Big Bend in 4 Days: Chisos Peaks & the Rio Grande
One park, mountains, river & desert, all in West Texas.
Four days hiking in Big Bend National Park: the Window Trail and Lost Mine in the Chisos, the Emory Peak summit, Santa Elena Canyon, and a Rio Grande raft trip.
“I’ve requested to book a Chain Lakes Loop guide on ExplorOFF, and it was the best idea ever! I highly recommend going with their guided option since you get a real human connection on the trail and don’t have to worry about a thing. Yulia was great to talk to!”
14 stops on a real mapEvery stop pinned in order→Big Bend: every stop pinned in order.
Chisos Basin, the Rio Grande & Santa Elena · West Texas
Every stop on this trip, in order, opens as one driving route in the Google Maps app. No copying addresses across one at a time.
Big Bend in photos: 5 of the stops.
Plan and book your 4 days in Big Bend, one step at a time
- Hot Springs Road is closed until further notice after flash flooding, so the day 3 Hot Springs stop cannot be reached by car right now. Source
- The paved road between Cottonwood Campground and Santa Elena Canyon is closed until further notice after flash flooding, so the Santa Elena Canyon Trail at the end of day 4 is cut off from the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. Source
- The Chisos Basin restaurant is closed; a food truck outside the lodge serves 7 am to 3 pm (closed 10 to 11 am), so plan your own dinners on the two Basin nights. Source
How 4 days in Big Bend split up
Plan 4 days for Big Bend. Total distance: ~210 mi. Difficulty: Moderate. Parks pass: $30 / car. Big Bend National Park is one of the largest and most remote parks in the lower 48, an 800,000-acre sweep of the Chihuahuan Desert wrapped around the Chisos Mountains and bordered for 118 miles by the Rio Grande. It is a long way from anywhere, and that is exactly why the night skies, the canyons, and the silence feel like nowhere else.
Day 1: Drive in & the Chisos Basin · the Window Trail
4 stops · Day one
Day 2: The best Chisos hike: Lost Mine Trail
3 stops · Day two
Day 3: The Rio Grande · Hot Springs, Boquillas & a raft trip
4 stops · Day three
Day 4: Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive & Santa Elena Canyon
3 stops · Day four
Drive in & the Chisos Basin · the Window Trail
Big Bend is genuinely remote: plan on about 3.5 hours from Midland (MAF) or 4.5 hours from El Paso (ELP), with long empty stretches and little to no cell service. Stop for gas in Marathon or at Study Butte before you commit to the park interior, then climb the steep, winding road up into the Chisos Basin, a cool mountain bowl ringed by peaks and the heart of the park's hiking.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
Drive from~3.5 hr · remote · fuel up first · DriveBig Bend is genuinely remote. Plan on about 3.5 hours from Midland (MAF) or 4.5 hours from El Paso (ELP), through long empty stretches with little to no cell service. Stop for gas in Marathon or Study Butte before you commit to the park interior, and download offline maps before you lose signal.
- Chisos Basin
Cool mountain bowl · trailhead hub · ViewpointClimb the steep, winding road up into the Chisos Basin, a cool mountain bowl ringed by peaks and the heart of the park's hiking. This is where the lodge, the campground, and the best Chisos trailheads all cluster, so it makes an ideal base for your first two nights.
- The Window Trail
~5.6 mi RT · moderate · sunset pour-off · HikeHike the Window Trail (about 5.6 miles round trip, moderate) down to the Window pour-off, a dramatic V-shaped notch where the entire basin drains and frames the desert far below. It goes downhill on the way out and uphill on the way back, so time it for late afternoon and be at the Window for sunset.
See the trail → 
Fredlyfish4 / CC BY-SA 3.0Stay in the Chisos BasinChisos Mountains Lodge · only in-park lodging · lodgeChisos Mountains Lodge is the only lodging inside the park, set right in the cool basin steps from the major trailheads. It books up far ahead, often months out for prime season weekends, so reserve early. If it is full, base in Terlingua or Marathon and drive in.
