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Hiking Big Bend National Park

I absolutely love hiking in Big Bend National Park. Honestly, hiking is the main attraction to Big Bend National Park. Yes of course there are other things to do in the area but hiking is the main reason to visit Big Bend. There are several great hiking trails in the area, so today I want to share what to pack for hiking in Big Bend National Park and the top 6 hiking trails in Big Bend National Park. I’ve hiked all of these trails multiple times, so be sure to read some of my pro tips for each trail below.

What to Pack for Hiking in Big Bend National Park

One thing you need to know about hiking in Big Bend National Park, is the importance of packing plenty of water. It’s really pretty basic, it’s hot here y’all! Several of the trails are in the sun with limited amount of shade and you’d be surprised by how much water you consume on a hot Texas day. I love my hydration backpack because it’s affordable, it holds 2.5 liters of water, it’s insulated, it has enough space for my other hiking gear, it’s comfortable, and it’s lightweight. I’ve never run out of water with this hydration backpack and I’ve had it for years!

You also need to make sure you pack plenty of snacks for your hike. We love to pack mixed nuts, gummies, granola bars, and Dukes shorty sausages. We try not to pack anything that could melt or go bad in the Texas heat.

I also recommend hiking with trekking poles. I started using trekking poles a few months ago and I love them. Yes they make me look like an old lady, but they also make me a faster hiker. I’ve noticed that if I use my trekking poles, then I’m not as sore after a long day of hiking. The trekking poles are the most helpful on the hike down a mountain, they take pressure off of my knees (okay now that I’ll admit is 100% an old lady statement…hahaha).

Another thing to consider packing is multiple layers of clothing. Desert temperatures tend to change quickly as the sun rises and sets each day. You may start your hike feeling cold, but within two hours the temperature may rise by 15 degrees. I start my day with multiple layers of clothing on and then slowly peel them off as the day continues.

Other items to pack include your typical hiking gear items: sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, headlamps, map, compass, knife, camera gear, etc.

Now that you’ve got all of the gear for hiking in the desert, let’s look at the best trails in Big Bend National Park!!

1. Santa Elena Canyon Trail

Level of Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 1.5 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 600 ft
Duration: 1 hour
Sun Exposure: Partial Shade (cliffs provide some shade)

Santa Elena Canyon is probably one of the most popular places to visit in Big Bend National Park. It’s absolutely beautiful!! I recommend taking some photos at the entrance of the canyon right before Terlingua Creek. You will have to cross Terlingua Creek to continue on the Santa Elena Canyon Trail, but normally the creek is completely dry (read pro tips below). Once you cross Terlingua Creek, you’ll come to the hardest part of the whole trail. You basically hike up over the ridge, then hike back down to the riverbed. Once you’re over the ridge, the rest of the trail is pretty flat.

Enjoy the scenic hike along the Rio Grande and stop on a rock somewhere for some great photos. If you’re lucky, the Rio Grande will be shallow and you can walk up river past the end of the Santa Elena Canyon Trail. Hiking in the Rio Grande reminded us of hiking the Narrows in Zion National Park. Such a beautiful opportunity!! I wish we would’ve been able to go further up river, check out my pro-tip below for hiking the Rio Grande.

Pro Tips: If Terlingua Creek is too high to cross, then take your photos of Santa Elena Canyon and skip the hike. I’ve heard of people crossing Terlingua Creek and end up waist deep in mud. Most of the time, the creek is completely dry so this probably won’t be an issue for you. We’ve only seen Terlingua Creek with water in it once and luckily it was shallow enough for us to jump across.

Also I recommend packing some water shoes for this hike just in case the Rio Grande is shallow enough to hike in. We only went for a short hike in the Rio Grande, but if we would’ve had water shoes we would’ve gone a lot further. Talk about an amazing adventure and incredible views!!

2. Boquillas Canyon Trail

Level of Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 1.6 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 300 ft
Duration: 1 hour
Sun Exposure: Mostly sunny, barely any shade

Boquillas Canyon isn’t as popular as the other trails listed but it’s one of my favorites! I think the main reason it’s not as popular is because it’s on the east side of the park and there aren’t as many trails on that side of the park. It takes about 30 minutes just to drive to Boquillas Canyon Trailhead from Panther Junction, so I understand why people don’t visit it as much. They’re missing out though because it’s absolutely beautiful!!

The first little section of the trail (photo above) is the hardest part of the entire trail. You’ll hike up over the ridge and then back down to the riverbed, similar to Santa Elena Canyon Trail. One of the things I love about this trail, is the handmade items and yummy food the locals bring from across the river (see pro-tip below for more info). On our most recent hike through Boquillas Canyon, we got to pet some of the local horses who were just wondering around the trail. I love animals, they always make me smile!

