I’d heard legendary stories on the internet of just how great Big Bend National park’s Rim hike is. (Insert childish tittering over its name here.) (Giggling continues about tittering.) And despite a cold, wet night camping in my car, I awoke early and excited to take on these fucking trails. I was up and at the trailhead before most people were even out of their tents.
What followed did not disappoint.
Table of Contents
Recommended Supplies
The below are my minimum recommended supplies per person if you’re doing this as a day hike. If you’re planning to camp out there, I assume you’re smart enough to figure out your own packing list.
- 1 gallon of water
- Rain jacket
- Extra layers for cold
- Sunscreen
- 900-13,000 calories of food/snacks
- Bear spray
- Paper map
Hike The Rim At Big Bend: 14+ Miles Round Trip
This loop can be done as an intense day hike or turned into a 2-3 day backpacking trip. There are plenty of backcountry campsites along the route. There’s no particularly technical hiking, just lots of elevation.
All told, it is a 14.21 mile round trip hike that took me a little over 7 hours to complete. Total elevation gain is only 4,144ft, which isn’t too bad given the total distance.
Being an idiot, I did not stop for lunch or meaningful rest breaks. It would be wise to plan for those breaks, meaning it will take the average hiker a little longer than this to complete the trip.
That’s extra true if you want to stop and really soak in the scenery.
The epic, yet desolate views from The Rim are the among the best Big Bend has to offer, and some of the best in all of Texas.
What is “The Rim” hike at Big Bend?
Before I get lost gushing about this incredible hike, allow me to explain what “the Rim” actually is. This truly confused the fuck out of me when I first started planning for this trip, but it’s not that hard.
“The Rim” is the South Rim Trail & the East Rim Trail combined into a single hike. You must take a few other trails before reaching those two, creating “The Rim” hike. Seems pretty simple and easy to understand, right?
But then people have to go and make it hard. Where it gets confusing is that, despite the official trail names, people online get fancy and add on more labels. I’ve read articles calling the East part of the South Rim the “Southeast Rim trail”, or the Northern part of the East Rim trail the Northeast Rim trail.
Why? I don’t fucking know. Could be some confusing old signage. Ultimately, it’s not very helpful for anyone relying on a map to plan their hikes, so here’s my advice:
Just ignore those fuckers. Look for the South Rim and the East Rim trails on your map and forget about all the fancy directional terms. That’s “the Rim”, and you can get to it with your choice of several other trails in the Chisos Mountains.
The Rim hike, only hike it in the opposite way the arrows are pointing
Warnings, Disclaimers, and Important Info About The Rim
Word to the wise, if you’re doing this as a day hike, do start early. Regardless of whether you are day hiking or backpacking, prepare for unpredictable weather. You’ll experience much cooler temperatures at elevation and will want a rain jacket for the odd shower.
Word to the wise…
I brought 4L of water plus 32 ounces of “oh shit water”, but only consumed 2.25L. However, when I hiked it was very cold & I moved quickly. If the weather had been warmer or I had been on the trail longer, I would have needed more of my water.
You should know that the East Rim trail between the Boot Canyon Trail intersection and East Rim campsite 4 closes from February 1-May 31. This is Peregrine Falcon breeding season, and it’s important to give them some space to get busy.
Finally, Big Bend National Park is not only God’s country, it’s also bear and mountain lion country – and any one of those three could kill you. Be on the lookout for wildlife and don’t be fucking stupid.
Be particularly aware in Boot Canyon where bears are frequently seen (and where you have nowhere to go to get away from them if the encounter turns ugly). I may or may not have been incredibly anxious about getting jumped by a mountain lion out there.
Big Bend National Park is not only God’s country, it’s also bear and mountain lion country – and any one of those three could kill you.
Make plenty of noise and keep your small animals and children close, and you should be fine. The park has handy brochures on wildlife safety, and the rangers can answer any questions you have. I recommend taking advantage of those resources before you leave.
