are an exposed scramble up bare rock with nothing to hold, so skip it if you're not comfortable. The 360-degree view takes in the South Rim, the desert and the mountains of Mexico.
⚠︎ Avoid the summit when storms threaten, especially from July to September.
Photo: Adavyd, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
5 OF 8
South Rim
Difficulty
Strenuous
Length
12–14.5 mi
Elevation gain
2,000 ft
Chisos Mountains · Chisos Basin trailhead — A full day for one of the biggest views in Texas. You climb into the high Chisos, through Boot Canyon's oaks and maples, then walk out to a cliff edge where the desert falls away thousands of feet and the Rio Grande glints far to the south. Loop up Pinnacles and down Laguna Meadows to see both sides of the range. Start at first light and carry more water than you think you need.
⚠︎ Parts of the Southeast and Northeast Rim close February 1 to May 31 for nesting peregrine falcons.
Photo: Adam Baker from Houston / Moscow / Toulouse (travel a lot), CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
6 OF 8
Balanced Rock
Difficulty
Moderate
Length
2.2 mi
Elevation gain
250 ft
Desert · Grapevine Hills trailhead — A sandy wash leads into a field of rounded granite boulders, then a short scramble ends at a huge rock wedged between two others like a window frame. It's the classic Big Bend photo, and sunrise or late light is the time for it. Watch for the small arrows on the final climb, and take it slow coming back down over the bare rock. There's no shade at all.
⚠︎ Grapevine Hills Road is rough dirt and needs a high-clearance vehicle. It can close after rain.
Photo: Yinan Chen, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons
7 OF 8
Boquillas Canyon
Difficulty
Easy
Length
1.4 mi
Elevation gain
100 ft
River · end of Boquillas Canyon road — A short climb over a rocky ridge, past grinding holes worn into the stone by the people who lived here long ago, then down to a sandy beach where the Rio Grande disappears into Boquillas Canyon. Kids love the big sand slope near the end. Come in the late afternoon, when the cliffs light up. Items left out for sale along the trail are illegal to buy and can be taken at the border.
Photo: Fredlyfish4, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
8 OF 8
Hot Springs Historic Trail
Difficulty
Easy
Length
1 mi
Elevation gain
50 ft
River · Hot Springs parking area — An easy walk past the stone shell of an old resort, pictographs on the cliff and a homestead, to the foundation of a bathhouse where 105°F water still bubbles up beside the Rio Grande. Bring a swimsuit and soak with the river rushing past. It's best on a cool winter morning or under the stars. The spring disappears under the river when the water is high.
⚠︎ Hot Springs Road is narrow, unpaved and closed to RVs and trailers. It closes after heavy rain.
Photo: GregsTexas (facebook.com/GregsTexas), CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Plan your Big Bend trip
The Nova Bound app builds the whole trip around these trails: where to stay, where to charge, and what to see each day. Coming soon to the App Store.
Distances are round trip unless noted, from NPS.gov and rounded. Trails, permits and road openings change; always check nps.gov before you go. Trail write-ups by Nova Bound.