About
Length (round trip)5.6 mi
ShapeOut-and-Back
DifficultyModerate
Elevation gain900 ft up
Typical time3 hr 15 min
TrailheadChisos Basin trailhead or Basin campground
SurfaceGravel then polished rock
Best seasonNovember through March. Desert trails are dangerous from May to September; the Chisos stay cooler year round.
DogsNot allowed
What you'll see 🌄 Big views

The Window Trail has two trailheads. You can either begin here, in the campground (the recommended starting point), or from the upper trailhead near the Lodge. Starting from the Lodge trailhead will add an additional 500 feet of elevation gain to your hike. Keep an eye out for the junction of these two trails on your way back up. You don't want to wind up at the wrong trailhead! Few other trails in Big Bend National Park showcase as much diversity of habitat and scenery in such a short distance. In a few miles the Window Trail drops from open chaparral into a shady creek bed dominated by towering cliffs. It ends at the famous "Window", a narrow slot canyon that provides a glimpse of the desert far below.

Tips
It is downhill all the way in, which means the whole 900 feet of climbing is on tired legs at the end. The last slab above the pour-off is water-polished and slick - people have died stepping too far. Best in late afternoon light.
Location

Chisos Basin trailhead or Basin campground

Other Hikers
No one has logged this trail yet.
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