The Best Family Friendly Hikes in Big Bend National Park
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The santa elena canyon is a perfect family hike
If you’re looking for the best family hikes in Big Bend National Park, you’ve made it to the right page. While exploring Big Bend national park you’ll find mountain vistas, rugged desert, hot springs, dinosaur fossils, and some of the best hiking trails in Texas. The family friendly hikes in Big Bend are the ideal place to experience true majestic wilderness of the Chihuahuan Desert. If you’re trying to find the best trails in Big Bend National Park for families or find a place to enjoy the views without a ton of hiking — this blog will help you narrow down your search.
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Table of Contents
Whether you’re traveling to Big Bend with a baby, traveling to Big Bend with toddlers or teenagers - you’ll find the perfect hike for your group here! This guide has over 10 kid friendly hikes in Big Bend National Park listed out by location!
Click the park names below to skip to hikes in that area.
Family Hikes in the East Part of the Park (Near Rio Grande Village and Panther Junction)
Family Hikes in the West Part of the Park (Along Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive)
If you’re going to Big Bend with your family, check out my full guide to Big Bend with Kids!
Interactive Big Bend Map
Here is an interactive map where you can easily find all of the best Big Bend hikes for families. This map of Big Bend National Park will help you plan your itinerary for Big Bend and help to find the best hikes with kids in Big Bend National Park. All of these are Big Bend National Park Day hikes.
There are two entrances to the park, so be sure to stop for photo with one of the signs!
View with little or no Hiking
If you’re traveling to Big Bend, these are going to be the best baby friendly hikes. BUT the best part is, these hikes are not hikes at all. They are all overlooks that you can park right by and easily walk to. If you’re looking for Big Bend easy trails, they don’t get easier than this!
Santa Elena Canyon Overlook: As you drive along Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive toward the Santa Elena Canyon, be sure to stop at the overlook for a great photo or just to take in the majestic canyon from a distance. From this vantage point, you can really see how tall the natural wall is. . Santa Elena Canyon is 8 miles long and 1,500 feet deep! This overlook is wheelchair accessible.
Mule Ears Overlook: This overlook is located about 0.5 miles off of Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive (check the map above) and there are 21 parking spaces. Once you get out, you’ll immediately see the two distinctive eroded rhyolite dikes known as Mule Ears Peaks. This is a great spot to watch the sunrise. Mule Ears Overlook is wheelchair accessible.
Boquillas Canyon Overlook: When standing at the Boquillas Overlook you can see the village of Boquillas, Mexico just across the Rio Grande. At the overlook is an exhibit panel that graphically shows how the Rio Grande carved this major canyon. There are three canyons that are the reasons for the creation of Big Bend; Mariscal, Santa Elena, and Boquillas Canyons. From my experience, there are no dedicated parking spots at Boquillas Canyon overlook and it’s all gravel.
the kid cleaning mud off their shoes at the mouth of the santa elena canyon
Hiking through the santa elena canyon! short but rewarding!
Family Hikes in the West Part of the Park
These are the best hikes in West Big Bend National Park along the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive Road. If you are looking for short, easy hikes with a big reward, take your family on the Santa Elena Canyon Trail. Both of these Big Bend trails are absolutely gorgeous! These are two of the best trails in Big Bend National Park for kids.
Santa Elena Canyon Trail (DO NOT MISS): This easy 1.7 mile out and back trail leads into the mouth of stunning Santa Elena Canyon. Before you even start the crossing Terlingua Creek, to get to the trail head. From the other side of the creek, the trail climbs up paved steps to a vista, then goes back down to the water's edge, and continues into the canyon until the canyon walls meet the water. This trail is a must do in Big Bend National park, but be prepared for the water and mud at the creek crossing. Note that the trail is impassable when Terlingua Creek floods.
