The Chihuahuan Desert covers about 80% of the park, surrounding the Chisos Mountains like a desert ocean. Trails range from short, easy nature trails to multi-day treks marked only by rock piles, if at all. The remote desert routes provide a wonderful challenge for experienced backpackers. Silence and solitude are key resources protected here, as there are few other places where people can escape civilization so completely; often, the only sounds you hear are the wind and your own breathing.
Bare rocky ground and sparse vegetation are well-known hallmarks of the desert, but the observant hiker will find plenty of life here. Look for termite nests built up along the stems of plants, white exoskeletons of millipedes long dead, piles of animal droppings, and tunnels dug into the soil by rodents and reptiles. Bird life is plentiful in the desert, especially in the morning; look for nests hidden in yuccas, cacti, and other prickly vegetation. Hikers in the spring will find wildflowers adding their colorful blooms to the desert landscape. Bluebonnets, paintbrushes, bicolored mustard, desert bailey, yucca, ocotillo, and various types of cactus are some of the more obvious plants found blooming during the spring.
Permit Information
Free Zone Camping permits are available for the desert. The park is divided into a number of zones ranging from areas along popular trails to extremely isolated areas.
Directions
The desert covers the majority of the park, with the exception of the Chisos Mountains and the Rio Grande river basin.
Information Center
The Persimmon Gap Visitor Center is at the northern entrance to the park, and the Panther Junction Visitor Center is centrally located near the intersection of Highways 385 and 118.
