I moved from Glenwood Springs, Colorado to West Texas! Can you believe we would leave green heaven for West Texas!? I know I can’t, but when God calls you kinda its best to do what He says right!? Anyway, Glenwood Springs and Midland couldn’t be more different. Glenwood is surrounded by mountains, decorated with trees, and lined with a river. Midland is flat, brown, and covered in oil rigs.
Despite all of these gorgeous features, one of the biggest reasons I miss Colorado is the hikes. I love hiking! My kids love hiking! We miss being in nature, surrounded by it! We miss climbing rocks and trees, competing to find the biggest sticks, and racing down the trails. So instead of just sitting around moping about how much we miss hiking, we decided to venture out and find what trails West Texas has!
I am a mom of 4 kids all under the age of 6, so obviously we can’t do super far hikes just yet, so all of the trails we have found for kids are under 3 miles long. West Texas has Big Bend National Park with tons of really cool trails for families, but surprisingly enough there are plenty of other really fun trails outside of this popular National Park. Here is our list of our favorite kid friendly hikes in West Texas.
Tips For Hiking In West Texas:
- Hike in the mornings when it is not so hot.
- Best season for hiking is fall and winter. Summer is really hard to hike due to the intense heat.
- Beware of rattlesnakes!!
- Wear hiking boots because most of the trails are rocky. Also I never understood the importance of hiking sticks until I hiked the rocky mountainsides of the West Texas mountains.
- Wear long boots or at least long socks that cover your ankles to protect from the cactus alongside the trail.
- Bring more than enough water! Dehydration is a thing and Texas is hot. Always, always even on super short trails bring water!
- Navigate the trail through AllTrails as you are hiking. Some of the trails are really faded or hard to follow and having this navigating map to show you where you are and where you need to go is SO helpful!
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Kid Friendly Hikes In West Texas Outside of Big Bend National Park:
San Angelo Nature Trail
This nature trail is under a mile, but it is such a unique trail. A lot of West Texas trails are very rocky, but this trail is across fine red dirt. So much so that you will come back with red dusted shoes and smeared red legs. Its beauty is unlike most trails in the area. It is a mixture between desert and green. It is almost like this trail couldn’t make up its mind on whether to be desert or forest.
Most of this trail is very flat with a few very low hills. You will walk through trees and across meadows of cactus and even come to a wooden bridge to cross. It is a very easy trail and such a short distance it is perfect for those little toddler legs to hike with little to no help.
Trail Distance: 0.8 miles
Red Dam Loop
San Angelo, Texas is not your average West Texas town. It has a lake, which is a big deal around these parts! San Angelo State Park is built around one of these lakes and is a very West Texas vibe to hike. This state park has an explosive amount of cacti and is also home to some bison and longhorns.
Our favorite hike in this state park is the Red Dam Loop. Most of San Angelo State Park hikes have tons of cactus which is pretty, but a little worrisome when hiking with an 18 month old that likes to touch everything. While most are lined with cactus, Red Dam Loop has slightly less then most trails. Most of the trail is through meadows of brown grass.
This trail is easy, but does have a little bit more of a terrain change than the last hike I shared. Nothing hard though. If you are exploring the state park and are trying to decide which hike to take, be sure to add this one to your list.
Trail Distance: 1.4 miles
South Concho River Trail
If you were to ask me where my favorite trail is in West Texas, besides in Big Bend, it would be this one. South Concho River Trail is another kid friendly hike in San Angelo. Practically the entire trail is through the woods and it is actually very pretty considering this is West Texas. The trees are bent in all directions and there is grass all around the base.
Some of the reasons I loved this trail was one, it was so easy. My toddlers were able to hike this with no help at all. Two, we saw so much deer! I mean I have NEVER seen that much deer in West Texas! Another reason we love this trail is that there is so much for kids to play with on this trail! My kids were climbing trees, balancing on fallen trees, collecting sticks, and smelling the flowers. Trees equal adventure, and there were a lot of trees.
