Guadalupe Mountains National Park protects the tallest mountain range in all of Texas. This quiet corner of West Texas, on the border with New Mexico, features majestic mountain scenery, Chihuahuan Desert diversity, and remnants of settler history.
Roads steer clear of the park, protecting the mountains as a wilderness. This means that Guadalupe Mountains offers some fantastic desert hikes, including the highest point in Texas, Guadalupe Peak.
Shaka Guide's tour of Guadalupe Mountains gets you to this remote park in style, sharing the area's cultural and geological history, as well as tips to enjoy this little-known national park.
Combined with its neighbor Carlsbad Caverns National Park just across the border in New Mexico, it's worth an adventure to this striking corner of the West.
Itinerary
1. El Capitan Viewpoint
NPS
- Duration: 5 minutes
This picnic area right off Route 62 provides a stellar view of El Capitan, a prominent peak in the Guadalupe Mountains standing just over 8,000 feet tall.
2. Pine Springs Visitor Center
Matt Caracciolo
- Duration: 30 minutes
This small visitor center includes exhibits on the park's geological and natural features. There's also a small gift shop. This is where you'll need to pay your parking fee.
3. Pine Springs Trailhead
Matt Caracciolo
- Duration: 2+ hours
One of the primary trailheads in the park, Pine Springs is the starting point for several trails.
The two most popular are the trails to Guadalupe Peak, and Devil's Hall. Guadalupe Peak is the highest mountain in Texas.
The hike to the summit is an 8.4-mile round trip with 3,000 feet of elevation change, and it is considered difficult.
Devil's Hall is about 4 miles round trip and is moderate to difficult. Be sure to bring plenty of water and snacks for either trail.
4. Butterfield Station Ruins
Matt Caracciolo
- Duration: 15 minutes
What remains of an overland mail route station called the Pinery sits at the foot of the Guadalupe Mountains.
Mail used to cross the country by carriage, stopping at stations like this for a new driver and a fresh team of horses.
5. Frijole Ranch
Fredlyfish4
- Duration: 1 hour
Explore a historic homestead at the Frijole Ranch. People converted the farmhouse into a small museum that displays artifacts from the area's human history.
You can also walk beyond the ranch to reach the Smith Spring Loop Trail, which heads a small way into the mountain forest to a spring. The whole trail spans 2.3 miles round trip and is considered moderate.
You can also just stop at the Manzanita Spring, which is only 0.5 miles round trip.
6. McKittrick Canyon Trailhead
Fredlyfish4
- Duration: 2+ hours
McKittrick Canyon is an easier alternative to hike into the mountains than the hikes at the Pine Springs trailhead.
There are a few hiking choices here, but the most recommended is the hike to Pratt Cabin.
The hike spans 4.8 miles round trip and is moderately difficult due to its length. This area is famous for its colorful autumn trees.
Next to the trailhead is a small visitor center that's intermittently staffed.
Explore the Guadalupe Mountains with Shaka Guide
You can best enjoy this small national park by hiking into the mountains.
Our tour's 6 stops take you to the best and most accessible trailheads, as well as the main visitor center, and a couple of historic sites.
You can take the tour in either direction and easily combine it with our Carlsbad Caverns National Park tour, just 30 minutes away.
The itinerary below is in order starting from the west, coming from El Paso or Van Horn.
Ready to take the tour? Check out Shaka Guide's Guadalupe Mountains National Park Tour!
We hope that we’ve given you all the information you need to make the most of your day. Your vacation is extremely important to us so if you have any questions feel free to reach out at aloha@shakaguide.com.
For more detailed information to help you plan, check out our Guadalupe Mountains National Park Know Before You Go article.
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