Accessing The Trail
The trail starts out at Chisos Basin Trailhead, very near the visitor center. This is your last taste of wifi or cell service for the day! Here you have a choice of whether to start out on Pinnacles Trail or Laguna Meadows trail. Most people opt to start with Laguna Meadows trail because the climb is more gradual.
Pinnacles trail is steeper and has more switchbacks, making it the trail of choice for the trip back. It can be a real motherfucker to climb when you’re carrying water for a full day of hiking (ask me how I know).
The rest of this guide will assume you follow my recommended route:
- Laguna Meadows to South Rim
- South Rim to East Rim
- Optional Shortcut: Skip East Rim and head back via Boot Canyon
- East Rim to Boot Canyon
- Boot Canyon to Pinnacles
- Optional Detour: Climb Emory Peak (+3 miles to your total)
- Pinnacles all the way home
Laguna Meadows Trail: Entering the Chisos
While I didn’t realize Laguna Meadows was the “easier” of the two trails, I did opt to start on it – beginner’s luck, I guess. For the first 1-2 miles, Laguna provided exciting peaks at The Window and glamorous views of its sister mountains.
Getting further into the hike, I was surrounded by trees but it was still quite pretty despite the lack of sweeping views. I followed Laguna Meadows trail for 4.1 miles, at which point I hopped onto the South Rim trail and the real excitement began.
You can read a full review of Laguna Meadows Trail here.
The South Rim Trail: Spectacular Views of Big Bend
This is where the views start to get a little more exciting because there will be times when you can see almost the whole southern half of Big Bend – even catching glimpses of Santa Elena canyon 20 miles away if the air quality is good.
If you’re like me, it’s open, sweeping views like this that make the screaming in my legs as I gain elevation all worth it.
You’ll continue along the South Rim trail for 2 miles, enjoying particularly good views the last half mile of it. A few years ago there was a fire in the South Rim region and you can still see remnants of burnt trees and get some more open, prairie like views since the trees have not fully grown back yet.
A more extensive review of The South Rim is forthcoming – stay tuned (and ask for it in the comments if it’s that important to you).
The Shortcut: Using Boot Canyon Trail to skip the East Rim
At the end of the South Rim trail/beginning of the East Rim, you will intersect with Boot Canyon Trail. If you are more tired than you anticipated or running short on time, this is a convenient shortcut to skip the next 2.4 miles on the East Rim trail but be warned: You will miss the very best views that Big Bend has to offer.
You will miss the very best views that Big Bend has to offer.
The East Rim Trail: The Biggest and Best Views in Big Bend
The East Rim trail was my favorite of this hike and actually my favorite of all the hikes I’ve done so far at BBNP. Thanks to the incredible panorama, I’d consider this trail the crown jewel of the Chisos Mountains experience.
As soon as I came out on the ridge line of the trail and looked over the landscape, a big, shit-eating smile plastered itself on my face and didn’t leave the whole time I was up there. It was just so damn pretty.
Looking over the edge, you’re privy to views higher than some clouds and can soak in the gently rolling mountains stretching out as far as the eye can see. These are undeniably the best views in the Chisos, if not all of Big Bend, and a great place to sit for lunch if you can tolerate the strong winds and cooler temperatures.
The wind is very gusty on both the South & East Rim trails, but particularly so on the East Rim trail. The day I hiked it, it was also rainy (and January) so the wind packed quite the chill factor. This is why I suggest packing extra layers.
You can check out my detailed review of the East Rim here.
Boot Canyon: A Beautiful Place to get Eaten by a mountain lion
After those 2.4 miles on the East Rim trail, you will hit Boot Canyon Trail. This is actually a really pretty canyon and the views on the way in are impressive. But as I descended into it, I quickly realized that this is a prime place to spot local critters thanks to the many pools of standing water.
And then I thought, who needs water in the Chihuahuan Desert? All wildlife. And who likes to eat all wildlife?
