Texas · National Park trail

Lost Mine Trail Stop #13

in Texas

Sotol is a evergreen rosette plant, with long spine-clad leaves that attach around a shortened, central stem. Although sotol is sometimes called a "cactus" or an "agave," it is neither. The sotol blooms from April to July, producing a flower stalk from 5-20 feet tall.

Mexicans distill a fiery alcoholic drink, also known as sotol, from its juice. Indigenous peoples wove the leaves into useful items such as baskets and mats.

States: Texas
Trail type: National Park trail
Centroid coords: 29.2707°, -103.2757°

About Big Bend National Park

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/lost-mine-trail-stop-13.htm

Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/bibe/index.htm

Plan your hike

Practical notes

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 Lost Mine Trail Stop #13 and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.