Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Understand

History

Landscape Upon approaching Guadalupe Mountains National Park, the mountains and surrounding desert flats appear very rugged and desolate. There are no trees visible- only boulders, cacti, and a few hardy shrubs. Once you hike up into the mountains, you will find an extremely different environment with temperate and alpine forests, streams, grassy meadows, and a wide variety of plants and animals. Views of the mountains are stunning from the parking lots, but by far the best views are to be had atop the mountains, with views of over a hundred miles common. The Guadalupe Mountains, or "Guads" in local parlance, are formed of limestone laid down in a vast, prehistoric reef and subsequently fossilized. The most prominent summit is El Capitan (no connection to the feature of the same name in Yosemite National Park, but similarly imposing) at the southern end of the range; nearby Guadalupe Peak is higher (the highest mountain in Texas), but less conspicuous. The limestone composition of the Guads creates challenges for the hiker, as the rock tends to break into chunks that are rapidly worn smooth and behave like ball bearings underfoot. This is a good park in which to wear sturdy hiking boots when you're on the trails. The Guads continue north into New Mexico and contain a great number of caves, including the famous Carlsbad Caverns; Guadalupe Mountains National Park contains a few of these caves, but in general they're smaller and less spectacular than the ones on the New Mexico side of the state line, and in any event are not generally open to the public.

Flora and fauna The park is largely covered with the usual flora of the Chihuahuan desert (prickly-pear cactus, ocotillo, various yuccas, etc.), but one of its more startling features is a significant stand of native maple trees, quite an outlier in this ecosystem. The maple leaves turn a brilliant red in late fall and can be seen to good advantage from McKittrick Canyon and vicinity. Higher up

Getting there

The nearest city with major air service is El Paso, about 80 miles west. US highways 62 and 180 lead from El Paso to the park, on good road. Carlsbad (New Mexico) has commuter air service and is about 50 miles from the park on the east side, also along US 62/180; Carlsbad Caverns National Park is along the route from the city of Carlsbad to Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Visitors to the Dog Canyon park entrance should be sure to fill up in Carlsbad (or Artesia), as the two-hour round trip between these towns and the park is somewhat fuel-intensive (due to alternating grades) and devoid of filling stations. Take care on the road to Dog Canyon and do not drive it in the dark -- New Mexico seems to think guardrails are for sissies.

Getting around

Upon entering the park, most sightseeing must be done on feet or horseback. There are some roads in the desert which require four-wheel drive vehicles. Guadalupe Mountains National Park has three main entrances, the main entrance at Pine Springs where the main ranger station, visitor center, and main camping grounds are all located, and the seldom used Dog Canyon entrance on the park's north side. Dog Canyon usually has a park ranger on duty, as well as a smaller camp ground. The McKittrick Canyon visitor center is the best place to enter, you guessed it, McKittrick Canyon.

See

If you don't have time or inclination to go hiking, impressive views of the Guads, particularly El Capitan, are available from US 62/180 along the southern boundary of the park. El Cap is attractive from several turnouts on the highway west of the main park entrance.

1 Dog Canyon Ranger Station. Visitors can pick up brochures, maps and backpacking permits from the contact station. The station is open year round only closing on December 25th. (updated Jun 2020)

Do

1 Guadalupe Peak. A must for hikers visiting the park, the path to the top of Texas can take 6-8 hours roundtrip. The trail provides great views of El Capitan and the interior of the park. It is a well-maintained trail and one of the park's most popular hikes. The trailhead is at Pine Springs campground. A $5 fee for day use includes 7 days' entry to the park per person, with camping at $8 addition per night. Do not underestimate this hike. The trail gains almost 3000 feet between trailhead and summit, and temperatures on top can be 15 to 20 degrees colder than in the canyon bottom, with strong winds and even some snow-covered spots in winter and spring. There are also abundant opportunities for slips and ankle turns owing to the rubble underfoot; be prepared. Be sure to sign the register in the ammo box at the top. 2 McKittrick Canyon. See the beautiful maple forests, Texas' only reproducing trout stream, and the park's original ranch house, Pratt Lodge.

Tour operators and outfitters For Guadalupe Mountains novices or anyone who doesn't want to deal with the hassle, try going with a local tour operator. They have years of experience and not only love their jobs, but also the park. They can show you places and give you factual tidbits that only locals would know. For tours, it's good to inquire ahead as far in advance as possible, especially about what supplies they provide (safety equipment and meals are a definite) but also what you should bring along.

Lone Star Trekking, ☏ +1 979-393-8022. Lone Star Trekking provides four- and five-day guided backpacking trips throughout the park. The company provides all gear, equipment and food. In addition, the park provides many ranger-led programs for free, which can include a variety of activities and topics. Inquire about scheduled programs at the visitor center.

Buy

The nearest stores are located in Whites City, NM, 35 miles north of the park's main entrance. A few items of interest can be purchased in the Visitor Center.

Eat

No food is available in or around the park.

Drink & nightlife

Water is available at the main campgrounds and the McKittrick Canyon trailhead.

Sleep

Lodging There is no lodging within the park. The nearest hotels and motels are in the tacky tourist town of Whites City, New Mexico, just outside the entrance to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, about 35 road miles away. The Best Western franchise there is tolerable. There are many more hotels in Carlsbad, New Mexico, which is about 15 miles from Whites City.

Camping Guadalupe Mountains N.P. has two major campgrounds: Pine Springs, which is near the park's main entrance, and Dog Canyon, which is on the very remote north end of the park, accessible through New Mexico. The park also has ten primitive campsites in the backcountry, each containing 4-8 hardened tent pads. All overnight backpackers must register and stay in one of the primitive camps -- no off-trail camping is allowed. If you obtain a backcountry camping permit you are guaranteed a site, but sites are not assigned. In fact, campsites can be quite hard to get during the last week in October, when the maple leaves are turning and bathing McKittrick Canyon and other areas in red. In the summer or winter