The Window Trail
in Texas
Trail Information Roundtrip Distance from the Chisos Basin Trailhead: 5.5 miles (8.8 km) Elevation Change: 1000 feet (304 meters) Average Hiking Time: 3 hours Roundtrip Distance from the Basin Campground Trailhead: 4.0 miles (6.4 km) Elevation Change: 600 feet (182 meters) Average Hiking Time: 2-3 hours Dogs and other pets are not allowed on any trails in the park. This trail descends through Oak Creek Canyon to the Window pour-off which frames panoramic desert vistas. During wetter periods Oak Creek may be flowing, and must be crossed several times.
Keep in mind that it is an easy downhill walk to the Window, but the return trip is a challenging climb of 1,000 feet. It is important to start this hike early in the morning to avoid hiking during the heat of the day. Bring more water than you think you will need!
Accessibility The Chisos Basin trailhead begins from a paved walkway near the Chisos Basin Store and quickly transitions to dirt. The first mile of the trail is the steepest, with wooden log steps to break up the descent down the rocky dirt path. The alternate Basin Campground trailhead begins near campsite 51 in the campground.
- States
- Texas
- Trail type
- National Park trail
- Centroid coords
- 29.2774°, -103.3032°
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/big-bend-window-trail.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 The Window 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
Window Trail Stop #1
0 miles from this trail's centroid
Window Trail Stop #2
0 miles from this trail's centroid
Window Trail Stop #3
0 miles from this trail's centroid
Window Trail Stop #4
0 miles from this trail's centroid
Emory Peak Trail
1 miles from this trail's centroid
South Rim Trail
1 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.