Big Bend National Park north desert · North desert in Big Bend National Park
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North desert in Big Bend National Park
North desert in Big Bend National Park
Panther Path. Easy (0.1 mi / 0.2 km round-trip). A pleasant, short hike in front of the Panther Junction visitor center among the desert flora.
Grapevine Hills Trail. Easy (2.2 mi / 3.5 km round-trip). One of the most popular desert trails, it features a crowd-pleasing balanced-rock formation at the very end (you may have even seen it in various Texas guidebooks and brochures). Requires driving a dirt road to the trail-head, but is usually passable even for sedans (although expect very slow, rough going). Take the Grapevine Hills Road turn-off 3.3 mi (5 km) west of Panther Junction and follow it for about 7 mi (11 km).
Dog Canyon Trail. Moderate (4.0 mi / 6.4 km round-trip). A backcountry trail through abundant desert wildlife that leads into Dog Canyon. About 3.5 mi (6 km) south of the Persimmon Gap Visitor Center is an exhibit for Dog Canyon that serves as the trail-head, you'll be able to see canyon in the distance as a notch in the hills. Requires some path-finding; be sure to inquire at the park first and you may want a map for the way back, if nothing else.
Devil's Den. Moderate to Strenuous (6.0 mi / 9.6 km round-trip). This actually shares the same trail-head and part of the path with Dog Canyon Trail. About 1.5 mi (2.4 km) in there will be a fork in the trail and a sign that will point the way through some washes to intriguing, rock-strewn Devil's Den. Traditionally the trail climbs to the cliffs above, offering views down into the Den, but if you're fit and prepared for rock scrambling, climbing, and wading in waist-deep water, it's possible to hike back through it. Be sure to notify others of your plans and have at least one buddy - it's possible to get trapped by a wall that's too high to climb or a drop-off that's too steep. Path-finding is required; be sure to inquire at the park first and bring a map.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Big Bend National Park
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Big Bend National Park - updated May 2024
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Big Bend National Park Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.