Big Bend National Park is one of our favorite locations to explore. It is remote, rugged, and spectacularly beautiful. Trekking in the mountains and deserts of Big Bend is a unique challenge. The weather can range from at or below freezing at night to brutal heat all in the same day. There are virtually zero flat sections of the trek, but the views, especially the star filled skies at night, are spectacular.
We lead two different 5 day trekking itineraries in Big Bend. This itinerary takes teams to the South Rim where we will camp in the same gorgeous location for two nights. This itinerary is much more slow paced and includes far less actually trekking mileage (between 12 and 20 miles in total, depending upon whether team members choose to attempt to summit Emory Peak). It is a perfect trip for those wanting to experience the beauty of the desert mountains without the rigors of the heavy trail miles necessitated on our Outer Mountain Loop itinerary.
Dates: January 29-February 2, 2025
The trip will depart from the Tulsa area on the morning of January 29th and will return late evening on the February 2nd. Team members can also choose to fly into and out of Midland airport (airport code MAF) if they choose, though flights into MAF are not usually cheap. If you choose to fly, you will need to arrive at MAF no later than 3PM on Jan 29th and depart no earlier than noon on Feb 2nd.
Cost: $950
- A non-refundable $350 deposit is required at the time of registration to secure your spot on the team. Please read our Trip Cancellation and Refund policy before registering for your adventure.
- $950 is due before December 15th, 2024.
What is included:
- All meals along the trail, including camp style hot breakfast and dinners and cold trail meals for lunch each day. Upon completion of the trek, we will enjoy a celebratory dinner at a steakhouse, which is also included.
- All transportation to and from Tulsa (or Midland, TX) to Big Bend National Park.
- Tents, trekking permits, campground fees, etc. are all included.
What is NOT included:
- Food on the drive to and from Big Bend.
- You are required to bring your own trekking gear (sleeping bag, backpack, clothes, hiking shoes/boots, trekking poles, etc.). We will provide an extensive and detailed packing/gear list for all of our participants.
- You are responsible for your own trekking snacks (we will provide a sample list of what most trekkers will be bringing).
Trek Difficulty: Moderate
We rate our proposed itinerary in Big Bend National Park as “Moderate.” It is not as rigorous as our Kilimanjaro or Whitney treks, or even our other Big Bend itinerary, but it is still a challenging undertaking. We will be trekking approximately 6 miles up a steep mountainous trail with 8L of water and full packs to begin the trek. That said, after the initial difficulty, this trip is much more manageable. We expect to have several novice trekkers join us for this trip.
Itinerary:
Day 1 (Jan 29)
We will depart the Tulsa area around 6:00AM and make the 9 hour drive to Fort Stockton, Texas. We will enjoy a nice dinner together as a team and spend a night at a hotel. Team members are responsible for their own food during the travel day. We can arrange single occupancy hotel rooms for a $200 charge.
Day 2 (Jan 30)
We will be up early (~6:00AM) and on the road to Big Bend. It will take us around 2 hours to drive to the park. After checking in for our backcountry permit, we will proceed to the Chisos Basin to begin the trek.
We will all be carrying heavy to start the trek (~6L of water per person…for those unfamiliar, this is a lot of water and will be a bit heavy) and the first 3 miles of the trail are very tough. We will be ascending the Pinnacles Trail to gain the top of the Chisos Plateau. This stretch is difficult with minimal weight. It will be very challenging carrying full packs and enough water for 2 days on the mountain. We will take our time on the ascent and fortunately the trail becomes quite a bit easier for the next couple of miles across the plateau after the ascent. The plateau is not flat, really at all, but the trail in this section is manageable.
We should arrive at our campsite on the South Rim by mid afternoon. We will setup our camp and enjoy one of the most spectacular sunsets of your life. The South Rim is a stunning place where you can see for literally dozens of miles across the desert into Mexico.
We will enjoy a camp style dinner and weather permitting (rain is very very rare in Big Bend), we will sleep in our tents with no rain flies. Of course we will have the rain flies ready in case they are needed, but sleeping without them will offer an unbelievable view of the stars. This trip is intentionally scheduled on the new moon which is the best time for star gazing. Since we are sleeping without rain flies, you will want to prepare for temps to be about 10 degrees colder in the tent than they otherwise would be if we used the flies. We think the tradeoff is worth it, but be prepared for chillier nights.
Day 3 (Jan 31)
This day is intentionally set aside as an option day. Some of our team will choose to relax in camp all day; others will perhaps take a short hike along the rim trails; and some will choose to take on the challenge of Emory Peak.
For those interested in attempting Emory Peak, we will leave mid morning for the 6 mile round trip to the summit. The trail to Emory is pretty straight forward until the last 40 or 50 ft. A short rock scramble with a bit of exposure is required to gain the summit. The views are worth it, but it is definitely not for everyone. There is no shame for those who choose to forgo the scramble and remain at the base of the summit.
We will finish the day with dinner together and another spectacular night under the stars.
Day 4 (Feb 1)
After breakfast, we will break down our camp and make our way back down the Laguna Meadows trail to the Chisos Basin. This trail is a little longer than the one we will have taken to get on to the mountain, but it is a much smoother descent and offers some different views of the western portions of the park.
We will be back in the cars and on the road to Fort Stockton by mid-day. When we arrive back in Fort Stockton we will grab a shower in our hotel and then make our way to K-Bob’s Steakhouse for a well-earned celebratory dinner (included in your trip cost).
Day 5 (Feb 2)
We will try to be in the cars and headed back to Tulsa by 7:30AM and should arrive back in Tulsa in the early evening.