Big Bend National Park, Day Two: Lost Mine Trail

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The Lost Mine Trail is one the premier, must-do hikes in the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend National Park. The trail is 4.8 miles round trip and leads to a glorious view of the Pine Canyon and the Sierra del Carmen in Mexico. For obvious reasons, it was #1 on the to-do list for my second day in Big Bend. 

So, I got up early, had the buffet breakfast in the restaurant at the Chisos Mountains Lodge, and then loaded up for the hike. The Lost Mine trailhead is about a mile down the road from the Lodge so I had to drive there. There was only one car in the parking lot, which was soon joined by another. Turned out the two occupants were a female Texas state park ranger and a male National Park ranger out for a leisurely Sunday morning hike in the Chisos Mountains. 

I set out on my way a few minutes after they did so as not to crowd them on the trail. It took me about an hour to reach the top. I joined the couple in conversation, and then asked them to take my photo to prove I had made it to the top. They kindly obliged. 

They soon left and then I had the top of the trail to myself and lingered at the top to take in the views and enjoy the solitude. On the way down, I passed many hikers working their way up the trail. I also spied three tarantula spiders but I stayed far clear of them!
At the top of Lost Mine Trail
View on the hike up to the summit
View from the top
Tarantula!

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