the south rim loop

Granted, I am used to walking many miles a day so the 13.5 round trip hike to the South Rim via Pinnacles and back down via Lagunas was not too much of a stretch for me. When I did the hike, the weather was in the 60s and the skies were clear with just a few puffy clouds. I recommend taking the Pinnacle Trail up to the South Rim Trail. This route has a lot of switchbacks and shade that makes the elevation/distance much more manageable. As you hike this portion you will see everything from grassy meadows to Manzanita and cacti. From the end of the Pinnacle Trail, I took the South Rim Trail past waterfalls and grassy meadows until hitting the South Rim. From there, you can gaze at the beautiful mountains of Mexico. To spare your knees and quads, take the Laguna trail down. You will see beautiful rocks and vistas. Hiking poles are helpful but not essential. When you arrive back at the lodge, you can order a few beers and watch the sun set and then eat a rich dinner knowing that you just ascended 8000' and walked over thirteen miles. The Big Bend Lodge is priced fairly and the food is good.

We hiked the South Rim trail in February, 2015. This was our first time, so had gathered lots of information from different sources before launching. My review is short: it's spectacular. You can read much more about the beauty of the trail elsewhere, I'm writing this to try to help anyone who hasn't made the hike prepare for it.Our hike was 12.5 miles. There are many variations you can take on the hike, but I believe this represents the main trail hike. There was a part closed for Perigrine falcon breeding while we were there, but it was just an adjunct portion to the trail. As a bonus, we saw a Perigrine fly over and dive into the canyon. Cool!Our hike took 6 hours and 15 minutes. We couldn't understand why it took so long to cover 12 miles, but it does. There is 2,000 feet of elevation from the bottom to the top and my GPS indicated we had 2,800 feet of total vertical, since it's obviously not straight up and straight down. We stopped a total of about 30 minutes, I'd guess. If I were to plan it again, I would budget for about 7 hours to have a bit more time to look at the scenery. We were making sure to get in before sunset.I wore trail running shoes, which was a good choice on this day. The trail is rocky and rough in parts, but you should be able to wear any type of tennis-type shoe if it's dry.It's $20 to enter the park, per car.I brought a gallon (128 oz), but only drank about 90 ounces of water. Weight is a primary consideration and we debated quite a bit about how much to bring. My two hiking partners drank less than me, so you can probably bring less. I'd rather have a bit more weight and not worry about running out.Don't forget you're starting out at a mile above sea level. If you live near sea level as I do in Austin, TX, your lungs are going to feel the elevation a bit. We launched at about 5,350 feet and the top is about 7,350.We packed and ate a couple of peanut butter sandwiches and 2 protein bars each. Some hard candy would have been a nice, lightweight addition. The decent has a lot of steep switchbacks. If you have bad knees, you'll want to plan some extra time to go slowly down these areas. Lots of the steps are 18 inch drops that you need to take slowly. If downhill really hurts your legs, some poles would be a nice thing to have.Your cell phone will likely not work on the trail. One of my buddies with Verizon had a signal part of the time. My AT&T signal was largely non-existent. We were very tired after the hike. This isn't a hike to be taken lightly. If you're reading this, you're probably already in good condition, but if you're not, I would pick a different trail.Stretch your calf muscles after you finish. All three of us had very sore calves after the hike. Didn't feel it during, but still screaming three days later!We saw about 15 people during our 6+ hours. It's not crowded, but you will probably see some other humans if you get in a pinch.Our weather was perfect, so I can't comment on the practicality of headlamps and ponchos. We packed them, but didn't use them, thankfully. Your mileage may vary.Hope this helps anyone interested in this spectacular hike!-JS

The south rim loop is well documented as one of the best hikes in Texas. the total length of the loop is about 13 miles from the main Chisos Basin Lodge and back. All the hiking guides say this is a strenuous 1 day hike, better done as a 2 day with a camping stopover. We went over the new year (so the weather was mild) and started out at 9:00am expecting not to make it all the way around in one trip. There are some easy options to cut the hike short if necessary. As it turned out we had plenty of time to complete the whole South Rim loop including time for lunch and lots of photo stops. We don't consider ourselves particularly fast hikers (often overtaken in fact) - especially with many photo stops - but still hiked the whole loop easily in under 7 hours. We would recommend going in the anti-clockwise direction to avoid the steeper initial uphill climb. We did not include the North rim loop which adds another 3.5 miles. The walk and the views are of course fabulous and highly recommended.