Which leads me to my next point, it is very rare to find a shaded trail in West Texas and this is one of them! Almost the whole trail is covered from the blaring sunlight. The last reason we loved this trail so much is the water. This trail borders the lake, hence the greenery and trees. It was a beautiful view of the water and fun to relax and let the little ones toss rocks in. Can you tell this is my favorite kid friendly hike in West Texas!?
Trail Distance: 1 mile
Cactus Cut Trail
West Texas has quite a few state parks, with new ones coming soon. One of the state parks in the area is Colorado City Lake State Park. This state park showcases a large lake which of course is so fun to play in, but before you go swimming at the beach area there is a hike you have to try. Cactus Cut Trail is a short and rocky trail alongside the lakes cliffside.
When I say this trail is rocky, what I mean is that you will be hiking on rock pretty much the entire route. The trail isn’t along the shoreline of the lake, but more like the cliffside. The trail is easy, but it is on a rock for a good portion of the trail.
The views of the lake are unlike any you will see anywhere else in the state park so the hike is worth it for the views alone!
Trail Distance: 2.4 miles
Big Spring State Park Loop
After driving for hours on flat land, when you come into Big Spring, Texas and see the one hill in the area then of course you have to celebrate and dub it a state park. Big Spring State Park is an itty bitty state park, is the pride of the town. This state park overlooks the town and hiking it is either an uphill or downhill hike. It is not a flat hike.
While the hike may be either a descent or an ascent, that does not mean it is a difficult hike. It is very easy and pretty rocky once you get towards the top. The point of this trail is to get you from the bottom of the hill to the top for an overlook of the town. While this is no breathtaking mountain view, it is still a nice one to enjoy in West Texas terms.
Trail Distance: 2.4 miles
I-20 Wildlife Preserve
The I-20 Wildlife Preserve is another one of our favorite kid friendly hikes in West Texas! This trail is located in Midland, Texas and is more of a bird watching trail than anything. The trail starts out on a boardwalk surrounded by cattails and then loops you through some trees, across bridges, and back around.
Along this trail are multiple sites that you have to stop and see. There are multiple bird blinds to stop and spy on the local birds, there is a garden, and even an overlook to climb up. The entire trail is flat and very easy. If you are looking for a fun trail for your kids, this is one they will for sure love!
Trail Distance: 1.4 miles
Sibley Perimeter Loop
Another kids friendly hike in Midland, Texas is located at the Sibley Nature Center. While the I-20 Wildlife Preserve hike is the prettier hike in Midland, this Sibley Nature hikes showcases West Texas better. This trail is a red dirt trail where you will see more rabbits than you can count and Yucca’s growing everywhere you look.
The trail is short and flat and SO easy. The trail will also take you by a pond and a Children’s Garden.
Trail Distance: 1.2 miles
Odessa Meteor Crater Trail
Odessa has quite a unique trail to add to this list. This trail takes you around the perimeter of a Meteor Crater. It is a very short 0.3 mile loop around a barren desert, but it will probably feel longer cause that sun hits spot on and you can heat up quick. Like most hikes in West Texas, this one has zero shade. You get the hint, it’s a hot trail.
If I am being completely honest, I could not tell what was crater and what was just regular land. Luckily they solve that problem by having signs along the trail that you can read and map out where the crater is. So not only can you get your kids to exercise their body, but also their minds!
Trail Distance: 0.3 miles
McKittrick Canyon Nature Loop Trail
Big Bend National Park isn’t the only National Park West Texas has to offer! Just north between Pecos and El Paso is Guadalupe Mountains National Park. This National Park has bragging rights of the highest point in the entire state of Texas.
Sadly a lot of the trails here are pretty difficult and very rocky. If they aren’t challenging, then they are pretty long. Luckily tucked over on the east side of the National Park is McKittrick Canyon. Hiking through this area during the fall season is the colorful leaf changing pride of West Texas. This canyon however is very long to hike through, but there is another trail close to it that is very short and very easy.
