Hiking the South Rim and Emory Peak Loop
Hike Stats
Distance: 16-17 miles depending on route taken
Elevation Gain: 3600 feet
Date Hiked: February 2022
Location: Big Bend National Park
Getting Here
The trailhead starts at the Chisos Mountains Visitor Center. The parking lot is large but it does fill by midday. There is a restaurant, small shop, water fountains, and restrooms here.
The Hike
While I normally prefer long day hikes over backpacking, I decided to backpack the South Rim and Emory Peak Loop so that I could see the view over the Chisos Mountains and the Mexican desert at sunset. The only backcountry campsite I was able to get was along the Colima Trail so I ended up hiking more of a figure 8.
I started off on the Laguna Meadows Trail with some lovely views over the basin and the Windows. The hike up to the junction with the Colima Trail was persistently steep and with an ill-fitting backpack, not particularly fun. But I guess the views made up for it.
The Colima Trail connects the South Rim/Laguna Meadows side and the Boot Canyon/Pinnacles Trail side of the loop which means a little extra walking but the campsite was secluded, quiet, and open to the sky which was great for stargazing later.
After setting up camp, I crossed the rest of the Colima connector trail and headed up the Boot Canyon Trail to the South Rim Trail. The trail passed through a pretty meadow with trees scattered throughout. At one point there was the option to turn left along the East/Northeast Rim Trail and connect to the South Rim Trail that way, but it was closed due to the peregrine falcon nesting season.
Not long after turning onto the South Rim Trail was I treated to an incredible view over the ridges of the Chisos Mountains merging into the Mexican desert. The South Rim Trail follows along the edge of the cliff so I was afforded jaw-dropping views over the next mile-and-a-half or so.
After hiking for a bit along the South Rim Trail, I came to a spur trail on my left that took me out to the main viewpoint over the mountains. I spoke with a few fellow hikers/backpackers while watching the sunset turn the sky golden orange as birds swooped around and occasionally dive bombed us. It was definitely a top ten sunset experience for me; I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.
As it began to turn dark, I reluctantly forced myself to head back towards my campsite down the rest of the South Rim Trail, enjoying a few more sunset views along the way before calling it a night.
The next morning, I woke up bright and early to start my hike down the Boot Canyon Trail where it would eventually meet with the spur trail to Emory Peak, the tallest point in Big Bend National Park. The trail was beautiful in the early morning light with sneak peaks of the view I would get atop Emory Peak. I was surrounded by the music of what felt like thousands of birds. There was one tree that looked like it had at least a hundred birds in it!
After a couple of hours I made it to the beginning of the spur trail up to Emory Peak, which conveniently has a backcountry toilet as well as bear boxes for securely dropping off heavy packs. The 1.4 mile trail is exposed and has a steady incline but is non-technical until the end, where a short class 3 scramble is required to reach the official peak and all the views that come with it. It was a little sketchy at times but definitely doable without any special equipment, although I would recommend waiting to make sure someone is around before making the climb in case you fall and get injured. That being said, the 360-degree views from the summit are some of the best in the park and well worth the effort!
The hike back down the Pinnacles Trail to the end of the hike was pretty straightforward and mostly forested with some nice final views of the Windows at the end. It was early afternoon by that point and the trail was getting busy with hikers heading up towards Emory Peak but it never felt crowded.
Trail Tips
This hike is intense but could be done as a long day hike for experienced, relatively fit hikers. I personally loved getting to spend the night in the backcountry as it allowed me to enjoy the sunset on South Rim which was stunning. To do this, you will need to reserve a campsite in advance on recreation.gov. There are bear boxes provided at each site so you do not need a bear canister. There are no reliable water sources on this trail (one seasonal water source Boot Canyon Trail) so be sure to bring plenty; I would recommend a minimum of 4 liters. Due to the extreme heat of the desert plus the amount of sun exposure on this hike, I would not recommend doing this whole loop during the summer.
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