Texas · National Park trail

Rio Grande Village Nature Trail Stop #16

in Texas

In front of you loom the Sierra del Carmen, a range of massive limstone cliffs that reflect pink and purple hues at sunset. The limestone rock was deposited by ancient seas around 130 million years ago. The same mountain-building forces that created the Rocky Mountains lifted these imposing cliffs along a fault line, causing them to stand high above the surrounding landscape.

You are standing on the down-dropped block which consists of the same kind of rock found at the top of the Sierra del Carmen, rising almost one mile in elevation above you.

States: Texas
Trail type: National Park trail
Centroid coords: 29.1774°, -102.9522°

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/rio-grande-village-nature-trail-stop-16.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 Rio Grande Village Nature Trail Stop #16 and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.