Trail Compass

Hiking trails in Texas

25 trails across 3 state parks, national forests, and recreation areas — filtered by difficulty.

Hiking trails in Texas span every kind of public land the state has to offer — state parks, national forests, recreation areas, county preserves, and a few NPS units. Trail Compass currently lists 25 trails across 3 parks in Texas, organised by difficulty so you can land on the right route in a few clicks.

Browse by difficulty using the four filter cards directly below, or scroll to the full state trail table. Easy and moderate routes dominate near the population centers; hard and expert routes cluster in the higher, more remote corners of the humid southeastern lowlands and pine forests.

Best hiking season across Texas is generally October through April; summer humidity, mosquitoes, and heat make warm-season hikes a genuine challenge. Shorter walks at lower elevations stay accessible longer than alpine routes — if you are hiking in a shoulder month, lean toward state-park trails near urban centers and save the high country for peak season.

Expect to share the trail with white-tailed deer, alligators in the wetter reaches, river otters, barred owls, and a long list of warblers and songbirds during spring migration. Carry bear spray where signage advises it, store food properly, and remember that the wildlife was here first.

Pick a difficulty tier from the filter cards below, or jump straight to a specific park.

Browse by difficulty in Texas

Easy 13 easy trails in Texas Moderate 5 moderate trails in Texas Hard 7 hard trails in Texas

Parks in Texas

Big Bend National Park

10 trails

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

10 trails

Palo Duro Canyon State Park

5 trails

All 25 trails in Texas

TrailParkLengthDifficulty
Big Bend Lakeshore Trail Big Bend National Park 2.69 mi Easy
Big Bend Meadow Loop Big Bend National Park 1.68 mi Easy
Big Bend Backcountry Traverse Big Bend National Park 12.61 mi Hard
Big Bend Rim Walk Big Bend National Park 3.66 mi Easy
Big Bend Wilderness Loop Big Bend National Park 9.82 mi Hard
Big Bend Pine Forest Trail Big Bend National Park 2.67 mi Easy
Big Bend Saddle Trail Big Bend National Park 6.64 mi Hard
Big Bend Old Mine Trail Big Bend National Park 3.96 mi Moderate
Big Bend Cabin Loop Big Bend National Park 3.26 mi Easy
Big Bend Creek Trail Big Bend National Park 5.29 mi Easy
Guadalupe Mountains Vista Loop Guadalupe Mountains National Park 1.78 mi Easy
Guadalupe Mountains Ridge Trail Guadalupe Mountains National Park 4.49 mi Moderate
Guadalupe Mountains Overlook Trail Guadalupe Mountains National Park 2.85 mi Easy
Guadalupe Mountains Falls Trail Guadalupe Mountains National Park 3.14 mi Moderate
Guadalupe Mountains Canyon Loop Guadalupe Mountains National Park 5.28 mi Moderate
Guadalupe Mountains Summit Trail Guadalupe Mountains National Park 7.88 mi Hard
Guadalupe Mountains Lakeshore Trail Guadalupe Mountains National Park 2.14 mi Easy
Guadalupe Mountains Meadow Loop Guadalupe Mountains National Park 1.39 mi Easy
Guadalupe Mountains Backcountry Traverse Guadalupe Mountains National Park 12.54 mi Hard
Guadalupe Mountains Rim Walk Guadalupe Mountains National Park 3.52 mi Easy
Palo Duro Canyon Rim Walk Palo Duro Canyon State Park 3.98 mi Easy
Palo Duro Canyon Wilderness Loop Palo Duro Canyon State Park 9.76 mi Hard
Palo Duro Canyon Pine Forest Trail Palo Duro Canyon State Park 2.96 mi Easy
Palo Duro Canyon Saddle Trail Palo Duro Canyon State Park 6.51 mi Hard
Palo Duro Canyon Old Mine Trail Palo Duro Canyon State Park 4.18 mi Moderate