The Nature Loop is a short trail that takes you up and around a small hill for a gorgeous overlook of the desert. The trail is rocky, but not very challenging. My 2 toddlers hiked it with little help. It was a very beautiful trail with so much desert plant life to enjoy. If you are headed to Guadalupe National Park and are looking for a quick, easy hike with small kids, then this is the perfect trail.
Trail Distance: 1 mile
Andrews Birding Trail
Whenever I tell my husband we are headed to Andrews, Texas for a day he always laughs and makes the comment that there is nothing to do in Andrews. Well I am proving him wrong! Not only are their memorials and museums here, there is also a very, very short kid friendly hiking trail. A birding trail to be precise!
The trail is short and a gravel path the whole way. The trail will take you to a deck overlook of several small ponds. While we did see some Grackle birds and a duck, we actually saw more cows on this trail than we did birds. This was much to my babies enjoyment as he simply loves cows. It isn’t the most beautiful trail and like I said it is SO short, but there is something to do in Andrews, Texas!
Trail Distance: 0.25 miles
Fort Phantom Hill
This trail is for all my history fans out there. Along this trail, you will hike by old fort ruins. I actually added it to my list of Halloween activities to do in West Texas, because this trail feels like a spooky ghost fort! It was so cool!
The trail is short and very easy, and takes you to see several ruins along the trail. Beware of rattlesnakes though they are very present here!
Trail Distance: 0.7 miles
Elm Creek Nature Trail
A great place to go hiking in Abilene, Texas is Abilene State Park. This state park has several trails, but our favorite is the Elm Creek Nature Trail. This trail is alongside a creek and it is beautiful! It is like a little oasis in the middle of no man’s land. As far as trees go, Abilene has the most normal looking of all.
While we were hiking we saw rabbits, giant spiders, and so many Monarch Butterflies. This is another hike you will want to add to your fall season hiking list. Not only do the leaves turn a breathtaking yellow, this is also a hot spot for butterflies to stop and rest during the fall Monarch migration.
It is a fun state park to visit anytime of the year, but I am just saying if you are looking for a fun and exciting fall hike, this is it!
Trail Distance: 2 miles
Hancock Hill
Hancock Hill is one of the most iconic hikes in all of West Texas and it isn’t even that long! In Alpine there is a large hill that overlooks the town and an incredible view of the West Texas. At the top of this overlook is a desk and chair for you to relax, enjoy the view, and write your name in the notebook in the drawer with all the others who have accomplished the hike!
This hike is so cool, but it is a little bit more rough than the others. It is very, very rocky and practically uphill the whole way there. So this hike is a little bit more challenging, but it is still pretty short and manageable with kids. Hiking sticks were a life saver, even my kids thought so! Another hard part about this trail is that it is hard to navigate, I HIGHLY suggest that using the active navigation from the Alltrails app.
This trail has such a huge variety of cacti and almost the entire trail is a view of the town. It is just a really fun trail! Another cool stop on the trail is the tree that is covered in bikes. Only in West Texas is it worth it to hike 2 miles to see trash in a tree!
Trail Distance: 1.8 miles
Montezuma Quail Trail
A super fun place to take your kids hiking in West Texas is Davis Mountains State Park. A lot of the trails here are pretty long, but there are a couple trails that are shorter. This trail takes you up and up and up the mountainside for a view of the state park. While it is a uphill it isn’t too hard for those little legs.
I took my 3 little boys hiking and they had so much fun climbing the rocks, jumping on the rocks, showing me how strong they are picking up rocks. Lets just say there are a lot of rocks, this trail is practically all rocks.
Trail Distance: 1.1 miles
Photographers Trail
Another fun trail in Fort Davis is actually located in the Fort Davis National Historic Site. If you have seen a picture of this historic site then it was probably from this trail, hence the reason for its name; Photographers Trail.
This trail is pretty short and easy. It takes you up a large rocky hill to overlook the historic site and it has the best view. This trail is not on AllTrails, but if you get the paper map of the historic site and the trails while you are at there it will show you where the trail is.
Trail Distance: 0.5 miles
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