Dog Canyon Trail
in Texas
Trail Information Roundtrip distance: 4 miles (6.4 km) Elevation change: 50 feet (15 m) Average hiking time: 2-3 hours Dogs and other pets are not allowed on any trails in the park. The Dog Canyon trail is a relatively flat, cairn-marked path leading to a canyon that splits the Deadhorse Mountains. It is a pleasant hike in the early morning or late afternoon hours when temperatures are moderate.
The majority of the trail passes through scant desert vegetation, including creosote bush, cacti, and grasses. It is important to note that after a good rainfall the trail and surrounding soil turns into a clay mud that forms thick clumps on hiker's shoes and makes walking difficult. At 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the trailhead, the trail enters a (normally) dry wash.
A metal sign marks the intersection. Pay close attention to this location before continuing, as it can easily be missed on the return trip. Take a left turn here and follow the rocky wash the remaining 0.5 mile (0.8 km) into Dog Canyon.
- States
- Texas
- Trail type
- National Park trail
- Centroid coords
- 29.6224°, -103.1429°
About Big Bend National Park
This trail is inside Big Bend National Park, a national park managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.
Entrance fee: $30 per vehicle (verify current rate on the park page). An America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) covers entrance to all NPS units.
Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/dog-canyon-trailhead.htm
Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/bibe/index.htm
Plan your hike
Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.
Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.
When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.
If you've hiked Dog Canyon Trail and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.
Other trails within 50 miles
Grapevine Hills Trail
15 miles from this trail's centroid
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Trail
24 miles from this trail's centroid
Lost Mine Trail Stop #24
25 miles from this trail's centroid
Lost Mine Trail Stop #22
25 miles from this trail's centroid
Lost Mine Trail Stop #25
25 miles from this trail's centroid
Lost Mine Trail Stop #20
25 miles from this trail's centroid
Sources
Trail data on this page is compiled from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), the maintaining organisation's public-facing materials, and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA where excerpts are quoted). Distance, terminus, and descriptive text for nationally-designated trails are hand-curated from federal land-manager websites and trail-association sources. We do not modify the underlying data; this page presents what is already publicly recorded. To suggest corrections, see our methodology page.