lost mine trail

If you don't have time climb the full 5 mile roundtrip, you can get sensational 360 degree views after the one mile, at sign post 10. It is uphill the whole way but not hard to do on a wide well-graded path. And definitely worth it.

The hike was not too strenuous even though it was marked moderate, and views were breathtaking not only at the top, but most of the way up. As the Ranger who recommended to us said, with some other hikes the "payoff" is at the end, but on this one you get great views almost from the start. Go early to beat the heat and get a parking spot.

I was nervous about tackling the Lost Mine Trail in BBNP, because it was annotated on the trail guide pamphlet as MODERATE and I usually stick to the EASY trails. The guide pamphlet said it was about a 3 hour round trip hike. We got to the trail head parking around around 9am (FEB) and we were the 3rd car there, so still plenty of parking. There are about a dozen parking spaces at the trail head. The trail is beautifully made, and though it is uphill all the way to the top, the gradient is so slight that you can hardly tell by looking at the trail that you are going up on an incline the whole way------however, though I couldn't "see" the incline so much, my heart and breathing rate surely noticed! I'm 50, and skinny, but not necessarily "fit". The walking I usually do is on mostly flat bike paths, so the incline and the altitude I suppose really affected me. I had to take MANY breaks. Luckily my hiking partner didn't mind. The views on all my breaks were gorgeous. With many breaks, it took me 3 hours to get to the top. But only about an hour coming down! HAHAHA! I'm very good at gradual downhill paths! We took water, apples, bananas, and nuts with us and had a little picnic about 1/2 way up (which really energized me) and then another picnic at the top. Once we got to the top, we had passed other hikers coming down the path, so we had the top 360 views all to ourselves....just lovely. Wearing a wide-brim hat was good for keeping the sun off my face....and having a lightweight windbreaker jacket helped as I'd slip that on when we'd get to gusty areas of the trail (which were few). The top was gusty in places....but there were so many rock outcroppings to hunker down into and enjoy the scenery that the wind, when it was present, didn't bother me at all. Wonderful hike, great scenery. If you're timid about tackling it.....I'd say go for it, you can do it....just take your time, take all the breaks you need to get your breathing right, and you'll really enjoy it. The younger folks (in their 20's) that we saw on the trail climbed up and back before we even made it to the top....so ....youth will have no problem. We passed one family coming down from the top with a 6 yr old little girl and she was handling the trail just fine. It's a completely do-able trail, but if you are not "fit" you'll just need to take breaks. No problem. Enjoy!

The lost mine trail is a very popular hike for good reason. It is a relatively easy path to hike, all up hill on the way and downhill all the way back, but it is not super steep so there is not much chance of getting stuck. The views to the South are fabulous from the half way point onwards and just get better the closer you get to the top. Parking at the bottom is quite limited so an early start can be an advantage.

This trail hike takes about 3 hours and is moderate to difficult. Not a lot of wildlife, but the views and overlooks are spectacular and some of the best in the park! A must do hike!

This trail slopes upward steadily and towards the end is kind of rugged. Keep pressing on and you'll be happy you did. Allow yourself to follow the rock landscape near the top for some fantastic views!

Great hike, highly recommended. Majestic views. Takes about 1 1/2 hours to hike up; stay atop for awhile to enjoy; 1 hour to get back down.

Get to trail head before 10 am for parking. Take your lunch with you. Enjoy the view while eating your lunch.

We had a sick child so we weren't able to do the South Rim and did this shorter 4.4 (out and back) hike. Some of the views really reminded us of Oregon / Cascades. Definitely worth it. Also saw deer on the trail.

I was new to the area but tried several highly rated trails. I did this trail on my last day there. It is a 4.8 mile hike up 1100 feet. The trail was fairly easy to moderate. The views all along the way were incredible and made for some great photo opportunities. We saw a deer on the trail and a tarantula as well as assorted bird species. Highly recommend.

I have hiked 13 diferent trails here in Big Bend and this is my favorite. Great views wtihout hiking 10 miles.

Got a pic of a tarantula crossing the trail on our way down. Super cool. The parking area is like a wind tunnel and was very windy and cool. About .25mi up it settles down and you start to get warm from the uphill hiking. Great views. Our day was cloudy so the views were not at nice but still a nice hike.

There are only about a dozen parking spots but we got lucky. The hike is through the forests and is well maintained. It starts off as paved but then is a dirt trail that takes one through the mountains for breadth taking views. Stop-by a clearing near the marker number 10 (by the way, the markers don't appear to be evenly spaced, they appear to be at 0.1 mile apart initially and then come by much quicker).There are even some benches along the way if you want to rest but the hike isn't particularly strenuous. Our 6-year old was able to do it. We didn't go all the way but returned after doing 1.5 mile in one direction.One could always park in the Chisos Visitor center area and then walk to the head of the Lost Mine trail. BTW - there is no lost mine anywhere, just a name (or a myth).

This is a 5.0 mile round trip hike with an elevation gain of about 1100 ft. It usually takes anything between 2 -3 hours just for the journey and the views at the top demands at least an hour to soak in all the beauty. Do not turn back till you reach the top even though the last bit might get a little too daunting and steep. Bring along sufficient water and take frequent breaks along the way and it should be fine. This trail is especially good in the early morning in case you are interested in catching a glimpse of some wildlife like a bear or a mountain lion or even a tarantula. But beware, to go in a small group and do not go too near the animals. This trail is also not recommended for bringing kids. The view from the top is absolutely divine and you can catch glimpses of the Window or the Casa Grande Peak along the way. In summary, this is a shorter version of the South Rim Loop Trail (14 mile round trip) with an almost equally rewarding vista at the end. Pack your lunches in case you want to enjoy it at the top.

trail listed as moderate, but it is a long way up. switchbacks are a lot more than maps indicate so be prepared