Emory Peak, 7,825', and Toll Mountain, 7,415': Big Bend National Park

Essence: Big Bend encompasses two mountain ranges: Sierra del Carmen and the Chisos Mountains. Emory Peak is the tallest summit in the Chisos range. It is named for William Emory, leader of the US Boundary Survey which mapped the Texas-Mexico boundary between 1851 and 1853. The range is named for the Chisos band of Mescalero Apaches. The five-mile approach is on a superbly engineered and graduated trail. Still, not all hikers will make the peak's crest. The 100-foot scramble up the summit block has some exposure turning the hike into a climb. Toll Mountain northeast of Emory is an optional off-trail venture. Roger Toll advocated adding Big Bend to the National Park system. The 801,000-acre park was established in 1944.
Travel: Park adjacent to the Chisos Basin Store and follow the sign for the Chisos Basin Trailheads.
Distance and Elevation Gain: Emory Peak, 10.2 miles; 2,550 feet. Toll Mountain adds 1.5 miles and 450 feet. Totals: 11.7 miles, 3,000 feet.

Total Time: Emory Peak, 5:00 to 7:30. Toll Mountain adds 1:00 to 2:00.
Difficulty: Primarily trail; navigation easy; Low Class 3 with mild exposure on Emory's summit block; take more water than you think you will need and hike on a cool day.
Map: The Basin; Emory Peak, TX 7.5' USGS Quads; or, Trails Illustrated No. 225, Big Bend National Park

Reference: Big Bend Vistas: Journeys through Big Bend National Park, by William MacLeod. Available at park visitor centers.

Park Fees and Camping: Please link to the Big Bend website for current information.
Latest Date Hiked: October 5, 2022 

Quote: Half the pleasure of a visit to Big Bend National Park lies in the advance upon the object of our desire. Coming toward the park from the village of Lajitas deep in West Texas, we see this rampart of volcanic cliffs rising a mile above the surrounding desert. The Chisos Mountains stand alone in the morning haze, isolated and formidable, unconnected with other mountains, remote from any major range. Edward Abbey

 

The Big Bend landscape is so vast and diverse it could consume a lifetime of exploring. Why not begin by climbing the highest point in the park and having a look around? The image below, snapped from the west ridge of Toll Mountain, depicts the trail swinging back and forth up the east slopes of Emory Peak. 

Route: Emory Peak is due south of the Chisos Basin. Ascend on the Pinnacles Trail to the Emory-Toll saddle. Transition to the Emory Peak spur trail and mount southwest to the base of the summit block. Scramble to the crest. Return as you came. For those adding Toll Mountain, from the 6,995-foot saddle climb off-trail northeast to the summit and beyond to the overlook.

 

Emory Peak

A sign directing to the Chisos Basin Trailheads is located on the south side of the Chisos Basin Store. Follow the path to a pedestrian roundabout where the Pinnacles and Window View trails spin off in different directions, elevation 5,380 feet. Follow the sign for Pinnacles Trail and Emory Peak. Take seriously the notice about encountering black bears and mountain lions. We saw abundant bear scat and tracks on the trail. Toll Mountain (image-left) and Emory Peak are visible from the roundabout.

In 0.3 mile the Pinnacles Trail intersects the lower end of the Chisos Basin Loop Trail. Go left, staying on the Pinnacles Trail. Stencil cuts in steel trail signs are among the most artistic in the National Park system. In October, 2022, the autumn flower fest was a second spring blossoming yellow, red, orange, purple, blue, and white. In the lower reaches, the Chihuahuan Desert's signature plant agave lechuguilla was present along with pricklypear and sotol. In the woodland we were shaded by madrone, oak, alligator and drooping juniper, and piñon. Birds celebrated the sublimity with song.

Begin at dawn to see the sun overpowering shadow and pouring through The Window. The wedge is framed by the Carter Peak spire and Vernon Bailey Peak, a sphere-like mass of solid stone. (Thomas Holt Ward, photo)

At 0.8 mile pass by the turnoff for the upper end of the Chisos Basin Loop Trail. Consider adding this short diversion on your return. The pathway descends northeast for a few paces before cranking south along the west slopes of Casa Grande. Emerge into a meadow where, in autumn, tufts of grass are bent over, heavy with seedheads. We saw fresh bear tracks and steaming piles of scat near the Juniper Flat backcountry camps.

I first climbed Emory on the brutally cold Winter Solstice in 2010. In October, the cool shade of the forest was welcome. Cliffs armor the north end of Toll Mountain. Hikers who visit the second peak can walk along the rim and peer down into the stone funnel, pictured.

 

Pinnacles composed of rhyolite and welded tuff girdle the mountainside from Casa Grande to Toll Mountain. 

The beautifully crafted trail has staircases made with juniper logs and boulders. Retaining walls are fitted like a jigsaw puzzle.

 

The footpath rises into a gigantic amphitheater, the upper floor of the Chisos Basin. Ringed by volcanic peaks, I assumed the Basin was a collapsed caldera but according to William MacLeod (see reference above), it is simply the result of erosion. He writes, "The Basin is now about 2,000 feet below the general level of the surrounding mountaintops, and is still eroding down." Ribs and towers on the north wall cast long shadows in morning light. 

(THW, photo)

The entire journey is along a garden pathway. Below, the light blue, thick succulent leaves of an agave contrast with the red bark of a madrone laden with brilliant berries. Just up the trail, a berry scavenging, lumbering bear climbed into a tree and stripped its branches. 

 

At 6,700 feet, the trail begins winding through large boulders fallen from the cliffs above. Pass beneath a thin wedge of stone 50 feet tall covered in blue-green lichen. (THW, photo)

Further up, the path makes tight switchbacks within a maze of standing stones.

