Big Bend National Park is one of my favorite places. I often go there to camp, hike, and practice landscape photography. It is generally better to visit the park in the cooler months, especially in early spring when the wildflowers are in bloom, but I have enjoyed the park in every season. I have been to most places within the park over my various visits and there are many beautiful features to enjoy within the park, but below are five of my favorites in no particular order. I hope you will enjoy the park as much as I do.

The Balanced Rock

The balanced rock is a large boulder precariously balanced on a couple of other boulders forming archway type feature. To get to the balanced rock, you must drive an unpaved road which most cars should be able to navigate and park at the Grapevine Hills trailhead. From there it is an easy 1 mile hiking trail winding through the desert hills, ending with a moderately strenuous climb up to the top of the ridge where the balanced rock is. The trail is easy to follow and mostly sand and gravel until you get to the climb at the end where it can get a bit steep and you must carefully pick your steps up the rocky ridge. Once at the top you are rewarded not only with the interesting rock formation, but panoramic views of the desert and mountains in the distance. The photo below shows the balanced rock just before sunrise.

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Santa Elena Canyon

One of the must-see features of Big Bend is Santa Elena Canyon, a large steep canyon through the mountain ridge that can be seen from miles around. The Rio Grande flows through the canyon and thus one side of the canyon is in the US national park and the other side is in Mexico. Santa Elena Canyon is easy to get to as there is a paved road to the large parking area. From the parking lot it is a short sandy walk down to the river and the entrance to the canyon. There is a climbing walkway that takes you up into the canyon for a half mile or so, though you may have to cross a creek to get to it depending on the time of year. From inside the canyon you have views of the river and desert mountains in the distance. The canyon can easily be visited in a morning or afternoon and should be accessible by most people. The photo below shows a view from the canyon of the rising sun over the distant desert mountains.

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The Window

From the Chisos Basin within the Chisos Mountains in the middle of the park, you can look west through a gap in the mountains to the desert hills and mountains in the distance. Facing west, the view can be especially beautiful at sunset and you will find many people on the overlooks enjoying the scene. To get to Chisos Basin there is a paved, but winding road that climbs up in to the mountains and down into the basin. From the main parking area, it is a short paved hike to several overlooks of The Window. Show up at least half an hour before sunset and stay until half an hour after sunset to enjoy the colors. There is also a trail that climbs down to the edge of The Window itself and you may see some wildlife along the way. The photo below shows the view through The Window during the colorful blue hour after sunset.

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The Lost Mine Trail

No hiking trip to Big Bend National Park would be complete without hiking the Lost Mine trail. The trailhead can be accessed at a roadside parking area at a high pass along the road leading into Chisos Basin. As this is a very popular trail, this parking area is often full and there are no other places to park along the twisting main road anywhere near this trailhead, so if there are no parking spaces available you will have to check back later. From the parking lot the trail steadily climbs, gradually at first but more steeply later, and after about 2.4 miles you reach a mountain overlook with panoramic views of the surrounding desert, mountains, and granite spires. I would say that the trail is moderately strenuous, but there are several places to stop along the route to rest and admire the views. At the top there is large area on the peak to walk around and enjoy the scenery. You can make a nice half-day of this by hiking leisurely, stopping occasionally to admire the beautiful views seen from along the trail. In the photo below, a tree clings to the rocks at the top of the Lost Mine trail with views of the desert and Mexico in the distance.

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The Night Sky

One great feature that Big Bend National Park has that few other places can match is a night sky that is free of light pollution. From just about anywhere in the park, you can look up on a moonless night and have an amazing view of the stars. You may find yourself sitting and staring at the night sky as most of us live in cities and are unaccustomed to this amazing display. This is especially true in the summer months when the Milky Way is most prominent in the sky. On a clear moonless summer night, give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness and you will see the pale white Milky Way stretching across the sky. It is a breathtaking sight if you haven’t experienced it. The somewhat enhanced photo below was taken from Sotol Vista along the Maxwell Scenic Drive on a moonless night in August. The galactic core of the Milky Way can be seen to the South.

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There are many other hikes and wonderful things to see in the park, but those are my five favorite. Remember to wear good hiking shoes or boots as the trails can be a bit rocky. The air is generally very dry in the park and you may not realize how much you are sweating as it evaporates so quickly, so drink plenty of water and stay healthy. And manage your gasoline as the park is large and there are only two fuel stations. I hope you will love and enjoy Big Bend as much as I do.