Hiking the Chisos Mountains
of Big Bend National Park
Celebrate the end of winter with this sun-charged, early spring hiking getaway to the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend National Park, Texas! Big Bend National Park is one of our “mainline” national parks, and at over eight hundred thousand acres is larger than better-known Yosemite and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks.
Big Bend National Park encompasses a series of compact mountain ranges surrounded by the expanse of the Chihuahuan Desert. The park’s highlands are crowned by the peaks of the Chisos Mountains which author Edward Abbey once described as “an emerald isle in a red sea.” March is when the spring bloom begins in the Big Bend country. It’s a special moment in the park when cacti and other desert plants display their floral finery. Beautifully constructed trails lead into the cool, mountain landscapes of the high Chisos; in March the summer’s heat is only distant promise.
The Chisos Mountains rise above the Chihuahuan Desert.
Day 1
Overnight in Van Horn, Texas
Travel by vehicle eastward from El Paso to the small west Texas town of Van Horn. Enjoy a welcome dinner in a local restaurant.
The Lost Mine Trail cilmbs to Crown Mountain.
Day 2
Overnight in Big Bend National Park
Head south from Van Horn bound for Big Bend National Park. En route, pass through the west Texas towns of Marfa and Alpine both of which boast beautifully restored art-deco buildings. Weather permitting, enjoy lunch al fresco under a flowery arbor in Alpine at one of the best restaurants in west Texas. Then continue to the Chisos Mountain Lodge in the heart of Big Bend National Park where you’ll spend the next four evenings. Set off a late afternoon hike along the Lost Mine Trail to Crown Mountain–a perfect introduction to hiking in the Chisos Mountains at a perfect time of the day!
Crown Mountain ridge tinted by the setting sun.
Morning view of the Window.
Day 3
Overnight in Big Bend National Park
From the lodge, hike a well-built trail to a gap in the ring of mountains that encircle the Chisos Basin. Known as the Window, this gap (or “pour-off” in local parlance), serves as the funnel through which all the waters of the Chisos Basin drain to the desert flats below. A longer hiking option allows you to ascend along the Oak Springs Trail into the Chisos Basin via the Window. Either way, this evening enjoy the view of sunset seen through the Window from the Chisos Mountain Lodge–an iconic Big Bend experience!
Sunset over Amon Carter Peak, the Window.
The peaks known as the Mule Ears and an ocotillo in bloom.
Day 4
Overnight in Big Bend National Park
Descend from the Chisos Basin to explore the landscapes at the base of the Chisos Mountains. Hike to Mule Ear Spring, a lush oasis in the Chihuahuan Desert. Blooming ocotillos and yuccas add a splash of color to the landscape. Continue further to a vantage point that provides a close-up view of the distinctive volcanic pinnacles known as the Mule Ear Peaks. Later, travel by vehicle to the park’s western portion for a short exploration of the Santa Elena canyon where the Rio Grande emerges from between limestone cliffs towering up to 1,500 feet above the river. Return to the Chisos Mountain Lodge for the evening.
The Rio Grande emerges from the Santa Elena Canyon.
The Chisos Basin from the Laguna Meadows Trail.
Day 5
Overnight in Big Bend National Park
Today, set off on what is perhaps the finest hike in the Chisos Mountains. Ascend the Laguna Meadows Trail to reach the South Rim escarpment where you’ll enjoy one of the most expansive vistas in the national park system. Enjoy a sweeping 180 degree view over the “big bend” of the Rio Grande. To the east rise the ramparts of the Sierra del Carmen while far to the west you can pick out the deep cleft of the Santa Elena Canyon. To the north, pine-clad Emory Peak, the highest peak in Big Bend National Park, dominates the scene. The trail ambles for awhile along the edge of the South Rim offering non-stop views before descending the aptly-named Boot Canyon. Loop back to the Chisos Basin on the Pinnacles Trail. For a shorter but superbly scenic hiking option, you could instead choose the hike to the summit of Emory Peak where far-ranging views await! The slopes of Emory Peak shelter one of the southernmost stands of quaking aspen in the U.S.
Lone tree on the South Rim.
The “boot” in Boot Canyon.
Emory Peak from the South Rim.
Day 6
Overnight in Alpine, Texas
Depart the Chisos Basin this morning heading north toward Persimmon Gap. Hike into the canyon of the Devil’s Den, a narrow cleft in the Santiago Mountains. A walk along the rim of the Devil’s Den brings you to an overlook of Dagger Flat at the northern end of the Sierra del Carmen. Bid adieu to the landscapes of Big Bend National Park, and travel by vehicle north to the town of Alpine where you’ll overnight in a restored, historic hotel. A farewell dinner tonight features upscale “cowboy cuisine.”
On the rim of the Devil’s Den.
Day 7
Departure for El Paso, Texas
Depart Alpine this morning to head back to El Paso via the town of Fort Davis.
The Santiago Mountains near Persimmon Gap, Big Bend National Park.
Sunset illuminates the peak of Casa Grande in the Chisos Basin.
The ramparts of the Chisos Mountains as seen from the Basin Road..
Springtime in the Big Bend country.
Photos on this page are by John Osaki (© All Rights Reserved) except as otherwise credited.
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