Chisos Basin Loop Trail and Pinnacles Trail, Big Bend National Park

Date	Distance	Time	Elevation Gain	Average Moving Time	Year to Date Miles
3/31/2025	4.9 miles	2 hours 53 minutes	885'	1.7 mph	106.1 miles

Parking: 

• Chisos Basin Visitor Center

Map:

• National Geographic, Big Bend National Park

Directions:

• Go clockwise on the Chisos Basin Loop Trail. Turn left onto the Pinnacles Trail. Hike to a spot called Pinnacles 3 (on Gaia GPS). Turn around descend back down the Pinnacles Trail. Turn left onto the Chisos Basin Loop Trail and return to the visitor center.

Last night I was woken up multiple times by donkeys. Then in the morning by a cow eating grass next to my tent. The stars were beautiful, but still no Milky Way viewable from the campground. We drove to Chisos Basin to take advantage of its cooler weather. My hip felt less bad today, so we did the Chisos Basin Loop, adding in part of the Pinnacles Trail. Dian and Tara hiked further on than I did. After our hike we went to eat at the restaurant near the visitor center to enjoy the air conditioning. After we got kicked out of the restaurant for lingering, we sat outside for a few hours - I sketched people. Then back to the Rio Grande store to get ice cream and 2 seltzers and a shower. More time on Wifi. Our campground tends to be 15 degrees warmer than Chisos Basin. More time at night spent with my head out of the tent admiring the stars.