Hike of the Week: Lost Mine Trail, Big Bend National Park, TX
This shoulder-season cruiser delivers you to some of the best views in West Texas.
Big Bend National Park
With towering mountain mesas, dry Texas deserts and canyons blooming with life, Big Bend National Park has it all. The park, located near the southern border, pulls in hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Some come to learn about the park’s deadly history, and to see remnants of the native people who walked the land before the arrival of pioneers. Others come to hike Big Bend, eager to explore the park’s most famous routes. Hikers often track the path of the once roaring Rio Grande, or wander through luscious Boot Canyon.
Backpacking in Big Bend is another popular option among southwestern adventurists. Big Bend has a sprawling backcountry that features unmarked trails and truly off-road terrain, as well as 42 permitted campsites. Much of the natural land is as it was long ago, and hiking in Big Bend can often feel like a step back in time. But within this beauty lies an ever-present danger: the park is notorious for its deadly backcountry heat. Never hike Big Bend without the proper equipment and preparation.
Alongside its trails Big Bend has plenty to see, especially at night. The park’s remote locale makes it an ideal spot for stargazing.
Hike the Grander Canyon
What's deeper than the Grand Canyon and has one-tenth as many visitors? Head to Texas to find out.
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Hike across twisted, tortured landscape on this 11.2-mile overnighter through the High Chisos Mountains to the South Rim escarpment. Bring plenty of water; this is dry country.
Big Bend National Park: Outer Loop Trail
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A 24-miler in the the Big Bend's remote west corner.
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Big Bend National Park: South Rim Loop
Explore one of the Lower 48's last remaining wild corners on this 11.6-mile loop from the High Chisos Mountains to the South Rim escarpment.
Big Bend National Park: Blue Creek Canyon
Go from grasslands to mountains along a little-known creek in Big Bend National Park.
Big Bend National Park: Mesa de Anguila
Check out geologic sculptures and Rio Grande views in a secluded corner of Big Bend National Park.
Big Bend National Park: South Rim, Chisos Mountains
Stay cool on a high-elevation hike with long-distance desert views.
Big Bend National Park: Boot Canyon
A shaded Eden offers refreshing contrast to the searing desert.
Big Bend National Park: Ernst Tinaja
Explore Big Bend backcountry on this easy 1.2-mile round-trip through a water-worn canyon to a desert watering hole surrounded by towering layers of rock.
Big Bend National Park: Chisos Basin Trails
Combine 4 trails in the High Chisos on this challenging 8.6-mile loop that offers thigh-burning climbs, stunning views, and a vegetation transition with great wildlife viewing potential.
First Night Out: Year of the Reader
Meet a Texas reader who chose Big Bend National Park for her inaugural backpacking trip.