Guadalupe Mountains – The Top of Texas
Despite having grown up in Texas, only a day’s drive away (8 hours), both Randy and I had never visited Guadalupe Mountains National Park.
It wasn’t until last month that I decided that it was not OK that there was a national park in my home state that I had NEVER been to. Can you believe that my family has driven past this park several times but never stopped? So, we planned a long weekend trip out to West Texas.
Guadalupe Mountains National Park is home to Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in the entire state of Texas. Obviously, our visit to Guadalupe Mountains would not be complete without conquering the highest peak in Texas. Only, this wasn’t as easy as we had expected or hoped.
Continue reading for all of my tips for visiting Guadalupe Mountains National Park and for surviving the Guadalupe Peak trail.
How to Get to Guadalupe Mountains
Guadalupe Mountains National Park is located in the town of Salt Flat which is in a very remote part of West Texas. From Dallas, the national park was an 8-hour drive.
If you’re looking to fly, the closest airport to the park is El Paso International Airport. From the airport, you will have to drive another two hours to get to Guadalupe Mountains National Park.
When to Visit Guadalupe Mountains
Guadalupe Mountains National Park is open year-round to visitors. Although, seasonal temperatures make some seasons better to visit than other.
The only season I would not recommend to visit during is summer. The summer season comes with very hot and dry temperatures which can make hiking more difficult.
Spring also has warm and sunny conditions but is much more mild than summer. Fall and winter temperatures are cooler and typically pretty comfortable. Winter can be a great time to visit with mild temperatures – we just happened to be there during a snowstorm and freeze with windchill temperatures in the upper teens. So cold.
It was our discovery that our usual weather reporting apps (Apple Weather & The Weather Channel) did not report accurate temperatures and conditions. For more accurate weather information in the park, visit the National Weather Service website, here.
Where to Stay near Guadalupe Mountains
Accommodations near Guadalupe Mountains National Park are very limited. There are very few Airbnb options and those tend to sell out well in advance.
If you’re looking for more of your typical hotel, then Carlsbad, NM is the closest city to the park. Carlsbad is only about 50 miles away from the visitor center.
If you’re looking for proximity to the park, camping is your best option. There are two campgrounds in the park – Pine Springs & Dogwood Canyon.
What to do at Guadalupe Mountains
In my honest opinion, activities at Guadalupe Mountains National Park are definitely limited. This park is best experienced by hikers, campers, and backpackers. There’s not much else to do.
Whether it be hiking to the highest peak in Texas or through a canyon, Guadalupe Mountains has many outstanding options for hikes.
Devil’s Hall
Devil’s Hall is one of the best day hikes available in the national park. This trail starts at the Pine Springs trail head and is a 3.6 mile out-and-back trail to a slot canyon. This is not a boring trail!
The first portion of the trail is fairly mild and easy to hike and then it spills out into a wash. The second mile is mostly scrambling over rocks and is much more challenging but worth it. At the end of the trail, you will see interesting rock formations and a narrow canyon.
Devil’s Hall is also a good hiking option for a cold and windy day because most of the trail is protected from the wind (except the portion of the trail that is considered the “hall”, here its just a crazy wind tunnel).
Guadalupe Peak – The Highest Point in Texas
Yikes – what a hike.
OK, first off – Guadalupe Peak is the highest point in the entire State of Texas. Rising to an outstanding 8,751 feet, this peak sits high above everything else in Texas. It is not for the faint of heart.
Boy, was this hike challenging. In a 4.1 mile one-way climb to the top (8.2 miles round trip), the trail ascends nearly 3,000 feet in elevation. It goes without saying that hikers will then have to then descend those same 3,000 feet on the way down. My knees are still hurting just thinking about it.
Before starting out on your hike, make sure that you bring enough water and then extra water (you’re going to need it). The national park recommends that you bring at least 1-gallon of water per hiker. The climb will really drain you of energy, so bring lots of snacks or a picnic lunch for the summit. There is a water fill station and restroom located at the trail head but no water or other facilities on the trail.
And if the temperatures are freezing, don’t use a water bladder or your water will freeze half-way through the hike. Yes, that did happen to us.
If traveling in the fall or winter, bring plenty of layers, the temperature can be significantly cooler at the higher elevations than at the visitor center. Wind advisories are very common on top of Guadalupe Peak so expect the worst and plan for INSANE WINDS. I may have been knocked off my feet once or twice from the wind.
Plan to be on the trail for 6-8 hours. Sudden afternoon storms are very common on top of the summit, so for safety’s sake, make sure you start your hike before 9 am. Starting early will improve your chances of being off the summit before an afternoon thunderstorm rolls in.
The trail head is located near the Pine Springs Campground. Almost immediately from parking lot, the trail begins climbing numerous switchbacks. Expect the first mile and a half to be the most strenuous of the entire route. Most of the elevation gain is in this first section. Fortunately, every switchback boasts an even higher and better view than the one before it.
After reaching the top of the ridge, the trail eases up a little bit. Don’t expect a leveling out, but more variation in the steepness of the trail. During miles 2-3 the trail varies between uphill, flat, and a few downhill portions. Much of this section is wooded which provides protection from the sun and wind.
While approaching the 3 mile mark, hikers will notice a false summit. At this point, it looks like you’re almost to the top – but you’re not. There’s still another mile to go.
The area around Guadalupe Peak got a lot of snow the night before we hiked. The last mile of our hike was a real winter wonderland. If it wasn’t for these dreamy snowy mountain landscapes, I probably would have called it quits at this point. The windchill up here was torture.
The last quarter-mile before reaching the summit is the most technical of the whole trail, it involves a lot of scrambling over boulders and spree. But excitement sets in because you’re ALMOST THERE!
I wish we had spent more time at the summit to soak it all in. But in reality, it was so cold and miserable with the windchill at the summit that we snapped a couple of non-flattering photos and got off that frigid mountain as fast as we could.
I may have eaten my PB&J while we hiked back down the mountain. We were too cold to stop and eat a proper lunch.
Mckittrick Canyon
We did not hike the McKittrick Canyon trail, but it is one of the more popular trails in the national park. This 20.2 mile out-and-back trail can be hiked in its entirety or shortened to fit your desired length. Mostly flat at first, the trail begins a moderate climb after three miles.
I’ve also heard that in addition to the canyon’s unique wildlife and vegetation, the trail is full of wildflowers in the spring months.
Click here for the national park’s guide to the trail.
Camping / Backpacking
Guadalupe Mountains is a popular park for camping and backpacking in Texas. As mentioned earlier, the two established campgrounds in the park are Pine Springs and Dog Canyon.
There are also 10 different back-country campgrounds available throughout the park. One of which is available on the trail to Guadalupe Peak – in case you feel like breaking it up. Check out the national park website here for information on back-country campsites.
More National Park Sites in the Area
After checking out Guadalupe Mountains National Park, make time to see these other two spectacular national parks in the area.
Carslbad Caverns National Park
Located only 42 miles from the entrance of Guadalupe Mountains, Carlsbad Caverns is a must-see. This is also the perfect way to spend a rainy day or escape from the cold or heat. Expect to spend 3-4 hours here.
White Sands National Park
A bit further away from Guadalupe National Park is America’s newest national park – White Sands National Park is a three hour drive away. White Sands is a great photography spot. Although, I would avoid it on a windy day.
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