Texas · National Park trail

Window Trail Stop #3

in Texas

As you descend the Window Trail, Ward Mountain looms to the left. It was named for Johnnie Ward who camped at Ward Spring at the base of the mountain when he was working for the G-4 ranching outfit. Amon Carter Peak forms the sharp spire just to the left of the Window, while Vernon Bailey Peak is the rounded dome to the right of the Window.

Amon Carter was a philanthropist and Fort Worth publisher who is actively identified with every movement to bring about the purchase and establishment of Big Bend National Park. He put his money and his organizational know-how behind the job, and when the work was done he went to Washington, as personal representative of the Governor of Texas, to hand the deed to the park lands to President Roosevelt. He did this on historic D-Day, June 6, 1944.

States: Texas
Trail type: National Park trail
Centroid coords: 29.2777°, -103.3082°

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-3.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 #3 and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.