Big Bend National Park Map + 3-Day Desert Hiking Itinerary

Day 1 of 3

Arrival & the Window Trail · 5.5 miles

Enter Big Bend, ideally via Persimmon Gap from Marathon or Maverick Junction from Terlingua, and drive straight up into the Chisos Basin, the only lodging inside the park. Check into Chisos Mountains Lodge or the basin campground, then shake out the drive on a moderate afternoon hike to acclimatize.

4 stopsDay one

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⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

1. ⠿↑↓1Jonathan Cutrer / CC BY 2.0
   Drive from where are you driving from?~30 mi to the Chisos Basin · car required · Drive

   Enter Big Bend via Maverick Junction from Terlingua/Study Butte (or Persimmon Gap from Marathon) and drive up into the Chisos Basin, the heart of the park. The nearest airports are Midland (MAF) at about 3–3.5 hours and El Paso (ELP) at about 4.5–5 hours. Fuel up before you enter, in-park gas is limited to Panther Junction and the Basin store.

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   Check in: Chisos Mountains LodgeOnly in-park lodging · reservations essential · lodge

   Settle into the Chisos Mountains Lodge or the basin campground, the only lodging inside the park and the trailhead hub for the Chisos high country. The lodge dining room is the park's only full-service restaurant. Rooms book 6–12 months ahead for October–April; campground sites are reservable on recreation.gov.

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   The Window Trail5.5 mi RT · ~1,000 ft · ~3 hours · moderate · Hike

   Shake out the drive on the Window Trail, a 5.5-mile round trip that descends through Oak Creek Canyon to a dramatic pour-off framing the desert beyond, the Chisos Basin's signature view. Remember it descends on the way out, so you climb ~1,000 ft back to the Basin at the end. Save water for the return.

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   Stargazing in the Chisos BasinInternational Dark Sky Park · one of the darkest in the Lower 48 · Viewpoint

   After dinner at the lodge, step outside for the stars. Big Bend is an International Dark Sky Park with some of the darkest skies in the contiguous US. Bring a red-light headlamp to protect your night vision, and look for the Milky Way on moonless nights.

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Day 2 of 3

South Rim & Emory Peak · 12.6–15.6 miles

The big day. Start early from the Chisos Basin Trailhead and climb the South Rim loop (12.6 miles, ~2,000 ft) via Laguna Meadow, topping out on the escarpment for one of the great views in the Southwest, the Chihuahuan Desert falling away 2,000 feet to the Rio Grande and the Sierra del Carmen in Mexico beyond.

4 stopsDay two

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⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

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   South Rim loop via Laguna Meadow12.6 mi loop · ~2,000 ft · 7–9 hours · strenuous · Hike

   Start early from the Chisos Basin Trailhead and climb the South Rim loop via Laguna Meadow, topping out on the escarpment for one of the great views in the Southwest, the desert falling 2,000 feet to the Rio Grande and the Sierra del Carmen in Mexico. Much of the rim is exposed, so an early start and 4–5 liters of water per person are essential.

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2. ⠿↑↓2Eleutherosmartin (talk / CC BY-SA 3.0
   Emory Peak spur (optional)~3 mi RT add-on · 7,832 ft · park high point · Hike

   Add the roughly 3-mile round-trip spur to Emory Peak, the highest point in Big Bend at 7,832 feet, bringing the day to about 15.6 miles. The final push to the summit is a short Class 2–3 rock scramble with 360-degree views. Skip the summit block in ice, high wind, or wet conditions.

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3. ⠿↑↓3Fredlyfish4 / CC BY-SA 3.0
   Descend via Boot CanyonPart of the South Rim loop · shadier, cooler · Hike

   Complete the loop by descending through Boot Canyon, named for the boot-shaped rock spire, a slightly more sheltered stretch with tree cover before the trail reconnects toward the Basin. The footing is rocky, so take your time on tired legs.

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4. ⠿↑↓4Fredlyfish4 / CC BY-SA 3.0
   Second night in the Chisos BasinRest & recover · dining room open for dinner · lodge

   Return to the Chisos Basin after a demanding day. Refuel at the lodge dining room, rehydrate, and rest, tomorrow drops you from the mountains to the river at Santa Elena Canyon.

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Day 3 of 3

Santa Elena Canyon & departure · 1.7 miles

On the last morning, drop from the mountains to the river. Drive the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive to the Santa Elena Canyon Trail (1.7 miles round trip, ~150 ft), an easy, iconic walk into a slot where 1,500-foot limestone walls squeeze the Rio Grande between Texas and Mexico. You cross Terlingua Creek, sometimes muddy or wet, before the trail climbs into the canyon.

4 stopsDay three

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⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

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   Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive to Santa Elena~45 mi · ~1 hour · winding paved road · Drive

   Drop from the mountains to the river on the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, one of the most beautiful roads in the park. It winds past the Mule Ears overlook and desert vistas on the way to the Santa Elena Canyon trailhead. There are no services along the drive, so carry water in the car.

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   Santa Elena Canyon Trail1.7 mi RT · ~150 ft · easy · 1,500 ft walls · Hike

   An easy, iconic 1.7-mile round trip into a slot where 1,500-foot limestone walls squeeze the Rio Grande between Texas and Mexico. You cross Terlingua Creek, which can be muddy or ankle-deep after rain, before the trail climbs a short set of switchbacks into the shady, cool canyon.

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   Castolon Historic District & La Harmonia StoreHistoric trading post · restrooms · small exhibits · Viewpoint

   On the way back, stop at the Castolon Historic District and the La Harmonia Store, a former trading post that offers a window into the park's ranching and border history, plus basic supplies, snacks, and restrooms. A small visitor area and exhibits round out the stop.

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4. ⠿↑↓4Idawriter / CC BY-SA 3.0
   Drive out of Big BendLong, remote roads · fuel up first · Drive

   Begin the long drive out via Maverick Junction or Persimmon Gap. Top off your tank at Panther Junction, the roads out are long and isolated with scarce services. If you exit north, the Fossil Discovery Exhibit makes a worthwhile last stop.

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