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Big Bend River Tours offers a variety of different
hikes. Below are half day to day hikes. These hikes range in difficulty from
easy to strenuous.
 This
hike begins where Terlingua Creek and Alamo Creek converge. The
fossils in the area include giant clam, oyster shell, ammonites, hermites,
and many other shellfish. The rocks vary from fluorite crystals
to petrified wood. -
 The
length of the trip depends on the amount of time taken in rock-hounding.
The hike to the fossil area is very easy but traverses the creek bed that is
filled with many rocks. Good walking shoes and a canteen for water are
recommended. We will visit an ammonite graveyard on the banks overlooking
Terlingua Creek.
-
- APPROXIMATE LENGTH OF TRIP: 4 TO 8 HOURS
- DIFFICULTY:
EASY
-
- Comanche
Creek
 Comanche
Creek is located in the Lajitas area and the hike into the area is all via
creek bed so wear heavy soled shoes. Most of the fossils found in this
area are small clam shells and ammonites dating back around 35,000,000
years. This trip also includes a visit to an old candellia wax factory
and an old homestead ruin from the late 1900's, as well as an Indian
pictograph.-
- APPROXIMATE LENGTH OF TRIP: 3 TO 4
HOURS
- DIFFICULTY:
EASY
- Window
Trail
 The
trailhead for the Window is located in the Chisos Mountain Basin. The
hike is of medium difficulty as we will descend 800 feet in elevation and
return up the same path. On the way down to the Window, you will
pass through an area of open chaparral vegetation and then traverse through
beautiful Oak Creek Canyon with it's small tinajas where deer can be seen
watering and feeding. At the Window the canyon narrows to only 20 feet
and looking out you get a panoramic view of the desert below where Terlingua
Ghost Town is visible in the distance on clear days.
APPROXIMATE LENGTH OF TRIP: 4+ HOURS
DIFFICULTY:
MEDIUM
Lost
Mine Trail
The trailhead is at Panther Pass in the
Chisos Mountains and serves as an excellent introduction to the plants and
animals of the high Chisos Mountains. It starts at 5600 foot elevation
and goes upward along the north slope of Casa Grande Peak to the summit with
it's spectacular views at an elevation of 6850.
APPROXIMATE LENGTH OF TRIP: 4+ HOURS
ROUND-TRIP MILES:
4.6
miles
DIFFICULTY:
MEDIUM
Cat Tail
Falls
&
 This
hike starts from a spur road off the Ross Maxwell Scenic drive at the base
of the Chisos Mountains. Cat Tail Falls has water year round and
is a unique and fragile eco system abundant in trees, ferns, cattails and
spring and summer flowers. This is one of the few places to see
long stemmed Yellow Columbine in the Big Bend. Very lush and very
quiet. Butterflies and birds abound in this desert oasis.
- APPROXIMATE LENGTH OF TRIP: 3+ HOURS
- ROUND-TRIP MILES:
3
miles
- DIFFICULTY:
EASY
- Indian Head
& &
 This
hike starts in Study Butte and is three miles round trip. The name
comes from the Indian rock dwellings, metates, and pictographs and Petroglyphs
that are found in the area. There is also a natural spring that runs
year round. The rock formations due to wind and weathering are quite
spectacular as are the views of the Chisos Mountains.-
- APPROXIMATE LENGTH OF TRIP: 3+ HOURS
- DIFFICULTY:
EASY
- Emory Peak
&
- The trailhead is located in the Chisos
Mountain basin. Emory Peak is the highest peak in the complex at 7853
feet. The climb up Pinnacles Trail is steep as well as the Spur trail
to the summit with the last 15 feet requiring some rock scrambling.
The superb view reaches deep into Mexico with the Sierra del Carmens and El
Pico highly prominent.
-
- APPROXIMATE LENGTH OF TRIP: 6 TO 8
HOURS
- ROUND-TRIP MILES:
9
miles
- DIFFICULTY:
HARD
- South
Rim Loop
&
 The
hike starts from the Chisos Mountain basin and is strenuous. We will begin
by climbing through Boulder Meadow at the base of Toll Mountain.
Beyond Boulder Meadow the trail climbs a series of steep switchbacks through
spires of rhyolite to an elevation of 7100 feet at Pinnacles Pass.
 The
South Rim can be reached by taking the East rim trail or via a shorter route
following the Boot Canyon Trail with excellent views of the
"Boot". The South Rim is located on the southwestern edge of
the high Chisos Mountains.  From
the rim, 2500 feet above the desert floor, you can see Santa Elena Canyon 20
miles to the west and on a clear day you can see the peaks south in Mexico
that are more than 80 airline miles away. The trip then goes through
Laguna Meadow, an ancient marshy area where Indians once camped-
- APPROXIMATE LENGTH OF TRIP: 9+ HOURS
- ROUND-TRIP MILES:
14.5
miles
- DIFFICULTY:
HARD
- Mesa
De Anguilla
&
- This hike starts in Lajitas at the base of the
mesa. The first hour is a strenuous climb through the "saddle" but once on
top you will have a beautiful view of the mountains of Mexico and the river meandering far
below as you gaze into Santa Elena Canyon. Enjoy time relaxing at Tinaja
Blanco.
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- APPROXIMATE LENGTH OF TRIP: 8+ HOURS
- ROUND-TRIP MILES:
14
miles
- DIFFICULTY:
HARD
Chili Pepper Key to Day Hikes:
- Indian
Camp
- Fossil
& Rockhounders trips
-
Photographic Trips
-
Waterfalls
-
Springs or Tinajas
-
Wildlife
-
On both half days and full day hiking trips
it is required that you bring a backpack, canteen, water (1/2
gallon per person on half days, 1 gallon per person on all days),
personal snacks, binoculars, a camera, and sunscreen.
On half day trips a snack we will bring a
snack and on full day trips a lunch will be served. Sufficient
drinking water is a gallon per person per day. On hotter days you may need
even more than this...be sure to bring enough!!!
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This
hike starts from a spur road off the Ross Maxwell Scenic drive at the base
of the Chisos Mountains. Cat Tail Falls has water year round and
is a unique and fragile eco system abundant in trees, ferns, cattails and
spring and summer flowers. This is one of the few places to see
long stemmed Yellow Columbine in the Big Bend. Very lush and very
quiet. Butterflies and birds abound in this desert oasis.