The best Chisos hike: Lost Mine Trail
Today is your big Chisos hike. The standout is the Lost Mine Trail (about 4.8 miles round trip, moderate), widely rated the best views-per-mile hike in the park, climbing to a ridgeline panorama over Juniper Canyon and the Sierra del Carmen across the river in Mexico. If you only do one Chisos hike, make it this one.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Lost Mine Trail
~4.8 mi RT · moderate · best views per mile · HikeStart early with the Lost Mine Trail (about 4.8 miles round trip, moderate), widely rated the best views-per-mile hike in the park. It climbs to a ridgeline panorama over Juniper Canyon and the Sierra del Carmen across the river in Mexico. The small trailhead lot fills fast, so arrive at dawn.
See the trail → 
Emory Peak (alternative to Lost Mine)~10.5 mi RT · strenuous · do instead of Lost Mine · HikeEmory Peak (about 10.5 miles round trip, strenuous) is the alternative for fit hikers who want a full day: the highest point in the park at 7,825 feet, with a short rock scramble to the summit and a 360-degree view. Do it instead of Lost Mine, not on top of it, since roughly 15 miles of climbing in one day is too much for most people. Carry plenty of water, start at first light, and be off the mountain before dark.
Fredlyfish4 / CC BY-SA 3.0Second night in the Chisos BasinStay put for dawn trailheads · lodgeStay a second night in the Chisos Basin so you can be at the Lost Mine and Emory Peak trailheads at dawn, before the lots fill and the heat builds. Keeping the same base means no packing up between two big hiking days.
The Rio Grande · Hot Springs, Boquillas & a raft trip
Drop down out of the mountains to the Rio Grande, the river that gives Big Bend its name and forms the park's 118-mile border with Mexico. Soak in the Hot Springs Historic District, where 105°F mineral water bubbles up beside the river inside the foundation of an old bathhouse, then walk the short Boquillas Canyon Trail (about 1.4 miles round trip) into a deep canyon where the cliffs echo.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
Hot Springs Historic DistrictRoad closed after flash floods · check NPS first · ViewpointDrop down to the Rio Grande and soak in the Hot Springs Historic District, where 105°F mineral water bubbles up beside the river inside the foundation of an old bathhouse. It is a short walk from a rough dirt parking lot, so go early to have the pool to yourself before the heat and crowds arrive.
Boquillas Canyon Trail~1.4 mi RT · easy · echoing canyon · HikeWalk the short Boquillas Canyon Trail (about 1.4 miles round trip, easy) into a deep canyon where the cliffs echo along the Rio Grande. It is a quick, dramatic leg-stretcher between river stops, and a fine place to watch the light move on the canyon walls.
See the trail →- Rio Grande raft trip · Far Flung Outdoor Center
Guided float · book ahead · activityBook a guided Rio Grande raft or canoe trip with Far Flung Outdoor Center, the park's long-running river outfitter based in Terlingua. A half-day float drifts you between canyon walls you cannot reach on foot. The river corridor is low and hot, so plan river time for the cooler morning and carry plenty of water.
Book this → - Stay in Terlingua
Gateway town · river outfitters · lodgeBase in Terlingua just west of the park, the quirky gateway town where the river outfitters and most desert lodging cluster. It sets you up close to the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive and Santa Elena Canyon for tomorrow, with restaurants and a famous porch for sunset.
Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive & Santa Elena Canyon
Save the most scenic drive in the park for last. The Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive winds about 30 miles southwest through dramatic desert and volcanic country, with pullouts at Sotol Vista, Mule Ears, and the Tuff Canyon overlook, before dead-ending at the river. Take your time: this is one of the best stretches of pavement in West Texas.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive~30 mi · Sotol Vista, Mule Ears · DriveSave the most scenic drive in the park for last. The Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive winds about 30 miles southwest through dramatic desert and volcanic country, with pullouts at Sotol Vista, Mule Ears, and the Tuff Canyon overlook, before dead-ending at the river. Take your time on one of the best stretches of pavement in West Texas.
- Santa Elena Canyon Trail
~1.7 mi RT · paved access road closed · check NPS · HikeThe road ends at the park's signature finale: the Santa Elena Canyon Trail (about 1.7 miles round trip, easy to moderate), where 1,500-foot limestone walls rise straight from the Rio Grande as the river slices between the United States and Mexico. The trail crosses Terlingua Creek near the start, which can be muddy or impassable after rain, so check conditions first.
- Getting home: Midland or El Paso
MAF ~3.5 hr · ELP ~4.5 hr · DriveFrom Santa Elena it is roughly 3.5 hours back to Midland (MAF) or 4.5 hours to El Paso (ELP). Top off your gas at Study Butte or Panther Junction and start the long, remote drive out with daylight to spare. There is little cell service for much of the way, so keep your route downloaded offline.
