My experience hiking the Outer Mountain Loop. What to do, where to camp, what I would do different. 

How to Hike the Outer Mountain Loop Big Bend National Park

Hiking The Outer Mountain Loop, Big Bend National Park, Part 2 4K

The OML is a hiking trail in BBNP. It is around 34 miles in length with about 6000 ft of total elevation gain. Because it is a loop you can start from a few different locations and you can go either clockwise or counter clockwise. There is potential to more miles by adding other famous trails Emory Peak and the South and East Rim. Many are suprised to hear that you will hike peaks of over 7000ft during this hike. Because of its desert location this trail is famous for is isolation in the desert environment and the potential for absolutely brutal weather. Hiking the OML is only recommended in the winter months. I hiked in december and it was still over 80 degrees. 

When I first started looking into hiking the OML I was dissapointed because all the designated camp site permits were booked in the uppper chisos mountains. These sites are at elevation and most have great views. These sites howerver get booked very early and unless you plan way in advance or you get lucky it will be hard to camp in these sites on short notice. Luckily most of the hike is in the lower dessert where backcoutry permits in non designated camp sites can be had only by visiting the park the day prior. So if you are like me and dont like planning things out months in advanced you can still acomplish this hike. I booked one night in the juniper canyon area and one in the blue creek canyon area (the park ranger just needs to know the general area you want to camp. 

There was only 1 natural water source that I came across on the entire hike so it is essential to cache water the day prior to your hike. The designated cache sites are at the juniper canyon trail head and at homer Wilson ranch, both have designated bear boxes to store your water. I brought 4 liters of water at the start of the hike and cached 1 gallon at each location. I have to say this was the bare minimum that i would do the hike with. I wanted to drink more water but had to be concious about how much i had left. I brought my filter but I decided not to use it when i came across the stream because I thought i had enough to get to the next cache (which i did). You have to write your name and and hike dates on your water jugs that you cache. The park rangers will come by daily and initial the water jugs to make sure that no one is attempting to hike the OML without noitifing the rangers. 

If you are starting in Chisos basin the park requests that you park your vehichle in the amphitheater parking lot. 

When you reserve backcountry permits the park ranger will be asking very detailed questions about your planned itenerary. Be ready with your planned daily milage, how much water your bringing, how much water you cached and know what the weather forcast is calling and current natural water source status (ie which creeks are wet/dry). This is all conveniently posted in the chisos basin visitor center. They want to know that you are ready for the hike.

#1 I would have added 1 more liter of water to each cache site just to be safe. 

#2 If possible i would have loved to camp up in the chisos and add 1 more night to the hike. It would have been great to add emory peak and the rim trails to this adventure but with camping site unavailble for me up in the chisos designated camp sites the logistics didnt make sense. 

 Once on the backside of the chisos the trees and the shade evaporate and you enter the low desert portion of your hike. The descent down juniper canyon was deceptively difficulty due to the rocky path slowing you down. It took me longer than i expected to get to my first water cache (mile 12) and camp site (mile 13). 

I ended up camping along the very begining of the dodson trail and there were plenty of flat spots along this portion of the trail. The next morning I set sail along the dodson and I have to say I completely underestimated this portion of the trail. It is an absolute rollercoster of a hiking trail and it is as exposed and as hot as they say it is. 

I started and finished my hike here. This is convinient because you walk right past the general store and bathrooms at the very begining of your hike and at the end you are right by the lodge restraunt to grab well deserved food and beer. 

It was about 10 miles to Homer Wilson ranch/ water cache #2 (mile23). I ended up sitting eating and napping in the shade of the old ranch home hiding from the heat before departing again up blue creek canyon to my next camp spot. The hike up blue creek canyon was definietly the most spectacular with high canyon walls and view of the chisos mountain in front of you. The camp spots in the blue creeek canyon were more difficult to find due to the rougher terain. I ended up camping at mile 28 of my hike for night 2. After night 2 I was greeted with a steep switchbacky climb back up into the chisos then back down to the car for another 6 miles for a total of 34 miles. 

Because I went clock wise i went up the pinnacles trail towards emory peak. If you go counter clockwise you will follow the Laguna meadows trail. Once you start in the direction you want to go it is hard to get lost. The climb up the chisos while strenuaous was stuning with plenty of shade in the wooded alpine envornment. 

Thanks for your support! I hope to make more of these and make them even better in the future!