The Top 13 Hardest Hikes in Texas

You’ve heard the saying “everything’s bigger in Texas”.  Despite being known for its wide open plains, barbeque, and the unfortunate rumor that Texas is all flat and boring, this motto includes the challenge level of Texas’s most thrilling, strenuous, wildest, grittiest, and rewarding hikes!  Believe it or not, Texas is home to some seriously tough trails that will test even the most seasoned hikers, adrenaline junkies, endurance athletes, and outdoor enthusiasts.  Experience a Texas sized challenge across its varied and diverse terrain – everything from the highest point in the state, to remote desert routes, to rugged mountain passes – these are the hardest hikes in Texas!  Get ready to push your limits and reward yourself with unforgettable views, but only after you take on the steep ascents, the isolated backcountry, the heat and exposure, and everything else these trails can throw at you.  This is where adventure meets grit!

Here’s a glimpse of the top 13 hardest hikes in Texas:

• Guadalupe Peak – Guadalupe Mountains National Park
• Lost Mine Trail – Big Bend National Park
• Emory Peak – Big Bend National Park
• McKittrick Canyon Trail – Guadalupe Mountains National Park
• Lone Star Hiking Trail – Sam Houston National Forest
• Good Water Loop – Georgetown
• Cross Timbers Trail – Gordonville
• Haynes Ridge and Upper North Prong Loop Trails – Caprock Canyons State Park
• Hunter Peak via Tejas and Juniper Trails – Guadalupe Mountains National Park
• Trail Between the Lakes – Sabine National Forest
• The Window Trail to Cattail Falls – Big Bend National Park
• The Guadalupe Ridge Trail – Guadalupe Mountains National Park
• The South Rim Loop Trail – Big Bend National Park

 

Disclosure: Below are some affiliate links-these are all products I highly recommend. I won’t make any recommendations on this page that I haven’t tested or personally used!  Enjoy this guide to the top 13 hardest hikes in Texas!

 

 

The 13 Hardest Hikes in Texas

 

Spanning everything from state parks to both Texas National Parks, these are the 13 hardest hikes in Texas (in no particular order)!

 

1. Guadalupe Peak 

 

• Distance: 8 miles roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 2,936 feet
• Location: Guadalupe Mountains National Park

 

This hike tops the list figuratively and literally, as it is the hike to the highest point in Texas!  It may not technically be the hardest hike in the state, but that title seemed fitting to go first. Still, there’s no denying that almost 3,000 in the first 4 miles of this hike is a formidable challenge!

 

Besides its obvious claim to fame, the Guadalupe Peak Trail has a few other surprises in store.  It is home to surprisingly varied terrain that morphs rather quickly at times.  The trail starts off on switchbacks that climb from high desert shrubbery in the Chihuahuan Desert, then rounds the face of the mountain into ponderosa forests.  The final climb passes the backcountry primitive site (where you can camp just below the summit) to stark surroundings of rocky outcroppings.

 

In my own personal pursuit of summiting the 50 state high points in the U.S., Guadalupe Peak was my first one!  Across the entire U.S., it remains one of my top 10 hikes, and the only state high point I have completed multiple times.  It’s such a fun “goldilocks” style hike for me – not too hard, not too easy, just the right amount of time and challenge to knock out whenever I feel like it!  It’s a great introductory hike for recreational hikers looking to take on more challenge, experienced hikers looking to hone their skills, and those hikers that just want to experience a surprisingly gritty yet fun hike in the mountains!  Just be warned, you may leave Guadalupe Peak wanting to check off more state high points across the country, just like I did years ago!

 

Read the rest of my 50 state high point trail reports here!

 

 

 

2. Lost Mine Trail

 

• Distance: 4.8 miles roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 1,131 feet
• Location: Big Bend National Park

 

The Lost Mine Trail is a short and sweet hike in Big Bend National Park.  At only 4.8 miles roundtrip, its 1,131 feet of elevation gain are all in that first half of the ascent, or just 2.4 miles.  It’s pretty much a consistent climb with few breaks, making it a great shorter day hike you can still get your money’s worth on in terms of challenge! Plus, it has remained some of my all time favorite views of Big Bend National Park from the expansive summit!

 

And before I get hounded for including a 5 mile, 1,000 foot hike on the hardest hikes of Texas list, I included it for its consistent uphill and the amount of challenge you get for this short trek.  If you are specifically looking for a challenging yet shorter hike (maybe you want to knock out a couple hikes in one day and are mindful of time), this is a great choice!

