Texas · National Park trail

Window Trail Stop #4

in Texas

In the early 1900s, black bears were common in the Chisos Mountains and throughout Big Bend country. By the time Big Bend National Park was established in 1944, there were virtually no resident bears left. Shooting and trapping by ranchers, federal predator control agents, recreational hunters, as well as loss of habitat contributed to their decline.

In the late 1980s an amazing series of events transpired. In 1988, a visitor photographed a female with three young cubs in the Chisos Mountains. Throughout 1988 visitors reported seeing bears on 27 occasions.

Observations increased in the 1990s. In 1996, 572 bear observations were recorded! Today, visitors regularly observe black bears throughout the Chisos Mountains. If you see a bear, remain watchful but do not approach it.

States: Texas
Trail type: National Park trail
Centroid coords: 29.2771°, -103.3103°

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-4.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 #4 and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.