Such an amazing, breath-stealing view. But so much variation in flora along this route. Don't miss it.

We took Pinacles Trail up to Boot Canyon Trail and over the the South Rim of the Chisos. About 6.3 miles. Boot Canyon is lovely with beautiful trees and a running creek. The rim has nice views of the area on a clear day and the 2000 ft drop off the edge is amazing! Went back via the loop on Laguna Meadows trail. It was a long day for folks in the 50s and sore muscles the next day but it is a hike you should take if you're a true Texan!

The Falcon Guide, "Hiking Big Bend National Park", says "The South Rim is probably the classic hike of Texas. Although the trip is fairly strenuous, almost every Texas hiker worth his or her salt will someday try to hike to the South Rim".I'm not a Texan, but I certainly agree that this is one great hike. I've been to the South Rim three times, and done a different hike each time. (Depending on the season in which you visit, a portion of the trail around the rim may be closed due to peregrine falcon nesting.) One thing I've always kept the same... I've ascended via the Laguna Meadow Trail, and descended via the Pinnacles, which is considerably steeper. The distance is signed at 12.4 miles total, but you'll add at least another 1/4 mile by taking an unmarked social trail that leads away from the South Rim Trail but actually takes you to the best overlook on the South Rim itself. I spent nearly an hour here on the rim, eating my lunch and enjoying the solitude. You still have more than half of the hike in front of you when you leave this point (if you complete the loop rather than just turn around here) including some more great views, but it's mostly downhill and I think is a very pleasant walk through Boot Canyon. Allow at least eight hours so you can stop whenever you want and take plenty of photos, and then treat yourself to a good dinner at the Lodge... you've earned it!

I decided to take the challenge and drove to the South Rim Loop. I started to climb and the higher I got the nicer the trial got. The Mexican blue jays followed me and when I got to the top of the trial (when It divides to Emory Peak and South Rim) I gave them whole grain crackers and they were a joy to see eating and waiting their turn for the crackers. Also a lot of different plant species, you don't believe you are in the desert. I did not know at this point how many miles they were for the South Rim nor a sign to indicate that, so I decided to return. I need to comeback in Spring when days are longer. Take a water pack, toilet paper and food.

Another beautiful scenic area with several great places to stop and take in the view. We were fortunate enough to be on this loop at sunset one evening and watch a spectacular colorful display just before darkness set in. Wow!

If you are in good shape, this hike is well worth it.Hiking sticks are useful.We saw deer and bluejays that were stalking us for food.

If you live in Texas, you need to visit the South Rim at least once. The views are definitely worth the effort of getting there. I typically take the trail up to the Emory Peak cut-off, hike up to Emory Peak (about an extra mile each way) and climb around there for a while, then head out to the South Rim. If you decide to stay overnight, I'd recommend camping spot SW-3. You get a great sunset overlooking the desert and can clearly see Santa Elena Canyon and other points of interest. You also get the benefit of likely being the only person or group on the rim early in the morning. My return is on the Laguna Meadow trail, if for no other reason that to get some variety. It's a strenuous hike, especially if you hike in with gear for overnight. But it's worth the effort.

My husband and I did this hike, taking Laguna Meadows up and Boot Canyon/Pinnacles back. You can't beat the view at the South Rim! So, we took the kids with us up and back via Pinnacles/Boot Canyon on our trip this June. They did great and loved it - nine hours including lunch and breaks!

This is at least a 10 mile round trip depending on much of the rim you hike with over 2000 feet of elevation gain. You don't have to be a hero to do it but if you don't like the idea of 2-3 hours hiking up the trail you may not enjoy it. The payoff though is the best view in the park. Do it as a day hike or take your time and camp on the trail but you'll be missing out if you don't get to the south rim.

Very nice ride. DO it in the spring or fall as it gets hot. The scenery is great and there are many places with great overlooks. Lots of history.

We spent an extended weekend at Big Bend N.P. We ended up driving to several camp spots througout the park to check out the hiking, mountain biking, etc... The South Loop Rim was a long hike and you should make sure to pack some food and plenty of water. It was well worth it though, we really enjoyed it and the views were really amazing.

Have a picnic along the canyon rim! Great photo opportunities. Deer and jackrabbits along the trail. Lots of birds.