Lost Mine Trail

The Chisos Mountains contain some of Big Bend's most rewarding day hikes, especially during the summer months when walking at lower elevations in the park is too hot. Tracks and scat of black bear, mountain lion, and gray fox along the trails of Chisos Mountains are not uncommon to see. Also common in these mountains are Carmen Mountain white-tailed deer, rock squirrels, whiptail lizards, spotted towhees, tufted titmice, and Mexican jays.

This trail serves as an excellent introduction to the Chisos Mountains flora and fauna. Hike to marker 10 (about 1 mile) with limited time, where a saddle offers amazing views over Casa Grande and Juniper Canyon. The rest of the trail climbs steeply into and out of the forest of juniper, oak, and pine. The trail climbs abruptly to the ridge with magnificent views of Mexico's Pine Canyon and Sierra del Carmen.

Beautiful introduction to Big Bend, Lost Mine packs a lot of fantastic views of mountains and valleys into a relatively short hike. The hike is not long, but it is somewhat strenuous since it is uphill all the way out. I ran into a family of mule deer grazing near the trail on the way back down.