Lost Mine Trail
Lost Mine Trail is one of the best “bang for your buck” hikes in Big Bend. It is much shorter and easier than the other great hikes, but has views most of the way and a phenomenal view from the top. As a result, it is a popular hike with limited parking, so plan your timing accordingly.
We did this hike at sunset on our first day in Big Bend. We got lucky, as a car was pulling out of a parking spot at the trailhead as we arrived. The trail starts on the north side of Casa Grande peak. Casa Grande is a beautiful mountain, which was great with the setting sun behind the peak. As we continued the ascent to the Lost Mine summit, we had views to the west of Chisos Basin toward The Window.
The summit view from Lost Mine is the main event on this hike. Crown Mountain is to the east and Pine Canyon to the north. This is arguably the best easily accessible view in Big Bend. We really enjoyed the view at sunset, but could imagine it being similarly beautiful in the morning with the sunrise light filling Pine Canyon. This is one of the unmissable hikes in Big Bend.
