Gulshan Oshan is a lifelong resident of Montgomery County, Texas, who enjoys hiking and traveling in his spare time. In the following article, Gulshan Oshan reviews his top picks for the best trails when it comes to traveling in Texas and exercising those hiking muscles!
Texas is one of the United States’ most beautiful sources of variety when it comes to getting outdoors and really appreciating nature. Hiking is an activity that best promotes this practice, and those who love to take up this hobby in the most stunning vistas nature has to offer will wonder what the best hiking trails in Texas are!
Gulshan Oshan says that areas including the Santa Elena Canyon Trail, the Lost Mine Trail, the Juniper Cliffside Trail, the Caprock Canyons Trailway, and the Skyline Drive Trail are some of the best the state has to offer. Each of these not only offers stunning views, but challenging landscapes to promote exercise, all while gaining mental clarity.
Gulshan Oshan on Popular Routes
When it comes to selecting a hiking trail, especially in a state as vast and full of variety as Texas, narrowing it down to the best of the best can be difficult. Luckily, Gulshan Oshan settled on this list in terms of popularity, variety, and incredible views.
- Santa Elena Canyon Trail
- Lost Mine Trail
- Juniper Cliffside Trail
- Caprock Canyons Trailway
- Skyline Drive Trail
Gulshan Oshan takes a closer look at what each of these trails have to offer so that even the most indecisive hiker can go into this decision with the information needed to have a great hike!
Santa Elena Canyon Trail
This trail is located in Big Bend National Park, which is by far one of the best places to go hiking in the entire state according to Gulshan Oshan. The park is full of amazing scenery whether one is interested in seeing canyon views or rolling deserts. The first pick in this national park is the Santa Elena Canyon Trail.
This trail is a little over 1 mile long, which averages at around one hour to hike through. It is intensely popular with everyone who braves its path and runs right through the canyon it is named for. It features ruins of the Santa Elena Mission from the 1600s, featuring switchback challenges and a lack of shade as part of the challenge.
Lost Mine Trail
Gulshan Oshan says that another prominent hiking gem in Big Bend National Park is the Lost Mine Trail. The Lost Mine Trail is a looping hike which takes a much longer route than Santa Elena Canyon Trail at 4.8 miles. It is also popular, allowing hikers to view the fascinating miners’ cabin that overlooks unbelievable mountain peaks as an incredible view.
Juniper Cliffside Trail
In Texas’ Palo Duro Canyon State Park the “Grand Canyon of Texas” features prominently, but it is the Juniper Cliffside Trail which earns a spot on this list of best hiking destinations. Gulshan Oshan reports that it is a 2 mile loop of a trail that promotes family hiking thanks to easy walking, following Juniper River and allowing for dogs to accompany families.
Caprock Canyons Trailway
Oshan reports that Caprock Canyons State Park, which is third in the list of the largest state parks Texas has to offer, the trailway is a whopping 64 miles in length. This makes it a great option for those looking to camp between hikes.
Anyone braving this trail’s length will be rewarded with not only unbelievably unique views in terms of landscape and photo ops, but opportunities to see coyotes, deer, hogs, and the various snake species that reside in this location. It is recommended that this rocky trail be traversed using hiking shoes and boots that will not wear down easily.
Skyline Drive Trail
Finally, Skyline Drive Trail is located in Davis Mountain State Park. It is highly challenging, but many hikers will brave the difficult terrain and 900-foot vertical climb just to see the intensely gorgeous views. It is 4.3 miles in length and features a rough beginning but wait until around 2 miles in and one should notice a smoother path.
In Conclusion
To sum up everything we’ve learned, Texas is home to a plethora of some of the best hiking opportunities in the United States. Whether a hiker is hoping to see entrancing wildlife, examples of historical locations like miners’ cabins or ruins, or simply breathtaking mountain views, Texas is the best place to go for hiking!
