Part Of A Longer 4-Day Backcountry Hike

I hiked the Strawhouse Trail as part of a 4 day backpacking expedition through the backcountry trails of Big Bend National Park.  The hike occurred on the 3rd day in the backcountry.  You can read my log of that extended hike here.

I hiked Strawhouse Trail from the Marufo Vega Loop Trail north to Telephone Canyon Trail. This trail was unmaintained and extremely difficult to hike. Initially the trail was marked by rock cairns, but they soon disappeared.  They have either washed away, been knocked down by animals, or been grown over by vegetation making then invisible.

The trail appears to follow an arroyo through various canyons, but the arroyo is filled with rocks, boulders, cacti, and thorn bushes, making it virtually impenetrable.  The arroyo is also filled with thick gravel, making it a hard surface to walk on.  I expended a lot of energy and there was a lot of slippage.  I had to stop periodically to inspect my feet and administer foot care.

Traversing this trail was slow going.  At times, I was only going 1/3rd to 1/2 mph, but I was expending a lot of energy and drinking a lot of water.  I also had to stop every couple of miles to try and figure out where I was and which way to go.

I do NOT recommend anyone hike this trail. It is very easy to become lost and you could potentially die. When I returned from my hike, I told the rangers that this trail should either be maintained or removed from the map.  In its current condition, it is a death trap, even for the most experienced hikers.