Big Bend National Park Hiking Trails – Which are Best for Solo Hikers?

During my second road trip to west Texas I wanted to spend some time hiking. Making a list of the best solo hikes to try at Big Bend National Park in Texas took some research.

I started planning my hiking trips for my stay at Big Bend while I was in Alpine Texas – a great home base for visiting West Texas. I highly recommend putting Alpine on your west Texas road trip itinerary.

You have the option of both mountain and desert hikes at Big Bend.

Generally the temperatures at the desert hikes are hotter and the mountain hikes offer cooler temps.

Check the weather for Big Bend before you set out hiking and bring sufficient gear with you.

 

Best time to visit Big Bend National Park

When to visit Big Bend National Park for the best weather for hiking I suggest October through March. Summers usually get extremely hot in Texas.

December through February the temperatures can get down to freezing so remember to bring hiking clothes for all types of weather.

Wear layers. Wool is your best option for cooler weather.

From wool socks to long underwear look for products made of Merino wool – it’s softer not not as itchy as regular wool.

While living in Austin I thought Big Bend was one of those long road trips from Austin that seemed too far for a weekend trip. Don’t miss out on the best hiking trails in Texas.

Taking a total of about six hours to drive from Austin it’s doable for a long weekend from Austin or San Antonio. Escaping to nature and hiking Big Bend National Park are worth the drive.

LEARN MORE: Best Women’s Hiking Socks

Best Solo Hikes at Big Bend

Jump to any of these hikes for more info

Window Trail– Moderate 5.6 miles (9 km) round trip
Grapevine Hills – Easy 2.2 miles (3.5 km) round trip
Lost Mine Trail – Moderate 4.8 miles (7.7 km) round trip

Weather Conditions Hiking at Big Bend

While on my first road trip to Big Bend in December 2010 I did river hikes at Santa Elena Canyon and Boquillas Canyon. The weather is hotter in October I preferred to do mountain hikes during this trip to Big Bend.

Your best hikes to try out at Big Bend National Park will depend on the weather conditions. Remember to make sure your hiking clothing and gear is appropriate for the climate.

Also, bring plenty of water no matter what time of year you are planning to visit Big Bend. Consider buying a hydration backpack.

 

Solo Hiking Safety and Survival Skills

Having limited solo hiking experience, I am working on doing more hikes alone and increasing my knowledge base of wilderness survival skills.

After taking a class at REI Outdoor School it opened my eyes to the need for being prepared before setting out on a day hike.

Most definitely bring a 10 essentials survival kit with you on any day trip. Getting caught unprepared is the number one reason people find themselves in an emergency survival situation.

Don’t be one of those people. Bring your 10 essentials kit on every hike.

Of course hiking solo at Big Bend National Park seemed like a great idea before I arrived at the park. After giving it more thought, visions of mountain lions and rattlesnakes slithered into my imagination.

I do love to see wildlife in its natural habitat.

But I have a healthy fear and great respect for wild animals.

Actually, I do realize the chances of running into a mountain lion on the hiking trail are fairly slim, but my vivid imagination disagrees.

And people have been attacked by mountain lions. My logical side reminds me “it is possible, but not probable”, but imaginative me still thinks it could happen at any moment.

I read all the warnings posted at Big Bend, explaining how to act if one encounters a mountain lion.

• Appear large
• Wave arms and shout aggressively
• Act ferocious
• Do not run away
• Do not show fear

Okay… I am happy to report that I had no encounters with mountain lions or rattlesnakes.

Window Trail – Great Solo Hike at Big Bend

My first morning at Big Bend I woke up early at Chisos Mountain Lodge but didn’t head out to the hiking trail until around 10 am.

A few minutes hiking the Window Trail I met a fellow solo hiker.

I was happy to have someone to hike with so that we could both look ferocious when we encountered a mountain lion.

Beth told me that spiders and not mountain lions were the creature she feared. I told her I saw tarantulas crossing the road on the drive to Big Bend National Park near Terlingua.

 

Not even five minutes after our conversation about spiders a guy on the trail calls back to us “hey you wanna see a tarantula?” and of course I did want to see a tarantula. Beth also managed to get a close look and did not freak out.

Watch this short video of a tarantula spider at Big Bend National Park.

I shot the video with a Canon Powershot with a zoom lens – the newer version features a 40x zoom lens. It’s great for a hiking camera, lightweight but with the zoom feature for shooting wildlife.

I was a bit perturbed that the guy was blocking the tarantula’s way with a hiking pole to keep the spider within our view. I imagined life from the tarantula’s perspective “Why do these enormous two-legged creatures mess with my daily walk in the woods. Why can’t they just leave me alone?!”

 

The Window Trail is listed by National Park Service as moderate difficulty and the well-marked trail ends at the V-shaped window in the Chisos Mountains, offering panoramic views of the Chihuahuan Desert.

Meet your Neighbors and Hike Together

On day two in Big Bend National Park I met my neighbors at Chisos Mountain Lodge. Julia and Max are on a quest to see every national park in the USA.

They were not trying to see all the national parks in one trip. Rather they take a few weeks and enjoy their time and then head back home for several weeks. Repeat. Pretty cool lifestyle I think.

We had some good conversations and Max took photos of the Milky Way with the help of his tripod.

The views of the night skies are amazing in Big Bend National Park. It is one of the darkest places in the lower 48 states.

If you are a star-gazer you will love Big Bend! You can make a side trip to Fort Davis and visit the McDonald Observatory.

My last full day at Big Bend turned out to be perfect hiking weather with overcast skies much of the day and no rain, making for comfortable hiking conditions.

