Big Bend remains one of the best surprises in Texas. Having been born and raised in Texas, I feel like I know it pretty well and I did not expect to be “wow’ed” by Big Bend, but I was. We’ve now been twice and I would go back again. Our favorite thing to do is camp and hike. Because of this, I recommend traveling there in late January and February. It might be quite cold but you’ll miss the wicked heat.
These are my favorite hikes we’ve done (so far) and what I would recommend for your first trip to the National Park.
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Top Travel Resources
After decades of traveling, there’s 3 companies I tend to use over and over and recommend to everyone:
Make the Most of Your Time:
Self-drive is definitely the way to go in Big Bend but I definitely recommend the audio tour you can download on your phone.
Big Bend Hikes
I did a lot of research before we left on what hikes to do, and I feel like we covered a wide variety well. There are still loads I would go back and do but for the first time, I’m happy with how we did it. As I said above, it’s hot, so you’ve got to start early in the morning if you’re there after January.
Here’s the hikes I’d recommend for your first time:
Lost Mine Trail, 4.8 miles round trip
This classic trail is a great way to get the sweeping vista views that are iconic in Big Bend. If you want to see black bears, this is also one of the places that people have reported seeing them We have yet to see any in Big Bend, but there’s a chance.
Window Trail (do at Sunset), 5.6 miles round trip
This is by far my favorite hike in Big Bend. We will do it every time we go. You want to start it about an hour before sunset so you can watch the sunset from the window. Yes, this does mean you’ll be hiking back after dark, so don’t forget headlamps or flashlights.
Santa Elena Trail (swim in the Rio here), 1.7 miles round trip
If you’re heading to Big Bend because you want to cross the boarder or just see the boarder, then this hike is for you. It’s definitely an iconic hike and you can swim in the Rio if you choose.
Grapevine Trail, 2.2 miles round trip
Another of my favorite trails is the Grapevine Trail. It’s short but takes you to a fun balancing rock formation. It’s a hike we do each time we go as well. There’s also a lot of lizards around and it’s fun to watch them.
Boquillas Overlook Trail, 1.4 miles round trip
This isn’t a hike I do every time I go, but it’s definitely one to do on your first trip. It will give you the best overview of the river which boarders Texas and Mexico.
Hot Springs hike (just a basic walk to the hot springs), .5 mile round trip
Not exactly a “hike” but worth doing to get to the hot springs, especially if you are there for the first time and it’s chilly. The hot springs are a great place to rest!
We did all of the above over the span of 4 days. We arrived late Thursday night and came home on Monday. That meant we had 3 full days and had plenty of time for the above as well as driving the main scenic road and hitting a couple of the little towns around the park mentioned above.
Camping Will Allow You the Most Flexibility
One of the absolute best Big Bend travel tips is that it’s large and you may not want to stay in the same place every night. We moved nightly. I highly recommend camping as a way to allow for flexibility. We love our tent that pops off the roof of our car. It’s super easy to pack up and I can’t recommend it enough (and no, they don’t pay me to say that).
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