Parking
Start at Chisos Basin Trailhead in the developed Basin area near the lodge and visitor center. Parking capacity was not established in the sources checked.
Overview
About Chisos Basin Loop Trail
Why go
- Shaded pine and oak with repeated Window and mountain views
Heads up
- Junctions connect to much longer high-country routes
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Big Bend map
Full mapElevation5,308–5,627 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
2 active Big Bend alerts
- ClosureWeather-related road closuresDo not use these closed roads; NPS lists the closures as in effect until further notice.Official details
- InfoBoquillas Crossing schedule changeBoquillas Crossing is open Friday through Monday, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; NPS says it will not change to winter hours at this time. Check current park conditions before planning a crossing.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Big Bend Tour Guide
Your drive to Chisos Basin Loop Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Big Bend National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Big Bend audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Chisos Basin and Window View0:00 / 0:33
“You're coming up on Chisos Basin, a mountain-ringed bowl with a gap called the Window opening toward the desert.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Big Bend Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Chisos Basin Campground and Amphitheater
- Lost Mine Trail
- Tree Zone Exhibit
- How Corners Become Curves
- 110 audio storiesacross Big Bend’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Collared Peccary, White-tailed Deer, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 45 trails, 64 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Chisos Basin Loop Trail
The short Basin loopThe Chisos Basin Loop is a moderate 2-mile loop through shaded Mexican pine, oak and juniper,…
The Chisos Basin Loop is a moderate 2-mile loop through shaded Mexican pine, oak and juniper, with repeated views toward the Window and surrounding peaks. Allow about an hour for the walk and stops. It is a shorter way to experience the Chisos high country than the longer mountain routes.
Walk it counterclockwiseBoth directions work, but counterclockwise is the easier way.
Both directions work, but counterclockwise is the easier way. The loop meets longer Pinnacles and Laguna Meadows routes at junctions; pay attention there to stay on the short Basin circuit.
Woodland and viewsThe route climbs gradually through the trees.
The route climbs gradually through the trees. In places, the tread is narrow and rocky, bordered by dry grasses. Views toward the Window and the Basin’s surrounding mountains recur along the loop rather than arriving at one summit.
Birds and wildlifeLook for Mexican jays in the pines, and hummingbirds or Scott’s orioles around agaves when they…
Look for Mexican jays in the pines, and hummingbirds or Scott’s orioles around agaves when they bloom. Dense arroyos in this area are bear and mountain-lion habitat, and tracks may cross the trail; sightings are never guaranteed.
Water and an easier optionCarry the water you need; no reliable source is established on this loop.
Carry the water you need; no reliable source is established on this loop. Pets are not allowed on park trails, though service animals are permitted. For a shorter, accessible Basin outing, the nearby 0.3-mile paved Window View Trail has wheelchair access and a view of the Window.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Big Bend
377 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
329 sightingsCollared PeccaryMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
500 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
985 sightingsRoadrunnerMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
228 sightingsRavenMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
264 sightingsTurkey VultureMost seen around noonSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Big Bend. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