I decided to do a desert hike at Grapevine Hills Trail in the morning and a mountain hike at Lost Mine Trail after lunch.

My neighbors at Chisos Mountain Lodge also decided to do the same hikes. We didn’t travel in the same vehicle or plan to meet but figured we would probably run into each other along the trails at some point.

 

Grapevine Hills Trail at Big Bend

I left for Grapevine Hills Trail around 9 AM and drove the 6 miles (9.65 km) down the gravel road to the small parking lot at the trailhead.

Grapevine Hills Trail is an easy 2.2 mile loop (3.5 km) with a scramble at the end of the hike near the Balanced Rock – a huge boulder balanced atop other boulders.

There is no shade along the trail  so remember to bring a good sun hat. Although once you get to balance rock you can find some shade among the boulders.

 

I loved the views of the rock formations, cacti, and yucca plants along the hiking trail. Enjoying the views as I wandered among the boulders at the end of the trail and taking photos of Balanced Rock.

Hearing the sounds of other hikers I turned towards their voices, receiving a warm welcome from Julia and Max.

We took photos and chatted and walked back to the trailhead together.

 

Lost Mine Trail at Big Bend National Park

After lunch at the Chisos Mountain Lodge I filled my refillable water bottle and packed up my day pack for the afternoon hike at Lost Mine Trail.

Although the parking lot at Lost Mine Trail is small I lucked out and got the second last spot.

My neighbors Julia and Max left before me so I figured I would see them along the trail. Indeed, I saw them on the way up the trail and we hiked the remainder of Lost Mine together.

 

Take note that Lost Mile Trail has an elevation gain of 1,100 ft (335 m) and it is uphill all the way to the end of the trail.

Afterwards, the reward is the views along the way and knowing you have a less strenuous downhill hike on the way back.

Unless your knees give you trouble on the downhill hikes like some folks I have met along hiking trails. Remember to keep to a pace that is comfortable for you and takes breaks as necessary.

Total round trip for Lost Mine Trail is 4.8 miles (7.7 km).

The views along Lost Mine Trail are amazing so if you only have time to do one hike at Big Bend I recommend Lost Mine Trail.

Not sure about Hiking Alone? Try Ranger-led Programs

While I did set out to go hiking solo at Big Bend National Park I was happy to have some company on most of my hikes.

If you are visiting Big Bend and are apprehensive about hiking alone you can take part in Ranger-led Programs offered at Big Bend.

With each hiking trip I gain more experience and confidence in my solo hiking skills.

On the more popular hiking trails there is a fair chance you will see other hikers along the way during months with favorable weather conditions.

During the hotter months visitors are more scarce than usual at Big Bend.

 

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Visitor info Big Bend National Park

Address

Main entrance: 1 Panther Drive, Big Bend National Park

Phone Number

+1-(432)-477-2251

Big Bend National Park Hours

Open 24 hours but entrance fee stations and visitor centers close at 4 PM or 5 PM, depending on the season. Some visitor centers close during lunch hour. Check for current information: Big Bend Operating Hours & Seasons.

Admission Cost to Big Bend National Park

• $30 per vehicle
• $25 per motorcycle
• $15 per individual if entering without a vehicle, unless you have a park pass
• $55 Big Bend Annual Pass

For more information check out: Big Bend Entrance Fees.

I bought a National Park Service annual pass for $80 – a great value for frequent visitors to US National Parks. Seniors can purchase a lifetime pass for $80 or an annual pass for $20

Camping fees at Big Bend National Park

$16 per night per site ($8 per night if you have a Senior or Access pass) at Rio Grande Village Campground, Chisos Basin Campground, and Cottonwood campground

Backcountry campsite fees at Big Bend National Park

$10 backcountry use permit ($5 if you have a Senior or Access pass) – you can buy the permit at either Panther Junction or Chisos Basin visitor centers in the park.

How to get to Big Bend National Park

You will need to drive as there is no public transportation to Big Bend. Check National Park Service – directions for directions and transport information. Big Bend is about a 6.5 hour drive from Austin Texas.

 Big Bend National Parks Facts

• only 300,000 visitors to the park each year (compare to Grand Canyon 4.8 million visitors)
• 800,000 acres of land to explore
• Big Bend became a National Park in 1944
• Border crossing to Mexico is possible at Boquillas Crossing (passport required)
• Info on day hikes and river trips available on the National Park Service National Park Service website
• National Park Service – campground reservations info
• Some campsites are on a first come first served basis
• Permit is required for backcountry camping (see pricing above)
• Due to water shortage please try to bring your own water to the park
• Chisos Mountain Lodge is the only hotel style lodging in the park
• Pets not allowed on trails, off roads, or in the river
• May and June are the hottest months at Big Bend National Park
• Rainy season is mid-June through October
• Temperatures in the Chisos Mountains can be 20 degrees cooler than at the Rio Grande
• Road to Chisos Basin is not suitable for RVs longer than 24′ or trailers longer than 20′
• Birders paradise – over 450 species of birds have been recorded in the area

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Big Bend National Park hiking trails – best for solo hikers

• Lost Mine Trail  Moderate  4.8 miles (7.7 km) round trip
• Grapevine Hills  Easy  2.2 miles (3.5 km) round trip
• Window Trail  Moderate  5.6 miles (9 km) round trip

If you are an experienced hiker you may want to consider the following hikes for something more challenging at Big Bend. I have not hiked these trails yet. Some people hike these trails alone but I wouldn’t hike them solo.

• Emory Peak  Strenuous  10.5 miles (17 km) round trip
• South Rim  Strenuous  12 – 15 miles (19.4 – 24 km) round trip

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