The Lost Mine Trail in Big Bend National Park is my favorite hike that I’ve done in the park. This trail is one that takes you into the mountains, but it’s more than just mountains. The view when you get to the top encompasses the Chisos Mountains but also the desert and canyons beyond. Of course, I’m a mountain/desert girl, so this hike is perfect for me!
Quick Info About the Lost Mine Trail
TRAIL LENGTH: 4.8 miles total out and back
TRAIL DIFFICULTY: This is rated as moderate and I think that’s a fair rating, especially if you’re not a big hiker. However, I would say if you’re used to hiking a lot it could even be considered moderately easy.
FOR THE LOVE OF WANDERLUST TIP: The parking for this hike is very limited. We were there just an hour or so after sunrise and both of the lots were full. We had to add an extra quarter of a mile each way from parking in a pull out down the road, but there is a small space down there where you can park!
ENTRY FEE FOR BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK: Big Bend has a $30 entrance fee for personal vehicles. If you take a motorcycle or walk, it is slightly cheaper. You should know, if you visit multiple national parks in a year, they do have an annual national park pass. We get one every year and love it! This year we’re visiting 12 different parks and it’ll save us loads of money this year!
TRAIL HIGHLIGHTS: The highlights of this trail are definitely the views. There are pretty views while going up and unforgettable views up at the top.
IS THIS TRAIL KID FRIENDLY? It isn’t “kid unfriendly” per se. If your kid is capable of the incline and the mileage I would say it’s kid-friendly. There are drop offs at the top, though, so keep a close eye on them. However, we didn’t take our toddlers on the hike and I’m glad. It would’ve been a lot with them.
IS IT DOG FRIENDLY? Dogs aren’t allowed on trails in Big Bend National Park, so be sure to leave your furry bestie at home or safely back at your accommodation.
BE BEAR AND MOUNTAIN LION AWARE: While we’re no strangers to hiking in black bear country and know the basics for being “bear aware”. Being in mountain lion country was a new experience for us. The biggest things we heard were: 1- don’t let your kids run out ahead of you and 2- if one approaches, mae yourself big, throw rocks and yell.
Our Experience on the Lost Mine Trail in Big Bend National Park
We got to the Lost Mine trailhead probably about 20 minutes after sunrise. The first lot was full, as was the overflow, and parking on the side of the road is not permitted, so we were pretty nervous about how we were going to actually get to do this trail when we saw a pullout to the right that didn’t say that we could park there, but it also didn’t say that we couldn’t. So, we decided that was good enough for us. It did add an additional half mile total to our hike, but we knew it was going to be worth it.
We had the privilege of doing this hike on a day that was beautifully overcast, but no rain was forecast. This felt like such a treat and privilege in the desert. I had looked ahead at the forecast and specifically chose for this to be the day we did this because overcast days are the perfect for photography and I wanted Matt to enjoy this hike for the first time as much as possible. It’s my favorite hike in the park because it beautifully encompasses both mountain and desert landscapes and I knew it would be Matt’s favorite as well.
The trail is pretty much completely uphill, but doesn’t feel like a lung-buster. It’s actually a pretty gentle incline compared to many other hikes I’ve done within this distance. From the get-go you have views looking up at the mountains and down into the canyon. There are lots of unique plants the whole way up – yuccas, cacti, trees, pines, etc.
Once you get to the “top” there’s a section that you can easily stop at if you don’t want to continue on to do a little dip down and a little climb back up to get a more unobstructed view of Boquillas Canyon. I will say, the view is stunning from either spot if you’re running short on time or just don’t have it in you to keep going. But I did like the views a little more from the end.
As it’s an out and back trail, the hike down is just the reverse. But I always love the way that you get a different perspective of the trail you’ve already done. You get to see all the things that were behind you on the way up. Although this trail is a lot of switchbacks, you still get to see the views from different angles, heights and perspectives.
Gear We Used on the Lost Mine Trail
Water is super important in this West Texas sun, even in the cooler temps of the higher elevation. Don’t forget to drink plenty of it. We love our Nalgene bottles with the wide mouth because they’re super easy to clean and while still holding a good amount of water – this is my beef with bladders. Keeping fueled is important too! Our go-to hiking snacks are slim jims or beef jerky, granola bars, M&Ms, gummy pouches, nuts and fresh fruit – remember to pack it in and pack it out – even fruit peels, pits, seeds and cores.
Footwear we wore in Big Bend National Park. We both wore our Merrell hiking boots (men’s option & women’s option) the majority of the time in the park.We’re also both obsessed with these Merrell hiking socks – they’re unisex and come in S/M, M/L. I did wear my Teva Hurricanes one morning hiking because I knew we were going to the Hot Spring and I wanted to be able to easily take my shoes off.
These are the hiking sticks I’ve used in the past and my parents still use! I’m obsessed with my Osprey Daylite daypack when I’m not carrying the kiddos. It has plenty of space or a day hike but is super lightweight. If we’re carrying kids, I can’t recommend the Deuter Kid Comforts enough. Read more about why we love it on this post.
Lost Mine trail is Matt’s, my dad’s and my favorite trail within the park. Many are incredible and worth doing, but I loved getting into the mountains while also looking down into the desert. It’s just such a special hike and offers up some truly special hikes along in this beautiful national park.
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