This loop through Big Bend National Park is one of the more epic ways to experience the region's beauty. Affectionately referred to as the "Outer Mountain Loop," the 35-mile route takes hikers through remote, rugged terrain, summiting Emory peak on the way.

Located near the Rio Grande Village, this is one of the more popular hikes in Big Bend National Park. The hot spring, originally owned by J.O. Langford, maintains a year-round temperature of 105° F and "carries dissolved mineral salts reputed to have healing powers," according to the NPS. A shorter 0.25-mile hike from the western trailhead allows access to the spring.

Similar to the Boquillas Canyon Trail near the Rio Grande Village, the Santa Elena Canyon Trail offers spectacular riverside views at the mouth of a canyon. The NPS considers this short hike a "Big Bend Classic," but warns that it may be "impassible when Terlingua Creek floods. When passable, "the trail ascends on paved steps to a vista, then descends back to the water's edge," to the point that canyon's walls seamlessly transition to the water's edge.

This classic short hike showcases the beauty of Boquillas Canyon - beginning with a stunning clifftop view into the canyon before leading visitors to the riverside. It's perfect for anyone visiting Rio Grande Village, and a nearby overlook of the canyon is a perfect alternative if you're not up for the hike. It's family-friendly, easy by most standards, and can be completed in less than 90 minutes.

Tuff Canyon is one of the classic short hikes in Big Bend National Park, and despite its name, it's actually quite easy! There are several views along the rim of the canyon, or you could venture further in along a spur trail for spectacular close-up views where the lava rock walls seamlessly transition into the canyon floor. Most versions of this hike are less than one mile and perfect for the entire family.

This loop is one of the most epic undertakings in Big Bend National Park, second only to the multi-day Outer Mountain Loop. The circuit can be completed in a single day by an experienced hiker, but there are plenty of options to turn it into an overnight trip with the appropriate backcountry permits.

This hike to Balanced Rock is one of the best short hikes in Big Bend National Park. After a 6-mile drive down a remote yet well-maintained desert road, you can venture into the heart of the Grapevine Hills and into a stunning boulder field - home to the famous Balanced Rock. This 2-mile hike is perfect for anyone in the family, including younger children who will enjoy scrambling along the boulders.

The NPS describes this hike as "an outstanding introduction to the flora and fauna of the Chisos Mountains." Located near the Chisos Basin Visitor Center, this hike is a perfect opportunity to escape the heat and ascend into the higher elevations.

The Window Trail is hands-down the most popular hike in the Chisos Basin area of Big Bend National Park and one of the most renowned trails in the state of Texas. Naturally, you can expect to share the trail with plenty of other hikers, but if you get an early start mid-week, you can still manage to find a "window" of time if you will, when there aren't too many people on the trail.

The South Rim Trail is renowned as one of the most beautiful hikes in all of Texas! This stunning trail traverses along an elevated rim in the Chisos Mountains, and from the rim, you'll enjoy expansive views of the Chihuahuan desert spread out below you. To make this hike truly epic, you can combine it with several other trails in the Chisos to form the "Chisos Mountain Loop." This 14-mile loop begins on the Laguna Meadows trail, traverses the South Rim, and then finishes on the Pinnacles trail.