Big Bend National Park has a number of incredible hikes that take you through its dramatic landscape of towering canyons, rugged mountains, and the snaking Rio Grande. But if you only have time to do one hike in the park, make it the Lost Mine Trail, which takes you up to a dramatic ridgeline in the Chisos Mountains and offers spectacular views over the Chihuahuan Desert. Here’s everything you need to know about the Lost Mine Trail, Big Bend’s best hike.
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About the Lost Mine Trail
- Length: 4.8 miles
- Elevation gain: 1,131 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Dog-friendly? No, much like most national park hikes, you’ll have to leave the pups at home for this one.
- Trail map
Is there an actual mine along the Lost Mine Trail?
The trail’s name actually comes from an old legend about how the first Spanish explorers in the region found silver in the mountains and enslaved the local Chizo tribe to mine it. Eventually, the enslaved miners rebelled, killed their Spanish overlords, and sealed up the mine so that no further harm would be caused by it.
Geologists believe it’s unlikely that silver would be found in the Chisos Mountains, so there’s no evidence that the legend has any truth to it. Still, it certainly adds a kind of mystique around the hike.
How to get to the Lost Mine Trail
The Lost Mine Trail is located here, in the central part of Big Bend National Park in west Texas. Big Bend is kind of in the middle of nowhere—the closest big city is El Paso, Texas, located about 5 hours (or 325 miles) north of the park. You’ll definitely need a car to get to (and around!) Big Bend.
Big Bend charges a $30 entrance fee per private vehicle, which is good for one week. Alternatively, you can pick up an America the Beautiful pass, which, for $80, gets you into all of the U.S. National Parks and over 2,000 federally managed sites for an entire year for free!
The Chisos Basin is home to some of the most popular things to do in Big Bend National Park, like the Lost Mine or Window Trail. You can only access this area via a two lane road that winds through the mountains, with extremely limited parking along the way.
Accordingly, during busy times in the park, rangers limit the number of cars that can enter this area, which can result in long wait times (as in, an hour or more). My husband, Justin, and I made the mistake of visiting during spring break and had to wait for about two hours to reach the Lost Mine trailhead.
So, if you happen to be visiting during a particularly busy time frame, like weekends in fall or spring, I’d highly recommend getting to the trailhead early (as in, 7 AM or earlier) to avoid waiting with the masses.
What to expect along the Lost Mine Trail
As soon as you start hiking from the trailhead along the unpaved pathway, the Lost Mine Trail has a pretty consistent elevation gain, gradually leading through cacti and juniper and oak trees. As you climb higher and higher, your views of the 7,325-foot tall Casa Grande Peak on your right hand side will keep getting better and better with each step.
Approximately a mile in, you’ll reach a “Viewpoint” sign along a small ridgeline, with several rocky outcroppings for you to take a breather and drink in the views of the surrounding canyons and mountains. If you’re short on time or simply don’t feel like climbing all of the way to the top, this is an excellent endpoint to still enjoy some stellar views of the surrounding Juniper Canyon and the South Rim.
If you choose to continue on, you’ll reach a series of switchbacks about 1.2 miles into the trail, which are steeper than the earlier section. You may notice that the plant-life around you gets sparser and sparser as you climb in elevation, allowing you even better views of the surrounding desert.
A little over two miles in, you’ll eventually pop out onto a slickrock ridgeline, which gently leads you uphill for the last half mile. From here, you’ll pass some interesting rock formations, including a rugged volcanic pinnacle called Elephant Tusk, until you reach the final peak.
From here, you’ll get to enjoy jaw-dropping views of Casa Grande to your west, the Lone Mine Peak to the northeast, and the Chisos Basin sprawling in front of you. There’s plenty of rocks here to relax on, take a breather, and enjoy the views you worked so hard for!
When to hike the Lost Mine Trail
The best timeframe to hike the Lost Mine Trail is October through March, when Big Bend’s temperatures remain relatively warm and pleasant.
While the trail starts at 5,730 feet of elevation and, thus, tends to be a bit cooler than many areas of the park, it can still get swelteringly hot, even in the winter months. So be sure to check the forecast, regardless of when you’re visiting!
For the most beautiful time of the year, I’d suggest visiting in mid-March, when the cacti and wildflowers carpet the desert floor in vibrant colors. We visited during the earlier portion of this timeframe and it was absolutely beautiful—we got to see the first hints of springtime color lining the pathway and the weather was pleasantly cool as we climbed the trail.
Tips for the Lost Mine Trail
Be aware of wildlife
While the Lost Mine Trail is, in my opinion, the best hike in Big Bend, it also comes with some unique challenges, including being home to some pretty scary wildlife.
It’s not unusual for black bears or mountain lions to be found along the trail. If you happen to see these critters, remember to observe them from a safe distance. While black bears and mountain lions are rarely aggressive towards humans, I’d suggest bringing along bear spray and staying close to smaller kiddos on the trail.
The most likely scary creature you might encounter along the trail is a rattlesnake. Snake bites are exceedingly rare in Big Bend and almost always are a result of someone harassing or accidentally stepping on a snake.
Accordingly, be sure to keep a close eye on the pathway and don’t put your feet or hands into any areas that you cannot see. Snakes are also most active right after it rains in the summertime, so it might be a good idea to avoid hiking during this period.
Bring plenty of water and sun protection
Most of the hike is exposed to the sun, which can be pretty intense, even in the winter months. Accordingly, be sure to bring along sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses to protect you from the harsh rays.
Additionally, bring more water than you think you might need. When Justin and I hiked the Lost Mine Trail in March, we happened to luck out with a day with cooler temperatures. However, in the days that followed, the temperature actually exceeded 95 degrees—which could be dangerously hot when you’re hiking five miles and climbing over a thousand feet of elevation.
Hit the trail early
Starting the Lost Mine trail early (i.e., before 8 AM) has a number of benefits.
Beyond the fact that you’ll be less likely to have to wait to get into the Chisos Basin area and have a better chance of snagging a parking spot, you’ll also get to hike in the shade and avoid the hottest (and busiest!) part of the day along the trail.
I hope you enjoy the Lost Mine Trail as much as we did! Do you have any questions about this trail? Let us know in the comments below!
