Big Bend south rim, texas

Big Bend National Park is a wonderful place that takes forever to get to and then seems too large to take in easily. Which is why many people who go there keep going back. We have visited the Park around ten times since 1992 and have grown to know and love the place.

This travelogue is about one trail, hiked in one day, in April 2002. It is a great introduction to Big Bend and, in particular, the Chisos Mountains. We hope the photos will entice you to follow in our footsteps.

For a quick photographic introduction to West Texas in general, see the Focalplane Gallery.

In a Nutshell:

Date: April 2002

Weather: Hot sunny weather with some haze at midday.

Route: Well marked trails up and down the Chisos Mountains.

Recommended? This is the best one day itinerary that starts and ends in the Basin.

When we visit Big Bend we either camp at one of the many primitive camp sites or we opt for the luxury of the Gage Hotel in Marathon, the gateway to Big Bend and located an hour or so to the north.

On this occasion we set out from the Gage Hotel before dawn and arrived at the Chisos Mountains Basin trailhead as the sun was beginning to warm the chilly spring air.

On the way we took this shot of the Chisos Mountains from the bridge over Tornillo Flats, a dry river bed that can flood after a downpour.

Our hike would not take in any of the peaks visible on this, the north side of the range, but we've included it to give an indication of the overall terrain. The mountains form one third of the attraction of Big Bend, the other two being the desert and the river, the Rio Grande.

This was our third or fourth hike to the South Rim of the Chisos Mountains so we chose to take a "new" trail up and an "old" trail down. This loop starts and ends at the most settled area in the park, the Basin. This bowl shaped feature within the Chisos is accessed by road from the north over a steep pass. The Basin contains a motel lodge, restaurant, shop and campsite as well as ample parking for those hitting the trails. It is here that one last check is made to insure that all the essentials are packed and available.

The itinerary is shown on the sketch map to the right. Good quality maps based on the USGS 7.5 minute quadrangle maps are available at Park Headquarters. The trails are well marked and it would be very difficult to get lost. However, having a map makes the journey that much more interesting even if everything goes the way it is supposed to.

With the advent of Google Earth it is now possible to give three dimensional oblique views of places like the Chisos and this view helps to explain the trails and the terrain.

The view is from the south, looking at the target of the hike, the South Rim. The trails up (on the left) and down (on the right) have been superimposed on the Google Earth image.

We took the Laguna Meadow Trail up to the South Rim. This trail offers a generally easy climb up with none of the switchback elements of the other trails. In fact it has always been the trail preferred by horseback riders to the South Rim. (We are not sure if the horse-riding franchise is still operating, so do check with the Park HQ if this is of interest to you).

Soon after leaving the Basin we met a group of scouts marching down the trail having spent a night or two under canvas. They were in fine voice but this meant that any chance of us seeing wildlife would seriously diminish. But they were obviously enjoying themselves even with their huge backpacks!

Laguna Meadow is an area of scrub high above the Basin which has a feel all of its own. It is as though the area is recovering from a forest fire (which it may be). There is little shade and the volcanic soil soon heats up under the desert sun. Here April rests on a log while we take a breather from one of several steep sections.

The trail continues across Laguna Meadow and then starts to climb again, close to the base of Emery Peak, the highest point in the Chisos Mountains.

This photo (right) shows the trail (with April striding ahead) and the huge talus chute of rocks that come from a gash in the side of Emery Peak. We have also stood at the top end of this chute and the drop is quite severe!

Here is another view of Emery Peak from further along the trail. Although it's the highest point, at 7,825 feet, it can only be seen from the southwest where it looks like a pimple on the overall mass of the Chisos.

The Trail continues past a junction with a trail that forms part of the the 3 day desert hike known as the Outer Mountain Loop. This trail comes up the valley from the Homer Wilson Ranch.

The rest of the hike to the South Rim is relatively easy and uneventful. The trail is mostly through pine and pinyon trees of the mountain ecosystem - a remnant from cooler days during the Ice Age.

It is only at the end of the trail that the true splendor of the South Rim suddenly emerges.

A different view shows the unreal truth about the South Rim. For here the tree line is upside down! Trees on the mountain, no trees on the plain.

The trail follows the South Rim for some distance. The scenery off the cliff doesn't change much but the character of the South Rim does. The thick beds of lava that form the South Rim eventually come to the fore (they've been under your feet the whole time)

This photo shows the thick lava flow and also prompts a little geology lesson about the Chisos. The entire mountain range was a huge volcanic complex during the Tertiary Period and what remains is the stripped down and eroded core of the complex. The foothills around the Chisos are actually remnants of the huge volcanic cone with ash beds (tuff) as well as lavas to be found.

Subsequent faulting has done some interesting things to the Big Bend area. As well as creating huge fault scarps (like St. Elena) the faults have dropped rocks that occur on the top of Emery Peak down to the desert floor. Late stage intrusions of lava have created dike swarms along the River Road, where pieces of volcanic glass can be found (do not collect, it's against the law!) And Tuff Canyon consists of a massive bed of volcanic ash with "bombs", literally blocks of molten lava blown out of the ancient volcanos.

Here is a photo of me at the South Rim.

