Texas · National Park trail

Lost Mine Trail Stop #24

in Texas

Turn around and look towards the Window. This high location sometimes affords a fantastic view of the desert and the towns of Study Butte and Terlingua to the west of the park. Air quality determines how much you can see on any given day.

On days with great air quality, roads and buildings in the towns just outside the park are visible. On fair air quality days, such as the day when this picture was taken, it is not possible to see the towns, and there is a noticeable haze in the air. Poor air quality days make it impossible to see any features or landforms through the Window.

It's as if you were trying to view the far mountains through a glazed window.

States: Texas
Trail type: National Park trail
Centroid coords: 29.2711°, -103.2700°

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-24.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 #24 and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.