Book the 3 nights
Beds near the trailheads are the one thing on this trip that genuinely runs out. Everything else can be decided later.
Tell us your dates and we will do the checking. We find what is still open near each trailhead and email you this plan back with a booking link for each night. Nothing is charged and you decide at the end.
Request to bookWhat to pack for Big Bend
Built from this route, not a generic list. Every line says why it is here.
On every day of this trip
On your feet
Because you are sleeping indoors
For the driving days
Specific to Big Bend
What we actually learned in the desert.
Pay the entrance fee or bring your pass
Big Bend charges about $30 per vehicle for a 7-day pass. The annual America the Beautiful pass ($80) also covers entry and pays off fast if you visit other national parks. Pay at the entrance station or online ahead of time.
Fill up before the park interior
There is no gas in the heart of the park. Fuel stations sit at Panther Junction inside the park and in the gateway towns of Study Butte and Marathon. Top off your tank before every long stretch, because the next pump can be 60 miles away.
Bring far more water than you think
The Chihuahuan Desert is brutally dry. Carry at least a gallon of water per person per day, and 3 to 4 liters on a summit hike. There is no water on the trails. Heat is the number one danger here, especially down along the river.
Expect almost no cell service
Cell coverage is nearly nonexistent across the park. Download offline maps, screenshot your trailheads, and tell someone your plan before you go. Visitor centers at Panther Junction and Chisos Basin have the most reliable information.
Go November through March
Winter and late fall bring comfortable days and cool nights, the best time for hiking. Spring, especially March, is gorgeous but crowded. Summer is dangerous: desert temperatures top 100°F and the river corridor is even more extreme, so hike at dawn.
Lodging is scarce, so book early
Chisos Mountains Lodge is the only lodging inside the park and books months ahead for prime season. Otherwise base in Terlingua or Marathon and drive in, or reserve a campsite through recreation.gov well in advance.
Do not cram the Window Trail on arrival day
Driving in takes about 3.5 hours from Midland or 4.5 from El Paso, and rental counters or a grocery stop eat more time than you expect. If your flight lands after roughly 10 AM, use the first evening just to drive in safely, fuel up, check in, and stargaze, then push the 5.6-mile Window Trail to a cooler morning later in the trip so you are not climbing back up in the dark.
Chase sunset at Sotol Vista
If you wrap up the Rio Grande early, you can drive the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive that same afternoon and catch sunset at Sotol Vista, then keep Santa Elena Canyon for the next morning before the long drive out. The free planner lets you drag stops between days, so you can build the scenic drive into whichever afternoon lines up best with the light.
Big Bend: questions before you go
Big Bend hike: the questions people ask most.
For hiking in Big Bend National Park, the standouts are the Lost Mine Trail (about 4.8 miles round trip, the best views per mile), the Window Trail (about 5.6 miles round trip to the pour-off), Emory Peak (about 10.5 miles round trip and strenuous, the highest point in the park), and the Santa Elena Canyon Trail (about 1.7 miles round trip beneath 1,500-foot walls). The first three are in the cool Chisos Basin; Santa Elena is down on the Rio Grande.
If you can only do one, most hikers pick the Lost Mine Trail (about 4.8 miles round trip) for the best views per mile, or the strenuous South Rim loop (roughly 12 to 14.5 miles round trip) for what many consider the single most spectacular view in Texas, looking out over the Chihuahuan Desert and into Mexico. For a shorter signature hike, the Window Trail to the pour-off and Santa Elena Canyon beneath 1,500-foot walls are both hard to beat. Emory Peak, the highest point in the park, is the top choice if you want to bag a summit.
The best easy hikes in Big Bend are the Santa Elena Canyon Trail (about 1.7 miles round trip, with a short climb up into the canyon), the Boquillas Canyon Trail (about 1.4 miles round trip), and the short walk to the riverside Hot Springs. The paved Window View Trail near the Chisos Basin lodge is an easy stroll of well under a mile that frames the Window at sunset. These give you dramatic desert and canyon scenery without the mileage or elevation of the Chisos summit trails.
For fit hikers, yes. The South Rim is a strenuous loop of roughly 12 to 14.5 miles round trip depending on the variation, climbing to a cliff-edge rim with a sweeping view over the desert and the Rio Grande. Many rank it among the best hikes in Big Bend National Park and one of the finest views in Texas. It is a full-day effort, so start at first light, carry plenty of water, and check whether any seasonal peregrine falcon closures affect the rim before you go.