Boquillas Canyon Trail continues along the river, providing you with some breathtaking views. Eventually the trail will just end and it’ll feel like an odd place to end a trail.  You’ll probably try to keep going and then realize no this is in fact the end. On the way back you’ll follow the same trail and again there will be an uphill section on your return. 

Pro Tip: Bring some cash to buy some food or handmade goodies to help support the people of Boquillas. Boquillas used to be a place where tourists would cross over to Mexico for a day trip. However, the Port of Entry has been closed and I imagine it has greatly affected the people of this small town. Bring about $20 (smaller bills are better) for some homemade tamales, tacos, and hiking sticks. On your drive back from Boquillas Canyon, be sure to visit the hot springs and some of the scenic overlooks in the area.

3. Grapevine Hills Trail-The Balanced Rock

Level of Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 2.2 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 260 ft
Duration: 1 hour
Sun Exposure: Mostly sunny, barely any shade

The hike up to the Balanced Rock is so unique compared to the other trails at Big Bend National Park.  There are large boulders all along the trail, which makes this hike super fun. I don’t know what it is about “boulder hopping” but I think it’s an adventure!! Definitely brings out the little kid in me.

To get to the Balanced Rock you’ll hike the Grapevine Hills Trail, which for the most part is completely flat. The last 1/4 mile of the trail is a steep uphill climb but it’s really not too bad.  Once you’ve made the climb, you’ll be able to take your photo at the famous balanced rock and then hike back down.

Pro Tip: I would NOT visit the Balanced Rock if you’re driving a car. It’s about an 8 mile drive on a rough dirt road to get to the trail head. You’ll definitely read about people who have survived the drive in a car but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it.

4. Lost Mines Trail

Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 4.8 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 1,100 ft
Duration: 2.5-3 hours
Sun Exposure: Partial Shade

The Lost Mines Trail might just be my favorite hike in Big Bend!! There are so many breathtaking views along the way that I always want to stop every 15 minutes to take a picture. Unfortunately I drive my hubby crazy with all of the pictures so I had to keep moving…hahaha. The Lost Mines Trail is basically a steady incline all the way up to the top. There really aren’t any flat areas on this trail.  Once you get to the top, you’ll realize the views are even prettier than you imagined!! Sometimes it can get super windy at the top, it really just depends on the weather that day. The hike back down is always super easy because it’s all downhill!!

Pro Tip: Get there early or you won’t be able to find any parking. There is limited parking available and they fill up really fast!! If you try to park on the street, I promise you’ll get a parking ticket. We always plan this hike on our first day in Big Bend just in case we don’t find parking that day, then we can adjust our plans and try again the next day.

5. Emory Peak Trail

Level of Difficulty: Strenuous
Distance: 10.5 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 2,500 ft
Duration: 6-7 hours
Sun Exposure: Partial Shade

Emory Peak is the highest peak in Big Bend. Needless to say it’s gorgeous but it’s also difficult to get to!! You’ll have a steady incline for most of the hike and then the last 50 feet is basically rock climbing!! I could NOT do the last 50 feet. It was too intense for me!! I stopped at a little ledge and just enjoyed the view which was still breathtaking!! This little ledge is also where Neil proposed to me, such a great memory for us (photo below)!! 

Pro Tip: After a long day of hiking to the top of Emory Peak, enjoy a nice meal at the Chisos Mountain Lodge. Give yourself something to look forward too after all of that hard work!

6. The Window Trail

Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 5.75 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 975 ft
Duration: 3 hours
Sun Exposure: Mostly sunny, barely any shade

The Window Trail was the first trail we ever hiked at Big Bend. It’s a nice trail, but out of the six trails mentioned it’s my least favorite. For 80% of the hike you basically have the exact same views, which makes it a little boring in my opinion.

As you start off on your hike, you’ll notice it’s all downhill to get to the Window. As you get closer to the Window, there might be some small creeks to cross and the scenery will change a bit. This section of the trail is my favorite! Once you get to the Window, please be cautious of where you step. The rocks are slippery when wet and people have slipped over the edge. Just stay a safe distance from the Window, no need to get too close. Once you’ve gotten some good photos of the Window, turn around and head back up to the parking lot. The hike back is tough because it’s uphill and it’s most likely getting hotter outside.

Pro Tip: Park by the Chisos Basin Campground for a shorter hike, you’ll be able to shorten the hike by entire mile. Also, wear some waterproof hiking shoes if you have them. There are a few sections where you’ll need to cross over a small/tiny creek and you might get your shoes a little wet.

I hope you enjoy hiking in Big Bend National Park. Be sure to read about some of our other Texas Adventures here.