Big Bend National Park is an excellent choice for hikers, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the Chisos Basin. Here, you’ll find a variety of trails for dayhikes and overnight adventures. Up in the mountains, the weather is cooler than down in the desert, so the hiking season is longer. If you’re interested in plants, you’ll find some up here that don’t grow anywhere else. It’s a side of Big Bend National Park that not everybody knows about, and the best way to see it is on foot. Here are three must do hikes in this region.
Lost Mine
5.6 mi. | 1140′ ele. gain | 3:45 hr.
I asked my friend Lisa, who has a lot of experience in Big Bend, which hikes I should absolutely not miss. Lost Mine was high on her list. “It’s really, really, popular but you have to do it!” she insisted. Sigh. Fearing crowds and lack of adequate parking, we got to the trailhead early and started hiking. How early, you ask? We started hiking around 8:15 am. So, you don’t have to set a pre-dawn alarm for this one.
In one sentence, the Lost Mine trail is a pretty walk through oak forest to an open rock outcrop with big views. Compared to the desert exploration we’d done before this hike, it was like walking in a totally different park! There was a whole new slate of trees and shrubs to learn. And still, there was a ton of cactus. I hadn’t ever been in such a landscape before so the novelty was really entertaining. I stopped to take lots of pictures of all the unfamiliar plants and of, course, the views too. The trail peters out at a large outcropping of rock, from which point you can spread out and find your own little hangout spot away from the other tourists all there to enjoy the jaw-dropping scenery.
We picked a spot and did some painting, which gave us an excuse to sit and savor this beautiful place. It’s a short and steep hike, but pretty accessible to most people and big bang for the buck. I agree with Lisa in that this is a must-do hike.
Emory Peak
12.5 mi. | 2975′ ele. gain | 7:25 hr.
At 7,825 feet tall, Emory Peak is the highpoint of Big Bend National Park. We waited for our best weather window while staying at Chisos Basin Campground to give this one a go. When I say “best,” I mean least chance of rain. Though it was bright and sunny, the air was bitterly cold when we started hiking. But we’d be certain to get good views! And, how many people can say it was too cold for them in southern Texas?!
We spoke to a volunteer at the trailhead who was checking to see that people were properly prepared before tackling Emory Peak. It’s not a particularly difficult hike for someone who hikes regularly, but the National Parks tend to attract people who don’t read up before starting their hike and don’t spend a ton of time outdoors. You don’t know what you don’t know. We had a great conversation and he told us we picked a heck of a great day to do this one. We happily began our walk.
Just like our visit to Lost Mine, the hike was stunningly beautiful and provided access to a whole new ecosystem. Our Junior Ranger Book prompted us to look for specific things on the Emory Peak trail, like grasses and lichens and trees, so we paused frequently to complete these tasks. They provided much needed breaks to catch our breath, anyways. While walking slowly and looking for plants, I noticed the Chisos Basin buckwheat, a rare endemic found only in this area! It was not the right season to be in bloom, but its leaves were unmistakable.
Much of the first part of the trail ascended switchbacks on the shady side of the mountain so it stayed very cold. There was even some ice on the trail that made it slippery in places. We saw only a few groups on the trail all day, including a trail crew that was leading a pack of mules to a worksite.
Guarding the actual summit was a scrambly series of ledges where you needed to use you hands to get to the very top. We left one backpack below that and shoved all our food and drinks into the other one so we could enjoy our lunch. We were hungry!
There were a couple of guys boiling water for ramen on the summit who apparently thought they’d be the only ones up there. We stepped over them and found a place to relax on the other side of their spread. Shortly after, a couple with two young kids appeared. They had come all the way from France! We were a little nervous watching the kids run around the summit with sheer drops on either side. Their parents looked nervous too, but the kids obviously had a lot of experience in the mountains. It was a fun atmosphere with all that energy.
On the way down, we had one goal in mind: get to the food truck before it closes. We hustled through the beautiful forest, pausing only to try and identify a fluffy raptor that was perched on a snag. Red-tailed hawk. No matter how much time we spend trying to find new birds of prey, it’s always a red-tailed hawk.
Though we were tired, we practically raced down the last mile, careful not to trip or stub a toe at the end of the day. We got to the food truck just 30 minutes before closing and put in a take out order we could eat at the van. I was so happy to get out of the wind and shade and to eat a pile of hot food that I didn’t have to make myself. What a day!
Window Trail
5.6 mi. | 750′ ele. gain | 3:40 min.
Our final hike in the Chisos Basin was the popular Window Trail. Again, we started early in an effort to beat most of the crowds. It’s one of those deceptively difficult trails in that you lose elevation the whole walk in and you have to gain it all back on the way up. As with every trail in the park, there is a warning sign reminding you to bring plenty of water and to make sure you’re up for the more challenging return hike. Since we always carry lots of water and give ourselves enough time to get out and back, we nodded at the sign and hiked in. Despite being our third hike in Chisos Basin, it still felt like we were exploring somewhere brand new. That’s one of my favorite things about Big Bend; it’s incredibly diverse.
I enjoyed seeing all the cactus and agave and taking photos of anything I didn’t recognize. We noticed Mexican buckeye, Texas persimmon and the Chisos red oak. There were cool insects buzzing about and a loud Ladder-back woodpecker giving us a show. There is so much life to see in this park!
As we neared the Window, the trail entered a narrowing canyon. Evidence of the hard working CCC crews was soon underfoot. They built stairs and other trail features right into the rocks of the canyon in order to make it safer for travelers. This part was my favorite. And then…voila! The Window! Perhaps one of the most oversold features in the park. I was not impressed. But, we found a nice place to sit and have a snack while chatting with a couple other hikers in the canyon. We were really enjoying ourselves until the canyon echoed with the screams oh a pack of children (and their adults). We took that as our cue to get up and hike out.
Almost back at the trailhead, we met up with a ranger who was hiking in and talking to folks, making sure people had water and whatnot. We barraged him with questions about the park, the trail, the plants we found and other things we were curious about. I’m not sure he was ready for us, but I’m sure he enjoyed a rest break.
These are the three main hikes you can do in Chisos Basin, but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t have spent more time there. I would definitely return to do a backpacking trip or to hike to the South Rim viewpoint, which one of the rangers said has the best view in the park. I would also enjoy doing more painting, attending a guided bird walk or participating in a trail maintenance project up there. It’s a very unique and special place. I hope these hike descriptions have got you salivating over taking a trip to Chisos Basin.