Day Hikes
NPS Photo/Jennette Jurado
Big Bend is a hiker's paradise containing the largest expanse of roadless public lands in Texas. More than 150 miles of trails offer opportunities for day hikes or backpacking trips. Elevations range from 1,800 feet along the Rio Grande to 7,832 feet on Emory Peak in the Chisos Mountains. Elevation changes produce an exception variety of plants, animals, and scenic vistas. Generally, hikers can expect a 20°F temperature difference between low and high elevation hiking areas.
NPS Photo/Blake Trester Mule Ears Peaks Desert Hikes 
NPS Photo/Big Bend National Park Chisos ridgetop view Rising 7832' in elevation, the Chisos Mountains preserve a relict forest of oaks, pines, junipers, madrones, and Arizona cypress. There are about twenty miles of trails within the Chisos with excellent year-round hiking opportunities. 
NPS Photo/Cookie Ballou View from Rio Grande Village Nature Trail Dense stands of reeds and mesquite thickets line the river along much of the park boundary making human access difficult, but providing excellent habitat for wildlife. The best way to enjoy this area is from the river itself, but several short hikes provide access into river canyons or elsewhere along its banks. |
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Did You Know?
About the beginning of the twentieth century, D. E. Lindsey operated a small quicksilver prospect on the northern end of Mariscal Mountain in Big Bend National Park. On old maps, the location is shown as the Lindsey mine, but it is more commonly known as the Mariscal mine. More...