 

Get the most out of your perfect one day itinerary for Big Bend National Park!

 

 

 

3. Emory Peak

 

• Distance: 9.3 miles roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 2,454 feet
• Location: Big Bend National Park

 

Emory Peak is a bigger sibling to the Lost Mine Trail.  Count on about twice the distance and twice the elevation gain (and perhaps twice the effort!).  Plus, there’s a brief portion of technical scrambling at the summit, where hikers will have to scale a 25 foot rock wall.

 

Enjoy a 3 day stay with this Big Bend National Park itinerary!

 

 

 

4. McKittrick Canyon

 

• Distance: 21.3 miles roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 4,074 feet
• Location: Guadalupe Mountains National Park

 

While most hikers take on the McKittrick Canyon Trail as a short day hike, for a true challenge you have to undertake the entire trail!  Consider its 21 miles in roundtrip length, remote backcountry features, and over 4,000 feet of elevation gain.  Halfway into this hike is the McKittrick Ridge Backcountry Campground, which is where you can stay if you want to make this trek an overnight adventure.  It’s also possible to tackle the entire McKittrick Canyon Trail as one long day hike for the most adventurous!  For a spectacular show of colors, come in the fall.  No matter what time of year you come, you can always enjoy the nods to early frontier life at the Pratt Cabin and Hunter Line Cabin, as well as the unique formations of “the Grotto” and “the Notch”.

 

Check out all top 8 hiking trails in Guadalupe Mountains National Park!

 

 

 

5. Lone Star Hiking Trail

 

• Distance: 92.4 miles
• Elevation Gain: 3,576 feet
• Location: Sam Houston National Forest

 

This is Texas’s truest long distance, through hiking, trail.  Over 92 miles total, it crosses the entirety of Sam Houston National Forest, but is conveniently located to many major cities like Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Austin.  It is not overly challenging in terms of terrain or elevation gain, but it is challenging in terms of the commitment, skills, and endurance required to tackle the entire thing. This trail is popular among backpackers and thru hikers.

 

 

6. Good Water Loop

 

• Distance: 26.4 miles roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 1,486 feet
• Location: Georgetown

 

Just north of Austin in Texas’s famed Hill Country is the Good Water Loop Trail.  While it’s elevation gain is spread out over a significant amount of distance, it’s the distance itself that is the bigger challenging factor.  There are a couple moderate hills to climb and some portions of rockier terrain, but the overall appeal with the Good Water Loop is to check off an almost 30 mile hike, whether you choose to tackle it in a day or an overnight backpacking trip.  It is very doable either way!

 

 

7. Cross Timbers Hiking Trail

 

• Distance: 13.5 miles roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 1,328 feet
• Location: Cedar Bayou Public Use Area

 

This is one of North Texas’s most prized and beloved hiking trails.  Just shy of the Texas – Oklahoma border, the Cross Timbers Trail is home to diverse terrain and beautiful lakefront views, as well as plenty of challenge included in its 13.5 roundtrip miles.  Tackle it all in a day, or camp along the way.  The Cross Timbers Trail is also popular among trail runners and mountain bikers for its exhilarating course full of lots of consistent up and downs, and even hosts the oldest trail race in Texas, the annual Cross Timbers Trail Run (one of the best trail races in Texas!).

 

 

 

8. Haynes Ridge and Upper North Prong Loop

 

• Distance: 6.5 miles roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 869 feet
• Location: Caprock Canyons State Park

 

There’s an unfortunate rumor about Texas that it’s all flat and boring.  But as you can see with some of the hikes on this list already, there are plenty of challenging hikes in the state.  So far on this list, many of them have come from its multiple mountain ranges, but here’s a look at a canyon hike in West Texas, found at Caprock Canyons State Park.  

 

Texas is actually home to the 2nd largest canyon in the U.S. (2nd only to the Grand Canyon), and that happens to be Palo Duro Canyon at Palo Duro Canyon State Park.  Less than an hour away, and sharing the same characteristics of Palo Duro Canyon, lies Caprock Canyons State Park (and my personal favorite of these two canyon state parks)

 

There’s something uniquely challenging about canyon hiking, and if you want to take advantage of hiking down, out, and around Caprock Canyon, you can do so by hiking a loop combination of the Haynes Ridge and Upper North Prong Trails.  This combined hike includes sweeping red rock views, one major, lengthy, and steep climb,  a mesmerizing descent to the canyon floor, and a couple hidden gems like Fern Cave!

