The Texas Circuit (Our Five Favorite Hikes in Texas)
“It is through communing with nature that we move closer to our own nature.” Rick Rubin, The Creative Act
Texas is big. With less than 5% public land, it has the highest percentage of privately owned land of any state. Within Texas is the King Ranch, a ranch that has its own truck named after it, and retail shops featuring their actual “brand”. At 1,289 square miles, King Ranch is larger than the land area of Rhode Island. So, Texans may have to travel a little farther than your average American to access some of our best public lands. The other side of this coin is some of the most unique, remote areas in the US, including four International Dark Sky Parks. We’ve roamed all over Texas, with plenty still to explore, but here is our current “Texas Circuit”, our favorite hikes on public lands in the state.
Summit Trail, Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
We’ll start with the shortest hike of the group. Not as imposing as the Devils Tower in Wyoming, or as impressive as Half Dome in Yosemite, but Enchanted Rock is the second largest monolith in the world. I still don’t know what a monolith is, but I like saying it. This was one of the first parks Eva and I experienced when we started exploring Texas in 2015. Hiking to the summit means 400 feet of elevation gain along pink granite for .6 miles, just enough to get your heart rate up. Prioritize sunrise or sunset as the summit view is a 360 panorama of the Texas Hill Country. Pair it with the Loop trail to add another 4 miles and get some different perspectives of this special…monolith. There are great frontcountry campsites and the option to backcountry camp without a major haul, perfect for new campers. If you haven’t summited Enchanted Rock, pick a weekend soon--it’s a 2-hr drive from Austin.
Lighthouse Trail, Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Just south of Amarillo, Palo Duro is the second largest canyon in the US. One minute you’re idling along the flat, dusty terrain of the panhandle, and the next you’re upon a massive split in the earth. Down in the canyon, the Lighthouse Trail, at 5.6 miles roundtrip, brings you to a 312-ft tall red rock “lighthouse”. There’s some fun elevation getting up near the tower at the end, but the whole hike is a desert paradise.
Guadalupe Peak, Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Hiking the tallest peak in Texas had to go on the list. Inside one of only two National Parks in Texas, the 4.2 miles to the summit covers almost 3,000 ft of elevation gain. There aren’t many other peaks in the vicinity so summitting Guadalupe at 8,751 feet feels much higher and means 360 views of West Texas. You can break this hike up and camp on the mountain as we did, or tackle in a single day if you’re up for it. This is the hike we “invented” trail sushi, a combination of canned tuna and mustard rolled up in a seaweed snack, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. While you’re out west, hop over the state border into New Mexico and go below the surface at Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
Lost Mine Trail, Big Bend National Park
Big Bend is a gem. It’s one of the least visited National Parks in the US. There are three distinct areas of the park, but the crown jewel is the Chisos Mountains, where many great hikes launch from. We have another Big Bend Hike on this list, but this is my favorite hike in the park. The Lost Mine Trail is about 5 miles roundtrip, with 1,100 feet of elevation gain. The end features sprawling views as far as you can see towards Mexico, and highlights great views of the Chisos and surrounding rock towers. It’s a hike we’ve gone back to multiple times, and while challenging, more than worth it. Camp in the Chisos Campground for easy access to the trail, and grab a snack at the Visitors Center or a drink at the Chisos Mountain Lodge.
Emory Peak, Big Bend National Park
The trailhead to the tallest peak within Big Bend National Park is near Lost Mine, but it covers completely different trail. It’s more difficult, covering 9.8 miles roundtrip and almost 2,500 ft of elevation gain. We hiked it as a day hike, but there are multiple backcountry sites that would make this a more manageable trip, and can be paired with the network of other trails running through the Chisos. As with most big elevation hikes, there are some “head-down”, switchback-slogging moments, but when it opens towards the top you’re treated to wind-whipped rewards. There’s scrambling in the final couple hundred feet, so this is listed as a Hard hike, and needing your full attention.
Have you hiked “The Texas Circuit”? Which was your favorite? Big Bend State Park (adjacent to the National Park) and the Davis Mountains are two obvious omissions from what I’ve heard about both areas. These are at the top of the list for future adventures around Texas. What did we miss?
