The Window Trail

The Window Trail is a 5.5-mile out-and-back from the Chisos Basin Visitor Center parking area down Oak Creek Canyon to the Window pour-off, then back up. It’s one of the park’s best day hikes from the Basin if you want more than a lookout: the route changes from open, rocky slopes to a greener creek wash, then narrows into a slickrock canyon. At the end, the Window frames the desert west of the Chisos. The payoff is good; the climb out is the price. Allow about three to four hours for the full walk.

The route starts on a paved walkway near the store and quickly turns to dirt. The first mile is the steepest, with wooden log steps breaking up the rocky descent. Near mile 0.9, a spur links with the campground; stay on the main trail for the Visitor Center route described here. Below that junction, the trail follows Oak Creek Canyon through scrub and scattered trees, with views back to Carter Peak, Vernon Bailey Peak, and Casa Grande. You retrace the same way, so the downhill approach becomes a steady climb of about 1,000 feet. Start early to avoid the heat, and bring more water than you think you’ll need.

The path crosses the wash several times. It usually has little or no water, but during wetter periods Oak Creek can flow and make those crossings necessary. Farther down, the canyon tightens and reddish rock walls rise above the drainage. The greener strip along the wash stands out against the dry slopes around it.

The last quarter-mile is slickrock, with uneven polished stone and steps cut around pour-offs. Pools or small cascades can appear when water is flowing, but they aren’t guaranteed. Wet rock is especially slippery, so slow down through this section and keep back from the edge. The trail ends at a narrow gap between cliffs, not a summit. From there, look west through the opening to frame the desert beyond without stepping onto the slick lip.

The drainage holds plants associated with cooler, wetter conditions than the surrounding desert, including Mexican drooping juniper, piñon pine, oaks, mountain laurel, Mexican buckeye, and Texas madrone. About 10,000 years ago, oaks and junipers also grew along the Rio Grande; as the region warmed and dried, some woodland species remained higher in the Chisos. They’re a reminder that this canyon is a small refuge within a much drier landscape.

Black bears are regularly seen in the Chisos, and Mexican Jays and Acorn Woodpeckers are among the birds noted along this trail. Lizards and garter snakes may be near seasonal pools. Treat sightings as a bonus rather than a reason to expect wildlife at a particular spot.

There’s a separate start near campsite 51 in the Basin Campground. The park lists that out-and-back at 4.0 miles, but a hiking directory and visitor GPS measurements put it closer to 4.7–4.9 miles, so check the posted route information before choosing it. Park at the Amphitheater lot opposite the campground entrance; don’t park in the campground. The 5.5-mile distance above is from the Visitor Center. Pets aren’t allowed on park trails.