 

Check out the top 5 canyons in Texas you can’t afford to miss!

 

 

 

9. Hunter Peak via the Tejas and Juniper Trails

 

• Distance: 12.9 miles roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 3,169 feet
• Location: Guadalupe Mountains National Park

 

Guadalupe Mountains National Park is home to several hikes already on this list (Guadalupe Peak and McKittrick Canyon), and last but not least is Hunter Peak via the Tejas Trail and Juniper Trail. While shorter in stature than its nearby neighbor Guadalupe Peak, reaching Hunter Peak is extremely challenging.  Exposed, filled with switchbacks, and aggressive elevation gain make it perfect for experienced hikers and backpackers. In fact, I find the hike to Hunter Peak far more strenuous than the hike to the state high point at Guadalupe Peak! 

 

Its remote nature also promises seclusion and more private camping, if that is high on your list!  Just make sure to be fully prepared with all necessary backpacking gear and day hiking gear, as this is a more isolated and fully exposed trail, with no reliable water sources.  Hiking in summer is also not recommended due to the extreme temperatures that are common.

 

Check out the top things to do at Guadalupe Mountains National Park!

 

 

 

10. Trail Between the Lakes

 

• Distance: 26.9 miles roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 1,463 feet
• Location: Sabine National Forest

 

Similar in nature and specs to the 26 mile long Good Water Loop in Georgetown, just highlighting a different region of Texas!

 

The Trail Between the Lakes highlights the piney woods of East Texas, specifically the Sabine National Forest.  The terrain is not overly challenging, with some rolling hills and mostly forested flats, but it is a reward to complete almost 27 miles in any form!  This hike can be completed in a day, but most commonly is an overnight backpacking trek.

 

What’s the difference between a National Forest and a National Park anyways?

 

 

11. The Window Trail to Cattail Falls

 

• Distance: 10.5 miles roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 2,375 feet
• Location: Big Bend National Park

 

Most hikers who visit Big Bend National Park have undoubtedly heard of the “Window” on the Window Trail.  It is one of the most popular landmarks in the park and one of the top hikes in Big Bend National Park.  However, few visitors continue on past the Window viewpoint to reach the more remote area of Cattail Falls, as well as rack up some more miles and more vert!  It should be noted that continuing on to Cattail Falls may require some navigational skills, as the trail can be hard to follow past the Window Viewpoint.  Also, the falls are seasonal, so it’s important to check up on that before planning your visit.  Summer will likely not be the best time of year to visit.

 

Avoid making one of these 5 rookie hiking mistakes when taking on the hardest hikes in Texas!

 

 

 

12. The Guadalupe Ridge Trail:

 

• Distance: 33.7 miles roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 5,905 feet
• Location: Guadalupe Mountains National Park / Carlsbad Caverns National Park

 

This trail is relatively new, and it boasts one of the most impressive amounts of climbing of any of these hardest hikes in Texas.  Not only that, but it connects two states (Texas and New Mexico) and two iconic landmarks (Guadalupe Peak in Texas and Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico).  If you start at Carlsbad Caverns towards Guadalupe Peak, be prepared for one big continuous climb to your final destination at the highest point in Texas.  If you do it in reverse, you’ll have the climb up to Guadalupe Peak to start, and then more of a downhill to Carlsbad Caverns National Park.  

 

This hike is extremely remote and best suited for those with experience in this type of backcountry hike, in particular one without reliable water sources.  Conditions include some very rocky portions and potential for strong winds.  Additionally, some parts of the trail are not marked well or well maintained, and may require some bushwhacking and navigational work.

 

Check out the top 8 things to do in Carlsbad, New Mexico (after your hike) – including the iconic Natural Entrance Trail!

 

 

 

13. South Rim Trail Loop

 

• Distance: 12.2 miles roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 2,411 miles
• Location: Big Bend National Park

 

Rounding out the list with a final nod to Big Bend National Park.  If you want a longer distance hike, with its share of plentiful mountain views and strenuous switchbacks, the South Rim Trail Loop is it.  Keep in mind this is a remote and isolated trail, so come prepared.  

 

If you’re hiking alone, be sure to check out these 7 solo hiking tips for a safe and responsible trek!

 

 

Map of the Hardest Hikes in Texas

 

These hardest hikes in Texas span the entire state!

 

 

There you go – the 13 hardest hikes in Texas, where adventure meets grit every time and every hike!

 

Check out some more of my favorite active travel destinations in the Lone Star State here!

 

 

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