Best Trails in Big Bend National Park

Great hike! I can see why it's so popular. Lots of uphill (1000ft-2.2miles), but worth the climb. The 360 degree views from the top are spectacular. Be prepared to see more people on this trail than other hikes in the park.

Not a hike, just a quick walk. There is the option to do the Windows hike, which is about five miles long. The views are fine, but after doing the South Rim, Lost Mine, and Santa Elena Canyon, they weren't as good as those. I would bet doing the whole hike would offer even better views.

Nice quick hike. When you're in the canyon and looking straight up it really is a site to behold. It's also really cool to know that one half of the canyon is Texas, but right across the river is Mexico. I do wish when you got to the end of the trail there was a better "payoff" view, where you could see clearly both sides of the canyon, but that's me being picky. Just seeing the Rio Grande and the towering canyon walls was worth the trip.

What a wonderful hike! I would consider this a must if you are in Big Bend. The park ranger said The Lost Mine Trail was the most popular, but I enjoyed this one more.

When you start the hike you have the option of going up Pinnacles (clockwise) or Laguna Meadow (counter). We went up Pinnacles, which I would recommend. Hiking up Laguna will put a lot of the views to your back. I also agree with some previous reviews that Laguna is the "boring" part, so if you just did an out and back up the Pinnacles, you wouldn't be missing too much.

The views are incredible from the top. Far exceeded my expectations. Could have spent all day looking out over the rim. The views make this the best hike in the park, IMO.

Also, saw my first bear! I've always been afraid of a bear encounter, because you only really hear the horror stories on the news. But this bear saw me before I saw him, and he hightailed it up the mountain before I could even blink. There has never been a bear attack in Big Bend, so even though these big creatures are super scary in person, as long as you don't agitate or threaten them, they really do want nothing to do with you.

We didn't see any mountain lions, but we did see a tarantula, which was cool. Not as scary in person, as these are pretty docile critters.

Lastly, this wasn't a busy hike- we only saw 6 other people the 11+ miles we were in the trail. It was pretty cool to have the trail to ourselves, especially at the top.

Always check with park rangers before driving Black Gap. 4x4 with high clearance is a must. We did it in a stock JKU, but thank goodness for skid plates! Coming from the south, it's harder to see the one drop-off (pictured).

Great views even on a cloudy day. Hiked out via Pinnacles Trail (clockwise), adding Emory Peak spur and then continuing on toward the South Rim via Boot Canyon. I did not see photos prior to the hike, so it was an added thrill when the rim came out of nowhere after hiking through a meadow. Also thrilling: watching thunderstorms develop over the desert, and racing them back to Chisos Basin. 19.8 miles for the whole route, according to my phone, in about 8 hours.

Challenging but worth every second! Beautiful views are worth the sore feet after. Can't wait to do this one again!

Gorgeous views. There is a massive boulder on the trail the size of a small house that is nice to sit under on a hot day. The rock formations rising on each side of the rio are mesmerizing. Make sure to bring more than enough water--it was 114 F the day I went and I ran out before the day was up.

Sun went down while we were here. Was spooky great.

Trailhead was right next to our Roosevelt Stone Cottage. Awesome.

Interesting rock formations and terrain. Just my son Matt and I. It was great.

Scenic drive from Panther Junction to the Rio Grande Village. Make sure you stop to take pics at the overlook after going through the tunnel.

Great little hike to add in as a second hike of the day. Starting relatively flat, you will wind across, and sometime follow, a dry creekbed. Prepare for sandy spots that feel like you are walking on a beach. Some scrambling at the end will lead you up to the balanced rock for some fun pics.

Great trail. Likely to see mountain lion if traveled in the dark. Lots of uphill work. A little dangerous at the top. Can get slick and slippery with rain. Bring lots of water! Beautiful scenery.