Tuff Canyon Trail: This easy 0.75-mile trail takes hikers through interesting rock formations along the rim of Tuff Canyon and leads to three viewing platforms.. Tuff Canyon's three overlooks offer great views into the canyon. An exhibit at the east overlook explains how the sheer walls of the canyon were formed. Hikers are able to continue down the trail at the south end of the parking lot and into the actual canyon. Once at the bottom, take a right and follow the drainage upstream into the canyon. The canyon walls are made of welded volcanic ash. This hike is great for all ages. Warning: Bees are sometimes active in a hive tucked up in one wall of the canyon.
Lower Burro Mesa Pour-off: This easy 1-mile hike is perfect for families. It takes hikers along a trail that follows a gravel wash lined by Mexican persimmon, Mexican buckeye, and desert hackberry trees. The wash is surrounded by volcanic hills with layers of yellow and orange ash-flow tuffs. The highlight of this trail is the 100-foot tall vertical channel carved into rock that funnels water from the mesa above that marks the trail’s turn around.
We’ve hiked hundreds of miles with our two kids. Check out my recommended hiking hear for kids!
The overlook at the fossil bone exhibit trail
Family Hikes in the East Part of the Park
Panther Path: This very easy paved trail is only 50 yards long and is located at the Panther Junction Visitor Center. The trail explains many of the plants that can be found in the park. It features the plants along with signs telling all about each plant. This path is wheelchair accessible.
While you’re at the Panther Junction Visitor Center, be sure to grab a Junior Ranger Book so you can get your Junior Ranger Badge.
Rio Grande Village Nature Trail: This 0.75-mile short and easy, the trail is very scenic and has fantastic opportunities for wildlife viewing, especially birds. The trail starts with a boardwalk and then gradually climbs a limestone hill with panoramic vistas of the Rio Grande, and the Chisos and Del Carmen Mountains. This trail is great as a spot to watch the sunset! **The first 100 yards on the boardwalk is wheelchair accessible You access this trail from the Rio Grand Campground Site #18.
Fossil Bone Exhibit Trail: The Big Bend Fossil Discovery Exhibit is an off-grid, open-air center. Directly next to the center is a very easy 0.2-mile trail that leads up to an overlook. At he top you’ll see signs to show what life in Big Bend looked like millions of years ago. Compare the geography to current day to see what’s changed and what has stayed the same!
If you do boquillas canyon trail, consider crossing the border into mexico to have lunch in the little town of boquillas — see my full guide on big bend to read more about how to visit boquillas
Hot Springs Trail: This easy 1-mile trail is a hit with all ages. The trail does end at hot springs, so bring your swim suits and towels! Along the trail, hikers will get a glimpse of life in the area before the National Park was established. There are remains of an old resort, post office and motor court. A bit further down (0.25 miles) is the actual hot springs — these used to be the Bath House of Langford’s A quarter mile further down the trail is the actual hot spring, contained within the stone walls of what was the J.O. Langford's Hot Springs resort bath house. The water temps stay around 104º F, so use caution if entering the water with young children.
Balanced Rock: This easy 2.2 out and back trail is one that Big Bend is famous for. Many people have seen the photo of balanced rock. The trail is located out on the Grapevine Hills Trail. There is some climbing required near the end of the trail and the road leading to the trail is suitable for standard cars, but an SUV or a vehicle with high ground clearance is ideal. The final two miles of this road is the most rough. Use caution and go slowly.
Boquillas Canyon Trail: This easy 1.2 mile trail starts in a parking area at the end of the Boquillas Canyon spur road. From there, hikers will walk over a low hill and the make their way down to the river. This trail is awesome because you can spot fossils in the rock from when this area was completely under an ocean. The trail takes you along the Rio Grande river with amazing views of Mexico on the other side. There can be vendors along this trail selling small trinkets, tamales, etc — it’s discourage to buy from them, but always nice to meet new people. The sunsets are fantastic for photography. With few areas of shade, the temps can reach over 110* F in summer months — please please please plan accordingly.
We’ve hiked hundreds of miles with our two kids. Check out my recommended hiking hear for kids!
