Texas · National Park trail

Window Trail Stop #11

in Texas

As you walk this next straight stretch of trail, look for trees on both sides of the path with smooth, gray bark and small green leaves. These trees are Texas persimmons, and they are common in canyon washes throughout the park. They have a distinctive, peeling bark, bell-shaped white flowers in the spring, and round, black fruit.

The fruit is one of the best-tasting wild fruits in Texas. The small, black fruit has sweet pulp that can be eaten raw or made into wine, breads, pies, jams, or sauces. The juice from fully ripe fruit is used to dye hides.

Black bears love Texas persimmons, so be alert in the late summer or fall when the fruit is ripe.

States: Texas
Trail type: National Park trail
Centroid coords: 29.2788°, -103.3260°

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/window-trail-stop-11.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 Window Trail Stop #11 and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.