This eight-day, women-only trip covers some of West Texas's best desert scenery, moving between hiking, paddling, and exploring at an easy-to-moderate pace with one seriously big day thrown in. Starting and ending in El Paso, the route swings through the art town of Marfa, the canyons of Big Bend Ranch State Park, and the trails and river of Big Bend National Park itself. Along the way, we hike through slot canyons, past hoodoos, and up into the Chisos Mountains, and spend a full day paddling the Rio Grande beneath towering canyon walls. Seven nights of lodging in a mix of a historic hotel and adobe-style casitas are included, along with all meals from the first dinner through the final lunch.
Arrive in El Paso by 4:30 pm and check into the trip hotel, where we’ll all meet for the first time. After settling in, we come together for an orientation and a welcome dinner—a chance to get acquainted with the group and our guides before eight days on the road and the trail together.
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel near El Paso International Airport
We leave El Paso and drive roughly three hours toward Marfa, a small art-focused town known for its minimalist galleries and quirky desert charm. On the way, we stop for a short hike at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center to stretch our legs and get a first look at the desert plants and terrain that define this part of Texas. From there, it’s a half-hour drive into Marfa, with time to freshen up before dinner in town.
Hiking: 3.5 km (2.2 mi)
Elevation: +102 m (+335 ft) / -102 m (-335 ft)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Historic hotel in Marfa
We head into Big Bend Ranch State Park, stopping first at the Fort Leaton State Historic Site before setting out on a canyon hike past hoodoos and other striking rock formations carved by centuries of wind and water. A stop at the Barton Warnock Visitor Center rounds out the day’s history and geology lesson, and by evening we settle into Terlingua, the old ghost town that serves as our base for the next several nights.
Hiking: 2.4 km (1.5 mi)
Elevation: +30 m (+100 ft) / -30 m (-100 ft)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Casitas in Terlingua
The scenic Ross Maxwell Drive takes us into Big Bend National Park proper, where we tackle two hikes in one day: first the Santa Elena Canyon Trail, which climbs right into the mouth of one of the park’s most dramatic canyons, then the Mule Ear Trail, a longer walk out to a pair of distinctive twin rock spires. We break for a picnic lunch between the two, with plenty of time to take in the desert scenery along the way.
Hiking: Santa Elena Canyon Trail 2.6 km (1.6 mi) and Mule Ear Trail 6.1 km (3.8 mi)
Elevation: +24 m (+80 ft) / +268 m (+880 ft)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Casitas in Terlingua
We swap hiking boots for paddles today, spending a full day on the Rio Grande with a local outfitter leading the way. The river winds beneath canyon walls that rise as high as 2,000 feet, marking the natural border between Texas and Mexico, and our outfitter fills the day with instruction and stories about the canyon’s natural history. No paddling experience is necessary, just a willingness to get out on the water.
Paddling: Full-day Rio Grande excursion
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Casitas in Terlingua
We stop at the park’s visitor center at Panther Junction before heading up into the Chisos Basin for the Window Trail, an out-and-back hike through Oak Creek Canyon that ends at a natural pour-off framing views out over the desert below. It’s one of the park’s most popular trails for good reason, with a payoff dramatic enough to make the climb back out worth it.
Hiking: 8.4 km (5.2 mi)
Elevation: +289 m (+948 ft) / -289 m (-948 ft)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Casitas in Terlingua
Today’s the big one, with a choice of two hikes depending on how your legs are feeling. The South Rim Trail is a 20 km (12.5 mi) loop with sweeping views of the Sierra del Carmen Mountains from the highest point of the trip, while the shorter Lost Mine Trail covers 7.7 km (4.8 mi) out and back with plenty of scenery of its own. Either way, we regroup back in Terlingua for a celebratory final dinner together.
Hiking: South Rim Trail 20 km (12.5 mi) or Lost Mine Trail 7.7 km (4.8 mi)
Elevation: South Rim Trail +810 m (+2,657 ft) / Lost Mine Trail +345 m (+1,131 ft)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Casitas in Terlingua
After breakfast, we begin the drive back to El Paso, breaking up the roughly five hours on the road with a stop in Alpine to stretch our legs and a final lunch together along the way. We aim to have everyone back at the airport by 2 pm, so plan flights departing after 3 pm.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Included:
Add-ons (pricing shown at checkout):
Not included:
In order to join this Big Bend National Park hiking tour, good to great fitness is required, as well as some previous hiking experience. The most you’ll hike within a day is up to 20 km (12.5 mi), with up to 810 m (2,657 ft) of elevation gain (a shorter alternative is available on the toughest day).
You should be comfortable with aerobic exercise for 40 to 50 minutes, four to five times a week, and with hiking on rocky, uneven terrain with steep ascents and descents. Adding a weekly two-hour hike or some strength training in the weeks beforehand will help you feel ready.
What to bring:
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
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Group sizes and pricing:
Min. age requirements:
The price for this Big Bend National Park hiking tour is based on twin-share rooms, but a single occupancy room can be arranged at an additional fee. You can add it to your booking at checkout. Please note that single occupancy depends on availability.
Solo travelers are welcome—they can either share a room with another same-gender solo traveler at no extra cost, or guarantee a private room by paying a single occupancy fee.
The starting point of this Big Bend National Park hiking tour is El Paso, Texas. To get there, most people fly into El Paso International Airport (ELP). From there, you can take a shuttle service, public transport, or rent a car to reach the trip hotel.
You will meet your guides at 4:30 pm at the trip hotel near El Paso International Airport.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with insurance. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, you’ll be offered to simply insure your trip with Redpoint at checkout.
Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner—tailors protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations! Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.