8 Short, but Wonderful, Day-Hikes in Big Bend National Park, Texas

Big Bend has to be one of the most inaccessible national parks in our country’s lower 48. It is far away from everything, isolated, and remote. You can’t stop and visit on the way to somewhere else. It is a destination unto itself. You have to want to go here. And once you get here, you will have to drive many miles within the park to see its various sites for it is 800,000 acres in size, the 14^th largest national park in the U.S. (the 7^th largest in the lower 48).  

Dayhiking and backpacking opportunities are nearly endless. There are many trails to choose from. We visited in March (with comfortable temperatures - I wouldn't recommend hiking here in the dead of summer) and day-hiked the following trails:

Santa Elena Canyon

The Rio Grande River cuts through the escarpment at the far southwest corner of the Park to form the Santa Elena Canyon. The cliff face on the left is Mexico. The cliff face on the right is the U.S. where the 1.75-mile round-trip trail is located. Some hikers were walking up the river soon after we arrived.

Windows Trail

5.6-mile round trip takes you down a dry wash ending in a pour-off (dry waterfall) of polished stone at its terminus.

Rio Grande Nature Trail

Short one to 1-1/2-mile hike with far-off views of the Rio Grande Valley. In the pictures, Mexico is to the left, so close that you can easily throw a stone across from one country to the next. Canoeists made their way down the river while we were there. They floated from one country to the next depending on the winds and the currents, Nearby, makeshift shelters and ladders provide access for those wishing to cross into the U.S.

A man looking to cross over to the U.S.

Looking at the Mexico shoreline, there was this, ready for use in a future crossing.

Boquillas Canyon

This 2-mile trail follows another canyon formed by the Rio Grande, this time at the far southeast corner of the Park. Nearby is the border crossing from the U.S. to the village of Boquillas, Mexico. The border is currently closed, cutting off the many U.S. tourists who otherwise cross over for the day to shop, buy, and otherwise contribute to the economy of this tiny village. With no tourists coming to them, the villagers must come to the tourists. Many areas along the trail had little stands set up in the sand selling trinkets, tacos, and tamales. The villagers would come over to the U.S. side to make the sale if someone was interested. Otherwise, they linger and wait on their side of the border until the next sale is in the offing. One brave merchant came over on his horse to sell his wares, including delicious tamales (we bought a half-dozen).

Careful driving here, many horses and burros roam along the road.

This man crosses over to make a sale.

Villagers wait on their side of the river.

This man sold us delicious tamales...

...that we had later for lunch. 

Desert Oasis/Dug-Out Wells

The short hike around this oasis of green, fed by a wind-driven pump, is in the middle of nowhere.

Grapevine Trail

A high-clearance vehicle is needed to drive the 6-mile, very rough gravel and rock road to the trailhead. The 2.25-mile round trip trail takes you to a very unique and interesting balanced rock (now, how the heck did this get there?!)

 Lower Burro Pour-Off

Another one-mile trail follows a dry wash to a dry waterfall (called a pour-off) as seen from below. I would love one day to see a desert flash flood fill one of these dry washes.

 Sam Nail Ranch

 A very short walk amongst the ruins of an old farmstead established back in the 1910s.

Not much remains of the adobe farmhouse.

Note that while we were in Big Bend, several park roads and trails were under reconstruction and closed either around the clock or for several hours during the day. This limited our access to many other trails that would have made this list.

A music video of Big Bend and other National Parks in southwestern US can be viewed at the following link: