Chisos Mountains

The Chisos Mountains are a compact mountain range in southwestern Texas located wholly within Big Bend National Park, notable for their isolated, island-like chain rising from surrounding desert. The range contains the park’s principal developed area and its highest summit, Emory Peak.

The Chisos offer a range of hikes and viewpoints from wooded basins to high rocky rims. Emory Peak at 7,825 feet (2,382 m) is the highest point, the Chisos Basin (around 5,400 feet) hosts the lodge and visitor services, and the South Rim trails provide panoramic views across the park and into Mexico.

Geologically they are the product of uplift and volcanic activity that created steep canyons and ridgelines, producing distinct microclimates compared with the surrounding desert. The mountains are a focal point for hiking, wildlife viewing and cooler-summer retreats inside Big Bend.

The range sits in Brewster County in far west Texas near the U.S.-Mexico border. Access is via Big Bend National Park roads; nearby small communities include Terlingua and Study Butte, with the park headquarters and Chisos Basin serving as primary access points.

• Highest point: Emory Peak reaches 7,825 feet (2,382 m) and is the range's highest point, the primary summit hike for visitors.
• Park-contained range: The Chisos are the only mountain range located entirely within a U.S. national park, sitting inside Big Bend National Park.

What to See #

• Chisos Basin: A high mountain basin and visitor enclave at about 5,400 feet (roughly 1,650 m) elevation that contains the Chisos Mountains Lodge, campground and the park visitor center.
• Emory Peak: The highest summit in the range, rising to 7,825 feet (2,382 m), offering a steep trail and summit views across the national park.
• South Rim: A series of rim trails that run along the escarpment with expansive desert-to-mountain panoramas; the popular loop that includes the South Rim viewpoint is commonly reported as about 12-14 miles depending on the route taken.