A view of Casa Grande from the Lost Mine Trail, Big Bend National Park / Rebecca Latson
You’re visiting a national park to which you’ve never traveled. You do a little bit of reading and a lot of planning for this adventure. You think you know exactly what you want to do and see. You get to the park and realize a little recon work is in order. This is especially so if you are a photographer, like me. When I traveled to Big Bend National Park in Texas for the first time, I still spent long segments driving around searching for sunrise and sunset locations in addition to other interesting photo ops. This, even after reading blogs and travel books and perusing the park’s map. Yes, I did hike a trail or two, but aside from the one trail I knew I wanted to hike based upon photos I’d seen on Flickr, I didn’t know much about any other trails in that park and I sure didn’t feel like hefting a weighty camera pack over a roundtrip mileage of more than, say, five miles. Hiking the Lost Mine Trail was an afterthought as I headed out of the park toward home. A return trip to Big Bend four months later remedied that afterthought. Lost Mine Trail is a wonderful hike, not too lengthy - 4.8 miles (7.7 km) roundtrip - and the panoramic landscape is gorgeous. It’s a trail I’ve hiked and a trail I recommend to all of you.
Hike Lost Mine Trail during the spring and you'll see all sorts of colorful blooms, Big Bend National Park / Rebecca Latson
The Lost Mine Trail will not take you to the entrance of an old mine. According to the NPS, the trail name comes from “an old legend that describes how Spanish explorers found a vein of silver in this area and enslaved local people to mine it. According to legend, the workers eventually rebelled, killed their enslavers, and sealed the mine entrance to prevent further exploitation.” Instead of a boarded-up mine, you’ll bear witness to some breathtaking scenery along the trail. Hike it during the springtime months of late March through mid-May and you might also spot cacti sporting magenta, red, orange, and yellow blooms.
A curve in the Lost Mine Trail, Big Bend National Park / Rebecca Latson
The Lost Mine Trail is one of the most popular in the park, so if you intend to hike this trail you should arrive at the very small parking lot early (by 6 a.m.) or much later in the day (4 p.m. – 5 p.m.) just to snag a spot and avoid most crowds. There are no restrooms there, so go before you go. Carry plenty of water; no matter what time of year, or which trail you hike in Big Bend, the dry atmosphere will suck the moisture right out of you. Pack snacks, too. The trail is not too steep (except near the end), but it’s uphill with an elevation gain of 1,100 feet (335 meters) and you’ll need the energy. If you decide you don’t want to make the complete journey, then follow the NPS’ advice and just hike the first mile to a scenic overlook.
The scenic view after that first mile on the Lost Mine Trail, Big Bend National Park / Rebecca Latson
Try not to be one of those people aspiring to reach Point B from Point A as quickly as possible. Take time to enjoy your surroundings. You might spy a blooming prickly pear cactus or notice a blue jay peering at you from a tree branch. You’ll enjoy the almost constant expansive views of the landscape panorama incorporating Casa Grande, the Basin Road, the volcanic Chisos Mountains and surrounding Chihuahuan Desert. You might even meet hikers with interesting stories, like the gentleman I met whose day job was as a college professor studying cacti during his spare time.
A view toward Casa Grande and the Basin Road below, Lost Mine Trail, Big Bend National Park / Rebecca Latson
Once you've made it to the top, stop to savor the amazing view.
The view from atop the Lost Mine Trail, Big Bend National Park / Rebecca Latson
Portions of the trail are exposed to the elements, so you might wish to pack along sunscreen. Wear a hat, too. That southwest Texas sun can be brutal. Oh, and in addition to watching the trail for rattlesnakes, keep a weather eye out for the larger wildlife (black bears and mountain lions).
As you near the end of the trail, you’ll encounter a much steeper incline and a series of switchbacks. Stay on the trail! Hiking off trail damages the soil ecosystem out there and speeds up erosion especially near those switchbacks.
If you have only one or two days to spend at Big Bend, you should absolutely take time to hike the Lost Mine Trail. It’s popular for good reason. It will be a trail you’ve hiked and can recommend to others.
Prickly pear blooms along the lost mine trail, Big Bend National Park / Rebecca Latson
