Compiled List of Trails at Big Bend National Park
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| Welcome to Big Bend National Park. Courtesy of KXAN |
A few notes to keep in mind. All distances are one way, so if you want to make a round trip double the distance. I described out & back trails as trails that do not end or begin at another trail. Linear trails are defined as a trail that begins or ends at another trail. Also, be mindful that my short descriptions and area groupings don’t do justice to the true nature of the Big Bend trail system. It is just to be used as a quick reference.
|
Trail Name
|
Distance (miles)
|
Trail Type
|
Trail System
|
Notes
|
|
Pinnacles Trail
|
3.5
|
Linear
|
1
|
All out & back distances are listed as one way
|
|
Laguna Meadow Trail
|
3.3
|
Linear
|
1
|
All linear distances are listed one way
|
|
Chisos Basin Loop Trail*1
|
0.6
|
Linear
|
1
|
Linear trails begin or end at another trail
|
|
Colima Trail
|
1
|
Linear
|
1
|
Out & back trails do not begin or end at another trail
|
|
NE & SE Rim Trail
|
3.3
|
Linear
|
1
|
*1: 1.6 using Pinnacles, Laguna & Basin Loop trails
|
|
Emory Peak Trail
|
1.2
|
Out & Back
|
1
|
|
|
Boot Canyon Trail
|
1.5
|
Linear
|
1
|
0 = none
|
|
Southwest Rim Trail
|
2.5
|
Linear
|
1
|
1 = Outer Mountain Loop
|
|
Boot Spring Trail
|
1.3
|
Linear
|
1
|
2 = Window Area
|
|
Juniper Canyon
|
6.2
|
Linear
|
1
|
6 = Burro Mesa Area
|
|
Dodson
|
9.9
|
Linear
|
1
|
7 = Mariscal Area
|
|
Blue Creek
|
5.5
|
Linear
|
1
|
8 = Hot Springs
|
|
Window View Trail
|
0.25
|
Loop
|
2
|
9 = Dead Horse Mountain Area
|
|
Window Trail
|
2.8
|
Out & Back
|
2
|
10 = Ernst Basin Complex
|
|
Lost Mine
|
2.4
|
Out & Back
|
0
|
11 = Mesa de Anguila
|
|
Pine Canyon
|
2
|
Out & Back
|
0
|
|
|
Oak Spring
|
2
|
Out & Back
|
2
|
|
|
Ward Spring
|
1.8
|
Out & Back
|
0
|
|
|
Sam Nail Ranch
|
0.5
|
loop
|
0
|
|
|
Burro Mesa Pour-Off
|
0.5
|
Out & Back
|
6
|
|
|
Top of Burro Mesa
|
1.8
|
Out & Back
|
6
|
|
|
Burro Spring
|
2.2
|
Loop
|
6
|
|
|
The Chimneys
|
7.6
|
Out & Back
|
0
|
|
|
Mule Ears Peaks
|
3.5
|
Linear
|
7
|
|
|
Smoky Creek
|
15.3
|
Linear
|
7
|
|
|
Homer Wilson Blue Creek Ranch
|
0.25
|
Linear
|
0
|
|
|
Tuff Canyon
|
0.4
|
Out & Back
|
0
|
|
|
Santa Elena Canyon
|
0.8
|
Out & Back
|
0
|
|
|
Elephant Tusk Trail
|
8
|
Linear
|
0
|
|
|
Dominguez Spring
|
7
|
Out & Back
|
0
|
|
|
Mariscal Canyon Rim
|
3.3
|
Linear
|
7
|
|
|
Cross Canyon
|
7
|
Out & Back
|
7
|
|
|
Hot Springs
|
1
|
loop
|
8
|
|
|
Hot Springs Canyon Rim
|
3
|
Out & Back
|
8
|
|
|
Rio Grande Village Nature Trail
|
0.75
|
Lolipop
|
0
|
|
|
Ore Terminal
|
4
|
Out & Back
|
9 & 10
|
|
|
Bonquillas Canyon
|
0.7
|
Out & Back
|
0
|
|
|
Marfugo Vega
|
14
|
Lolipop
|
9
|
|
|
Telephone Canyon
|
16.7
|
Out & Back
|
9
|
|
|
Strawhouse
|
14
|
Out & Back
|
9
|
|
|
Willow Tank-Ernst Basin
|
5.5
|
Out & Back
|
10
|
|
|
Ore Terminal-Ernst Basin
|
6.1
|
Out & Back
|
10
|
|
|
Telephone Canyon-Ernst Basin
|
11
|
Lolipop
|
10
|
|
|
Ernst Tinaja
|
0.5
|
Out & Back
|
10
|
|
|
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Trail
|
0.5
|
Loop
|
0
|
|
|
Slickrock Canyon
|
4
|
Out & Back
|
0
|
|
|
Grapevine Hills
|
1
|
Out & Back
|
0
|
|
|
Dog Canyon
|
2.5
|
Out & Back
|
0
|
|
|
Devil’s Den
|
3.25
|
Out & Back
|
0
|
|
|
Estufa Canyon
|
7.5
|
Out & Back
|
0
|
|
|
Persimmon Gap Draw
|
1
|
Out & Back
|
0
|
|
|
Mesa de Anguila
|
7.5
|
Out & Back/System
|
11
|
|
|
Dorgan-Sublett Trail
|
0.5
|
Out & Back
|
0
|
|
|
Panther Path
|
50 yards
|
Loop
|
0
|
Want the Spreadsheet? Download it here. I would like to keep improving the list for those who planning a trip to Big Bend, so if I have anything wrong or you know of a trail not on the list please let me know. Plus, if you have any thoughts on better organization, I’d love to hear that too.
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