Window Trail Stop #1
in Texas
The Window Trail has two trailheads. You can either begin here, in the campground (the recommended starting point), or from the upper trailhead near the Lodge. Starting from the Lodge trailhead will add an additional 500 feet of elevation gain to your hike.
Keep an eye out for the junction of these two trails on your way back up. You don't want to wind up at the wrong trailhead! Few other trails in Big Bend National Park showcase as much diversity of habitat and scenery in such a short distance.
In a few miles the Window Trail drops from open chaparral into a shady creek bed dominated by towering cliffs. It ends at the famous "Window", a narrow slot canyon that provides a glimpse of the desert far below.
- 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/window-trail-stop-1.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 Window Trail Stop #1 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
The Window Trail
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.