Hiking 20 Miles Alone in Big Bend National Park
Kraig AdamsApr 2021 · Solo
- Days
- 2 days
- Direction
- Loop from The Chisos Basin trailhead, by the visitor center and…
- Cost
- See his costs
- Lodging
- Tent
North America · United States
Big Bend
Chisos Mountains, Texas
- Distance
- 27.1 mi43.5 km
- Days
- 2 days
- Elevation gain
- 5,256 ft1,602 m
- High point
- 7,825 ft2,385 m
- Season
- October to November and late February…
- Lodging
- Tent
Hikes / North America / Big Bend
In April 2021 I hiked alone through the High Chisos, the mountains in the middle of Big Bend National Park in West Texas. I started in the Chisos Basin, climbed the Pinnacles Trail to Emory Peak, the highest point in the park, camped in Boot Canyon, and walked out along the South Rim the next morning, with the desert and Mexico spread out below, then down the Laguna Meadows Trail to the Basin. About 27.1 miles over two days by my GPS, but that includes a walk back down to the Basin for lunch on Day 1: the loop itself is about 17. It's the trip from my film Hiking 20 Miles Alone in Big Bend National Park.
Kraig Adams
Effort at this pace: Hard · about 14 mi (22 km) and 2,628 ft (801 m) of climbing a day over 2 days, up to 7,825 ft (2,385 m). Our grade for the days given, worked out from distance, climbing and altitude a day; it isn't the trail's usual difficulty rating (under Basics) and doesn't rate exposure, terrain or weather.
Where these numbers come from
From Kraig Adams's GPS recording and guide.
From Kraig Adams's GPS
The route, day by day
Elevation5,344–7,799 ft27.1 mi
From Kraig Adams's GPS. Terrain: Mapzen Terrain Tiles (USGS 3DEP, SRTM) on AWS · Rivers © OpenStreetMap contributors
Tap a day for his map of it
Download GPX367 KB · free
The film
Watch it first
Hiking 20 Miles Alone in Big Bend National Park
Before you go
The basics
- Start
- The Chisos Basin trailhead, by the visitor center and store, about 5,400 ft (1,640 m)
- Finish
- The Chisos Basin trailhead, by the visitor center and store, about 5,400 ft (1,640 m)
- Direction
- Loop from The Chisos Basin trailhead, by the visitor center and store, about 5,400 ft (1,640 m)
- Usual difficulty
- Steady climbing on good trails. The last few yards of Emory Peak are a short, exposed scramble
- Best time
- October to November and late February to April. Spring is the busiest season. July to September brings afternoon thunderstorms, and the desert is over 100 °F in summer, though the Chisos are 10 to 15 °F cooler.
- Permits
- A backcountry permit for a named campsite, $10 a night; the park entrance fee, $30 a vehicle
- Getting there
- My way in, 2021. I flew from New York City to Midland-Odessa and rented a car. It's a long drive down: you pass a lot of oil rigs and fields and cattle, and the farther south you go, the more isolated it gets and the more desert you get. The day I flew in I drove right into the park. I'd booked a night at the Chisos Mountains Lodge, so I'd have a nice place to take a shower, charge batteries and be ready to hike in the morning.
- Lodging
- Tent
From Kraig Adams's guide
Costs and gear
Bookings and permits
When bookings open, from the sources named under each. Dates move: confirm on the official site.
Big Bend High Chisos backcountry campsites
Online from November 1 to April 15, up to six months ahead; from spring to fall in person only, up to 24 hours before your first night (after the 2026 floods, in person at Panther Junction until further notice).
Opens a set time before your start date: make a plan with your dates to see yours.
Book on recreation.gov.
Source: Kraig Adams's Big Bend guide: The rules and the campsites (checked Oct 3, 2026). Checked October 2026.
Alert me when bookings open
From Kraig Adams's guide
Safety
Rescue numbers
- Emergency: 911; park headquarters 432-477-2251. A satellite messenger: little signal on the trails.
Phone signal
- Around the Chisos Basin and Panther Junction, usually.
- On the trails, mostly not.
Insurance
- Medical treatment in the US is expensive, so make sure your travel insurance covers local treatment and medical evacuation.
Bail-out points
- Day 1, Chisos Basin to Emory Peak and Boot Canyon. Pinnacle Pass is the place to decide. If storms are building, skip Emory Peak: the summit and the ridge are no place to be in lightning. If you're slow on the climb or short on water, the Basin is about 3.5 miles back down. Leave the Emory summit if the rock is wet or icy, or if you're not comfortable on the scramble: the view from below the top is almost as good.
- Day 2, Boot Canyon to the South Rim and down to the Basin. You're heading out. If a storm comes in on the rim, get off the edge and down into the trees. If you're short on water or time, keep going: from the South Rim viewpoint it's about 6 miles down the Laguna Meadows Trail to the Basin, shorter than going back. Where you first reach the rim, the two ways are about the same, about 6.5 miles.
From Kraig Adams's guide. For planning, not navigation: check before you go.
Their films and versions
Creators who've done it
1 creator so far: Kraig, 2 days, tent.
Hiking 20 Miles Alone in Big Bend National Park
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Typical: 2 days (the hike's facts).
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Planning questions about Big Bend, answered only from this page's facts, the creators' versions and hikers' public tracks, with where each answer comes from. When the data doesn't say, the answer says "not given".
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Answered from the data
Questions people ask
How many days do you need for Big Bend?
Kraig Adams hiked it in 2 days, about 27 miles.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
How much does Big Bend cost?
I didn't keep a list of what this trip cost me. In 2021 the camping at Coyote Crossing was $10.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
When is the best time to hike Big Bend?
October to November and late February to April. Spring is the busiest season. July to September brings afternoon thunderstorms, and the desert is over 100 °F in summer, though the Chisos are 10 to 15 °F cooler.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
Do you need a permit for Big Bend?
Yes: a backcountry permit for a named campsite, $10 a night. From November 1 to April 15 you can book on Recreation.gov up to six months ahead; the rest of the year permits are given in person only, up to 24 hours ahead. Day hikes need no permit, but the $30 park entrance fee applies.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
How long is the South Rim loop in Big Bend?
About 17 miles by my GPS from the Chisos Basin with the Emory Peak side trip: up the Pinnacles Trail, Emory Peak, Boot Canyon, the South Rim and down the Laguna Meadows Trail. The Park Service gives 12 to 14.5 miles for the loop without Emory Peak.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
Is the Chisos Basin open in 2026?
Yes. The planned 2026 to 2028 closure for a new lodge was cancelled on April 1, 2026. The park will put the water system work out to bid again with no dates yet, so check the park's alerts page before you go.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
Is there water in the Chisos Mountains?
No reliable water. The Park Service says Boot Spring is usually dry. Carry at least a gallon (4 liters) a person a day from the Chisos Basin.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
How hard is Emory Peak?
About 10.5 miles round trip from the Chisos Basin with about 2,500 ft of climbing on good trails. The last 25 ft are a short, exposed scramble on rock. Don't go up in a thunderstorm.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.