Three to four days is ideal. That gives you time for the best Chisos hikes (Lost Mine, the Window, and optionally Emory Peak), a day on the Rio Grande with the Hot Springs and a guided raft trip, and the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive out to Santa Elena Canyon. Big Bend is enormous and remote, so it does not reward a rushed single day.
November through March is the prime season, with comfortable days and cool nights that are ideal for hiking. Spring, especially March, is beautiful but busy. Summer is dangerous: desert temperatures regularly exceed 100°F and the low river corridor is even hotter, so any summer hiking should be done at dawn and the high Chisos trails are the most bearable.
There is one fuel station at Panther Junction inside the park, plus stations in the gateway towns of Study Butte and Marathon. There is no gas in the deep interior or along most scenic drives, so fill up before every long stretch. The next pump can easily be 50 to 60 miles away.
Chisos Mountains Lodge is the only lodging inside the park and books up months in advance, especially for prime season weekends, so reserve early. If it is full, the closest options are in Terlingua and Study Butte just west of the park, or in Marathon to the north. There are also campgrounds at Chisos Basin, Rio Grande Village, and Cottonwood, bookable through recreation.gov.
Day hiking does not require a permit. You do need to pay the park entrance fee (about $30 per vehicle for 7 days, or use an America the Beautiful pass). Backcountry overnight trips and river trips require a permit from the park, which you can arrange through recreation.gov or at a visitor center.
Yes. Guided raft and canoe trips on the Rio Grande are one of the best things to do in Big Bend, drifting between canyon walls you cannot reach on foot. Far Flung Outdoor Center, based in Terlingua, is the park's long-running river outfitter and runs guided floats. Book ahead, especially on weekends, and plan river time for the cooler morning hours.
Almost none. Cell coverage is nearly nonexistent across most of the park. Download offline maps, screenshot your trailheads and directions, and let someone know your plan before you arrive. The visitor centers at Panther Junction and the Chisos Basin are the best places for current trail and road conditions.
Yes. At Boquillas Canyon on the eastern side of the park you are right beside the Boquillas Port of Entry. With a valid passport you can take the small, legal rowboat ferry across the Rio Grande and spend a few hours in the village of Boquillas del Carmen, Mexico, for lunch and a look around. The crossing runs limited days and hours that can change seasonally, so check the official port schedule before you go, and note you cannot cross without a passport.
Yes. Tell us your dates and we check what is still open for the plan on this page, then send it back with a booking link for each night and the total. Nothing is charged and nothing is held, and you pay the normal rate.
Pick how you want to go.
Same 4-day route. Same 8 stops.
- 2 nights, a campsite near Chisos Basin
- $44
- 1 night, a campsite near Terlingua
- $22
- Rio Grande raft trip · Far Flung Outdoor Center
- Priced when you book
- 2 nights, a room in Chisos Basin
- from $400
- 1 night, a room in Terlingua
- from $196
- Rio Grande raft trip · Far Flung Outdoor Center
- Priced when you book
- A private local guide, rooms and campsites booked
- Included
- Airport pickup and every drive
- Included
- Park, permit and campsite fees paid
- Included
- All the gear and the trail meals
- Included
Written and walked by Yulia Vasilyeva · Co-founder · Lead planner and guide
Three years leading guided hikes in the Pacific Northwest, rated 5.0 by 20+ verified guests, and she builds every custom itinerary herself. Based in Seattle.
Last checked September 2026
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You can't hike it if you can't get the permit.
The best hikes in America run on lotteries that open once a year and sell out in minutes. Every trail runs on its own calendar. Pick the ones you want and we do the watching.
The WaveCoyote Buttes North · Arizona / UtahPermitLotterybrutal odds
Half Dome CablesYosemite NP · CaliforniaPermitOpens Mar 1fair odds
Mt. WhitneyInyo NF · CaliforniaPermitOpens Feb 1tough odds
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How it works
- An email the morning each window opens, never the day after.
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- Win odds and a ranked backup plan for every trail you pick.
Didn't win? We keep watching. We check recreation.gov every day for The Enchantments, Half Dome and Angels Landing, and email you the moment a sold-out date frees up. Cancellations are the second chance most people never hear about.