Inspiring Hikes: The Window at Big Bend
The Window hike is a roughly-five-mile out-and-back trail located at Big Bend National Park in west Texas, USA. It’s a highly-trafficked route that begins in the Chisos Basin campgrounds and has an unbelievable payoff of a view at the bottom of the trek. Today we’ll be learning exactly what makes this hike so worthwhile.
GETTING THERE
The start of the Window hike offers gorgeous views into the valley and lots of interesting vegetation
The trailhead for The Window hike begins at the Chisos Basin campgrounds, near campsite 50. This is about an hour drive from the northernmost entrance to the park, so you’ll want to plan to arrive at the park about an hour before you actually want to start your hike. If you’re entering from the Western side, near Terlingua, it’s about a 45-minute drive from the park gate to the campgrounds. Parking is available at the amphitheater by the entrance to the campsite.
Entrance fees to the Big Bend National Park can be payed at the gate. We chose to purchase the America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, which was $80 and covers us for an entire year of National-Park-hopping. This is a great option if you are a lover of the outdoors and America’s national parks.
It’s a steep incline to the lowest point on the trail
WHAT TO KNOW
The Window Trail hike is a moderate-difficulty trail. That said, it can turn into a difficult hike very easily and very quickly.
The most important thing to note is that Texas heat. Even if you’re planning to go in what should be winter, Texas highs are known to climb well into the 80s and 90s even in and around November. Always keep and eye on the weather and temperature before going out to hike.
Toward the bottom of the hike, the canyon walls start to rise up around the trail, creating absolutely stunning scenery
The highest temperatures and most dangerous conditions can be avoided by arriving at the park as early as possible and aiming to be off the trail before 11am. There is minimal shade especially toward the beginning and end of the hike, and that shade makes such a huge difference.
Aside from the heat, hikers should be aware that the trail is an out-and-back hike, with the lowest elevation being at the end of the trail. Because of that, the walk down can seem deceptively easy, but the second half of it is entirely uphill, so it’s important to be ready for that and take enough of a break once you reach that halfway-point at the Window, itself.
It’s recommended that hikers have a liter of water with them for each hour they plan to be on the trail. We went through our water supply way faster than expected, and honestly we could have benefited from having an extra bottle, each.
nearing the halfway point and admiring interesting rock formations around us
As you near the bottom of the hike, right at the halfway point when you are coming up on the Window, the trail gets significantly more difficult. You will have to climb over rocks and go up and down very uneven and sometimes-steep stairways, so this is not the best hike for people who struggle with mobility in any way.
I strongly recommend hiking poles just to have that extra bit of stability when climbing up and over the rockier areas, even for more experienced hikers. The best thing to do is just take it slowly in this section! And once you reach the Window, there are plenty of shady spots to sit and get your breath back while enjoying a gorgeous view and maybe a snack as well.
WILDLIFE
Animals blend in really well with the desert scenery, so be sure to keep a sharp eye for anything hiding in the rocks and bushes
The wildlife in this park is abundant! We saw two tarantulas on the way down, along with tons of deer, roadrunners, rabbits, colourful birds and more! This is such a great area to get in touch with the wild side of Texas.
Be sure to stay on the path to avoid coming into contact with less desirable animals such as scorpions and snakes. It’s also wise to heed the informative signs posted throughout the park about bears and mountain lions, both of which can be dangerous to trekkers. And always remember to respect the animals you do come across and their habitats!
The Window