The temperature on the South Rim was pleasant but this was mainly because of the altitude. Typically the temperatures down in the desert would be close to 90ºF at this time of year, rising to the 100s in the summer. Even so, it was nice to find just a little bit of shade.

The return journey to the Basin follows what is known as the Boot Canyon Trail down to the Pallisades. This upland trail is almost entirely in mountain forest and offers an attractive contrast to the desert below. Again pines and pinyons predominate but other trees including oaks and madrone are also common. The floor of the forest contains agaves and other semi-arid plants, reminding us that this is an area that doesn't receive a lot of rainfall. There may be puddles of stagnant water in the dry stream beds (and they can be iced over in winter) but the number of days a years when water actually flows is probably less than ten.

The previous photo includes a view of the Boot. This rock does resemble an upside down western boot and is a very prominent feature in the upland area that is hard to miss from several angles. Here is a close up.

There is a spring near to this vantage point where water bottles can be filled much of the time. The problem is that the spring has been known to fail in droughts so you really should not rely on it. The rule of carrying a gallon of water per day makes sense even if a gallon of water sounds very heavy!

The trail drops toward Boot Spring and then climbs back up toward the edge of the upland area at the Pallisades. This is a good place to stop for a rest before dropping down off the mountain and, if you wait a few minutes, you will have visitors in the form of Mexican Blue Jays. These attractive and quite fearless birds will be most pleased to receive a few crumbs from a granola bar and will get all the more aggressive when you do feed them. Be warned! But they are most photogenic.

The switchbacks rapidly drop you down to a lower elevation with some open grassy meadows.

The mountain in this view is Casa Grande, the core of the Chisos Mountains.

Finally, back to the Basin and a classic view of Casa Grande accompanied by the Moon.

* * * * * *

The following links are recommended for those planning to visit Big Bend.

Official Big Bend National Park Website

The Gage Hotel, Marathon

What equipment should you take on a hike in the Chisos Mountains?

Depending on the time of year, you should be fully prepared for the weather. This means very hot dry weather most of the year though it can be quite cool in winter (even snow!). The low humidity of the desert air means that you can dehydrate very quickly.
The official rule is a gallon of water for each day on the mountain. We are sure most people break this rule and take far less fluids with them. Basically if the weather is warm to hot this is foolish. You could get away with less in the winter but that assumes you will not twist an ankle or otherwise get delayed. If you plan to return by the same trail you can leave a stash of water somewhere, hidden from view. Many people on the Outer Mountain Loop trail do this before setting out. This idea is not foolproof, however, for obvious reasons.
We have several horror stories to tell. Some are second hand, some from our own experience, meeting hikers who thought the rules didn't apply to them. The worst story we have heard is often told by the Park Rangers. A lone French hiker went into the mountains with his gallon of water. They found him days later, dead, but with the gallon of water intact in his back pack.
Which leads to the second rule: don't get thirsty! Drink little and often. If you start to lose it, the last thing you do, apparently, is drink. The poor Frenchman was probably hoarding his supply and became delirious. We have come across hikers stretched out across a desert trail oblivious to their condition and, worse still, completely unaware that they were only a hundred yards from safety.
Clothing is the next most important consideration. Although we wear shorts on the more used trails, stout boots and long trousers are essentials in thorny country. Boots should be tough and comfortable. They should be impervious to thorns and scorpions. A hat is very important protection from the sun. A cool wet bandana is also a good idea.
Maps, compass and GPS are all important considerations though the main trails are well marked and hard to stray away from. Certainly take map and compass if you plan to go off trail, particularly as the area can easily become enveloped in dense cloud or mist.

Isn't GPS "cheating"?

Not really, but always think of GPS as a back up, not an essential tool. Batteries fail. Besides you still need a map and compass, even with a GPS unit when off trail. Look at it this way, with dense mist and no land marks visible, wouldn't a previously entered waypoint or two be useful in getting you back to the trailhead?

Any recommendations on food for the trip?

Appetite seems less important than thirst in Big Bend but you do use up a lot of energy. So take food that will keep you going. And preferably take food that will complement your water supply and not force you to use it up!

What about camping?

Many visitors to Big Bend camp. You can back pack into the Chisos but you must have a permit and book your campsite before leaving Park Headquarters. Alternatively there are primitive campsites on many of the 4x4/high clearance back roads and some of these are at convenient trail heads (Juniper Canyon being an excellent example). Again you must book these sites in advance.

What do you recommend for a first timer to Big Bend? What's the ultimate hike?

As mentioned in the introduction, you may want to get a taste for Big Bend by taking one of the easier trails such as Lost Mine or the Window. Of the two we would recommend Lost Mine Trail as it gives some superb panoramas of where you might go next!
The three day Outer Mountain Loop is the ultimate hike but for a one day marathon try the South Rim from Juniper Canyon. Tough going but very rewarding! You will need a high clearance vehicle to get up Juniper Canyon.

What about public transport?

There is none other than Amtrak to Alpine. You really do need your own wheels to get to, and around, Big Bend.

Where to Next?

Back to The Trails (for more hiking itineraries)
Focalplane Blog (for the latest from Focalplane and complete site menus)
Focalplane Flickr (the photos)
Focalplane Portal (for everything Focalplane)

Click on photos to go to Flickr (in a new window)