  

Gain the Emory-Toll divide and saddle at 3.5 miles, 6,995 feet. This is an inviting spot to sit in the shade under an elder juniper and replenish before tackling the remainder of the ascent to Emory. There's an outhouse nearby and bear canisters.

At this major junction, the Pinnacles Trail transitions to the Boot Canyon Trail and carries on to the South Rim. Emory is at the end of a 1.6 mile spur to the southwest, a bit further than the sign indicates.

 

The Emory Peak Trail sweeps well to the south before working its meandering way up the east ridge of the mountain. From an entirely new perspective, look out over the South Rim, the last stand in the Chisos Mountains before the topography steps down to the Rio Grande River. Below, Boot Canyon makes a precipitous drop to its confluence with Juniper Canyon. Sierra del Carmen and the mountains of Mexico are visible through the opening. 

The trail swings west and presents at long last a good look at the peak. The footpath crosses sheets of red stone while maintaining a consistently gentle grade. (THW, photo)

The upper mountain is composed of rhyolite, a fine-grained extrusive volcanic rock. Trail builders cleaved their way with explosives. Notice the impeccable cribbing on the risers and stone runners holding steps in place.

 

Cross back over to the north side of the ridge for a brief respite in a forest of dappled light. (THW, photo)

 

Back on the south side of the east ridge, the challenging finish becomes apparent. The highpoint is on the right.

At 7,660 feet, the trail pitches up a natural stone lift surrounded by forest-bottom plants. 

 

The heavenly smell of mint and cheerful wildflowers are a clue you are drawing close to your destination and the playful scramble. (THW, photo)

The trail ends on a landing between two blocks at 7,760 feet. Rather than climb straight up the wall, shown, head to the right by an oak tree. The way is not cairned but it is boot worn. 

 

Move a few paces (about 20 feet) to what is effectively a corner and scramble left up a crack, shown.

 

The field notes from my solo Emory climb state, "This was the best part of the day." It's an ideal, low Class 3 scramble with lots of excitement. The hand and foot holds are solid and plentiful. (THW, photo)

The landing at trail's end is a pleasant place to hang out for hikers who have a fear of exposure. 

Arrive on the summit at 5.1 miles after 2,500 feet of climbing. The crest is cluttered with communication devices and towers. We were able to locate the No. 1 Chisos reference marker placed in 1934, but not the benchmark. (THW, photo)

The boulder-capped summit is quite small with a radiating ridge to the north. We shared it with a family from Dallas. The full-circle vista is commanding, even startling. To the north you can see the start of the hike in the Chisos Basin. Circling from the left are Vernon Bailey Peak, Pulliam Peak, Mount Huffman, and Casa Grande.

Northeast is inviting Toll Mountain sitting in front of Lost Mine Peak. Aptly named Crown Mountain is image-right. Geologist William MacLeod notes that Emory Peak is capped by a rhyolite dome. "The Chisos Mountains are the eroded remains of volcanic rocks over 4,000 feet thick produced by volcanism 46 to 32 million years ago...Each of the volcanic domes on Casa Grande, Toll Mountain, and Emory Peak lies above a volcanic vent and so each is an extinct volcano." If the light is just right you'll see tiny crystals twinkling on the boulders.

Below, a group of hikers are beginning to downclimb from the boulder-strewn crest.

 

The couple seen below is returning from the subsidiary block. It didn't occur to me to climb this in 2010 but it was irresistible in 2022. (THW, photo)

If Emory Peak is your one goal, descend to the landing and retrace your steps. If you'd like to climb the subsidiary peak, from the landing let the drooping juniper assist your initial steps and take it from there. In contrast to the summit block, this rib is an easier scramble with less exposure...but equally playful. 

Gain perspective on the radical west face of Emory Peak. (THW, photo)

 

Toll Mountain

An unscalable escarpment of welded pinnacles encircles Toll Mountain on three sides. We are therefore fortunate to be able to simply walk up the west ridge. This image was snapped from the Lost Mine Trail. Toll is image-left and Casa Grande is on the right.

From the Emory-Toll saddle, the hike to the summit and on to the north end overlook is 1.5 miles roundtrip with 450 feet of elevation gain. Allow 1:00 to 1:30 for the out-and-back. Begin on the trail to the Toll Mountain backcountry camp.

From trail's end, there is no best route and no cairns. We favored the north edge of the ridge heading east and then northeast. No matter how you play it, there will be brush and rocks underfoot. 

Our progress was impeded by a thick carpet of yellow autumn bloomers. That had to be a first. As the ridge flattens, keep going to the broad unmarked summit. There is nothing distinguishing about the top; it's just slightly higher than other points all around. It is at the center of an arced ridge with Casa Grande to its north and Emory Peak to its southwest. The eroded jagged pinnacles effectively holding up the summit are, according to MacLeod, composed of Boot Rock surge deposits and ash-fall tuff (cemented volcanic ash). The surge deposits were created by pyroclastic flows--hurricanes of hot gases and volcanic particles.

The north end overlook is 0.2 mile beyond the summit. Persist. It took some patience to thrash our way out there given the rough footing, boulders and brush. Long pants are helpful. We walked along the west rim for the drama of verticality. Pass by a funnel where rocks shed into nothingness. 

 

Surely Toll Mountain has the best view of Casa Grande from anywhere. (THW, photo) 

Beyond Crown Mountain in the east is Schott Tower, 7,022', the highest summit in Sierra del Carmen. It is named for naturalist Arthur Schott. However, in Mexico it is called Cerro Pico Cerda ("bristle beak"), or simply, El Pico. The Rio Grande River defines the boundary of the park and serves as an ever-flowing divider between ranges and countries.