Boquillas canyon overlook
Fossil bone exhibit trail also has a nice display
Santa elena canyon overlook
Family Hikes In Chisos Basin
If you’re headed to Big Bend National Park with kids, then you’re probably on the search for the hikes that take you through the famed Chisos Basin. Luckily some of the best short hikes in Big Bend National Park are up in the mountains of the Chisos Basin. These trails are also arguably the best day hikes in Big Bend National Park because the weather is typically 8-12 degrees cooler up here! **Be sure to keep an eye out for Mountain Lions and bears on any trail in the Chisos Basin!
The chisos basin is a higher elevation and the ruggedmountains are gorgeous
Window View Trail: This very easy paved 0.2-mile trail takes hikers out to an overlook Hikers will circle a low hill with stuffinf views of the mountain peaks surrounding the Chisos Basin. There are benches along the trail to sit and enjoy the scene. This trail is wheelchair accesssible.
Chisos Basin Loop Trail: This easy 2-mile trail is well-maintained and great for beginners. Hikers are rewarded with scenic views from all sides. The trailhead is very close to the Chisos Basin General Store. Though this loop trail may be done in either direction, following it counterclockwise is the easiest.
Window Trail: This is a moderate 5.2-mile trail that is very popular. The trail begins near the Chisos Basin Lodge. The Window trail does have an elevation change of about 800 feet over two miles as hikers descends through Oak Creek Canyon into the desert. The trail follows rolling hills and vertical rock walls to a narrow pour-off, which overlooks the surrounding Chihuahuan Desert.
Lost Mine Trail: This moderate 4.8-mile trail is popular because it is a great introduction to the Chisos Basin. While the entire hike is almost 5 miles, if you're limited on time, hike to marker 10 where hikers are rewarded with outstanding views of Juniper Canyon and Casa Grande. (This will make the hike about 2-miles round trip) Past market 10, the trail begins to climb until it levels out to stunning views of Pine Canyon and the Sierra Del Carmen in Mexico. At just under 5 miles round trip, this is surely one of the best day hikes in Big Bend.
mule ears overlook!
You will have to cross a creek to access the santa elena canyon trail, so bring appropriate shoes!
When hiking in Big Bend, it is VERY important to take extreme caution and follow all warnings and advice from the National Park Service. Below is taken directly from the NPS website about hiking in Big Bend and I feel it is necessary to share inside this post because the heat in Big Bend is the park’s number one threat.
“Hike Smart
Bring plenty of water!
Carry 1 liter of water per person per hour that you plan to hike. The importance of carrying enough water in this hot, dry climate cannot be overstated!
Eat
Your body needs food for energy and salts and electrolytes to replace what it's losing from perspiration. The dry climate at Big Bend means that sweat often evaporates almost instantly; your body is likely losing lots of moisture and salts without you even realizing it. Eat plenty of salty snacks to keep your body's salt-to-water ratio in balance.
Sun protection
Carry sunscreen and use it liberally. Hats are also strongly recommended. It may seem strange to wear long-sleeved shirts and pants in hot weather, but many hikers choose lightweight, breathable clothing which covers their arms and legs to protect themselves from the sun.
Don't leave people behind
If you're hiking in a group, make sure the person in the back always has someone to help.
Be aware of wildlife
Keep an eye out for snakes, and remember to maintain a safe distance between yourself and all wildlife. Animals in the park are wild and should never be approached, harassed, or fed.
Don't stack rocks
Cairns are stacks of rocks which are sometimes used to mark trails in areas where they are hard to follow. Randomly stacked rocks can lure hikers off the correct trail.”
- National Park Service, https://www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/desert_hikes.htm
These are so many easy Big Bend National Park hikes with big rewards. However, they aren’t all of the hikes! You can find much longer day hikes and even overnight backpacking hikes within the parks. If you are looking for the best hikes in Big Bend with kids, these are them. The family friendly hiking trails in Big Bend are the ideal place to really experience the wilderness of Big Bend without entering the back country. From incredible mountain Vistas to natural hot springs, to wading the Rio Grande, Big Bend’s hiking trails have something for every ability. When you find the your favorite hike in Big Bend, come back and let me know!
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