Lone Mountain Trail in Big Bend National Park is a 2.7 mile loop that walks the valley floor. It walks around a fairly large mountain that juts up from the ground called Lone Mountain. This hike gives you the opportunity to wander about the open space, but be warned that there is no shade, and the sun bakes the ground during the hot part of the day, making the heat almost unbearable.
Where the Trail Begins
Just 1 mile north of Panther Junction, a small dirt road branches off to the west (left). The parking lot for Lone Mountain Trail is at the end of this short road. Park and walk south out of the parking lot. There is a map to show you the route.
The trail heads about 50 yards toward Lone Mountain before it splits. We walked counter-clockwise to keep the sun mostly at our backs. That meant turning right (west). This long section of trail takes you out into the middle of the valley.
There is very little elevation change as the trail continues west. There is also no shade. Eventually, the Lone Mountain trail turns to the right and heads toward the main park road. Then it angles back toward the gas station, which can be easily seen from the trail. In fact, there is a spur on the trail, and you can walk over to the gas station rather than turning back toward the parking area. This spur comes up at about 2 miles, as the sign tells you it is 0.75 miles back north to the parking lot.
This last section is rockiest, but the trail is still smooth. Be careful and keep an eye out for rattlesnakes and lizards. They hide under shady places in the rock. We did like looking at all of the different plants and cactus along the trail.
The Lone Mountain Trail was good for a 2.7 mile hike, but we wouldn’t recommend it over other hikes in the park. Most views it offers can be seen from the roads, and the sun can be brutally hot! But this hike still gets a rating of very easy. Here is our list of other Family-Friendly hikes in Big Bend National Park.