Hungry apex predators like mountain lions.
So instead of fully absorbing the views, like a true chicken, I craned my neck up and around, throwing in occasional (stunningly graceful, fuck you very much) pirouettes to make sure nothing was sneaking up behind me, as often as possible without tripping, staring for the cougars who were indubitably preparing to pounce.
What I can tell you about Boot Canyon is that it has tall, rocky walls (hence why it’s such a good place for mountain lions, in my mind).
The pools of water are highly dependent on rain conditions and are often dry so don’t be a shit head and plan to have a water source here – BBNP is a desert, after all. Parts of the path are narrow and very rocky, making for a fun change of pace from the wide, easy hike of the South & East Rim trails.
…like a true chicken, I craned my neck up and around, throwing in occasional (stunningly graceful, fuck you very much) pirouettes to make sure nothing was sneaking up behind me…
Approaching the end of Boot Canyon trail, the area becomes more forested and piney – less rock and canyon-ey (totally a word). This is where you get to make another important choice.
A Stunning Detour: Climb Emory Peak
After Boot Canyon trail, you run into an intersection with Pinnacles trail and Emory Peak Trail. Here, you can make an adventurous choice and tack on some mileage and more incredible views if you decide to climb Emory Peak.
Tacking on this trail adds 3 more miles to your hike with some fairly intense elevation gain & a bit of scrambling at the end.
Emory Peak is the highest point within BBNP at 7,825ft of elevation and the 10th tallest mountain peak in Texas. The trail is a simple out and back but can be tough to follow at times, especially as the sun begins to set.
Tacking on this trail adds 3 more miles to your hike with some fairly intense elevation gain & a bit of scrambling at the end. The 14.21 miles I listed for my mileage on this hike does not include this detour, so obviously with Emory Peak included your total mileage would be about 17.21 miles.
Side note: There’s a couple bear boxes here to store your stuff temporarily, as well as a composting toilet just past the intersection toward Emory Peak. Composting toilets are not like regular toilets, and there are a few different types. They generally have special rules to avoid fucking them up.
Here’s what you need to know about this one:
- Post a reliable lookout if you have one
- Drop your drawers and your deuce
- Place a scoop of peat moss over your… business…
- Hope no one walked in on you to witness this process
Important: Big Bend National Park kindly asks that you wee-wee in the woods rather than this toilet, for science reasons.
Pinnacles Trail: The Unforgiving Home Stretch
After exiting Boot Canyon, you will take Pinnacles Trail back down to the Chisos Basin trailhead. Initially, there are a lot of steep switch backs on Pinnacles and you are closed in by trees and vegetation but once you hit Boulder Meadows, the scenery opens up and provides beautiful rocky mountain views.
Considering that I had now covered approximately 10 miles, the descent on Pinnacles Trail was intense and my quads had plenty to say in protest. Entering the last 1.5 miles on Pinnacles trail, you get more views of the Chisos Valley & some nice looks toward The Window. It’s definitely a place to slow down & enjoy the panoramas.
Read more about Pinnacles Trail.
Closing Thoughts on The Rim
All the internet hype about the Rim is legit. It’s a epic hike with equally epic rewards.
But it is demanding and tiring and only for those in good fucking physical shape. This is not a hike suitable for kids or anyone in poor physical condition or with limited mobility.
You will experience unbelievable views from sweeping panoramas of the desert and rolling mountain landscapes to closed-in piney forests and rocky canyons. Along the way you may run into black bears, deer, or coyotes as well as native birds and other wildlife. It’s a trail that is full of fun and adventure for those prepared to handle it.
Would recommend.
Too Long; Didn’t Read.
Seriously?
- This is a 14 mile, strenuous hike with elevation change of approximately 4,000ft
- Begins at Chisos basin trailhead
- Simply the best views
- Easy to navigate
- Can be turned into a backpacking trip
- Be prepared for weather changes (rain, colder temperature at elevation)
- Only for those in good physical condition