At a glance
Distance: 4.4 – 5.6 miles roundtrip
Elevation change: 950 feet
Hiking time: 2-3 hours
Highlights: Descend into the Chisos Basin with steep peaks looming above and a cliff side view of the desert waiting at the end.
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆
A relaxing walk down and a strenuous walk back up, especially if you’re parked at the Chisos Basin parking lot.
Trail conditions: ★★★☆☆
A lot of footsteps have produced a smooth dirt trail, but the going gets rocky toward the end.
Scenery: ★★★★☆
A diverse landscape through the basin with a spectacular view of the desert from a steep pouroff at the end. Look for dramatic sunsets.
Solitude: ★☆☆☆☆
With its close proximity to the Chisos Basin campground, it’s one of the most popular hikes in the park.
Other reviews
• Trail diary at TexasHiking
• Window Trail gallery
• Reviews on TripAdvisor
The trail is either 5.6 miles or 4.4 miles roundtrip, depending on where you start. The longer trek begins at the main Chisos complex. Starting down near the Chisos Basin campground cuts a mile and one steep climb off the return trip. It was a sad moment when I reached the spur on the way back and realized I’d be done if I’d just parked the car down the hill.
View of the distant desert through the gap in the Chisos Mountains along the Window Trail
From the trailhead, the path drops quickly through scrubby pine, oak and juniper in a series of long switchbacks before intersecting with the spur trail near the campground. From there, it wanders across the wide basin in the shadow of the rocky peaks of the Chisos Mountains. By early evening, the trail is cloaked in shade, while the mountains above are bathed in golden light.
About halfway in, the trail begins paralleling Oak Creek. It’s dry most of the year, but when it’s flowing, you’ll have to get your feet wet as it crosses the trail several times.
The trail and the creek then cut through Oak Creek Canyon. In the last 1,500 feet or so the terrain turns to slickrock that requires some scrambling before you reach “The Window” – a vista on the Chihuahuan desert stretching out to the horizon, framed by the canyon walls. It is the primary downspout for the Chisos Basin and can turn into a torrent after a spring rain. Just short of the trail’s end the Oak Spring Trail climbs to the right above it, offering a higher panorama on the desert landscape.
Both in the morning and around dusk it’s not uncommon to see white-tailed deer and black bear along the trail.
The sun sets behind the peaks at the end of The Window, turning at first a golden yellow and then, if there are stray clouds, a burst of orange and red against the powder blue sky. The desert and hills in the distance are awash in a lavender gray.
The character of the trail changes from morning to evening. In the morning, it is more of a true “window”, framing the landscape. In the evening, it becomes a beautiful silhouette against and a paint palette sky.
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