10 Tips for Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Last updated: January 16th, 2024 | Originally published: March 12, 2023

Guadalupe Mountains National Park resides in Texas, just across the border of New Mexico. Established in 1972 by President Richard Nixon, this particular mountain range was protected because it is an area of outstanding geological values, scenery, wilderness, and other natural resources in the northern Chihuahuan Desert. It is also home to Guadalupe Peak, a national park highlight.

The park encompasses 86,416 acres of mountains, canyons, and sand dunes, and it is known to be the world’s largest Permian fossil reef. It is an impressive place to behold, punctuated by the inimitable feature known as El Capitan! In this article we are going to give you ten simple tips for visiting Guadalupe Mountains National Park. We hope you enjoy.

1. The Apex of Texas — Guadalupe Mountains National Park

At 8,751 feet, Guadalupe Peak National Park is the highest point in the state of Texas. The next three highest Texas peaks are in the Guadalupe Mountains as well.

2. The Guadalupe Peak Trail is Relentless

This is absolutely the highlight of Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas, but the 8.5 miles roundtrip hike comes with 3,000′ of elevation gain, making it a relentless uphill slog.

We saw multiple people struggling with morale along the way, some who probably never made the summit. The views at the top are incredible and worth the effort. Hit the trail early in the day because it takes about 8 hours to complete.

Related Article: 5 Things to do in West Texas

Guadalupe National Park
El Capitan — Guadalupe Peak National Park

3. There are a 12 Hikes in Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Other than Guadalupe Peak, some of the most frequented hikes are: McKittrick Canyon, Devil’s Hall, Hunter Peak, Smith Spring, Salt Basin Dunes, and the Pinery Trail. Here is a map of the trailheads (MAP). Guadalupe National Park has approximately 80 miles of trails. McKittrick Canyon is the most popular.

4. Hiking is Best in the Fall

The summer heat can be oppressive. The weather cools off in Sept./Oct. and the fall foliage is beautiful.

5. Hiking Boots and Poles are Advised

Many of the trails in the park are rocky, and some are steep. Hiking here can be difficult even with boots and poles so we cannot imagine doing it without them.

Related Article: 10 Tips for White Sands National Park

Guadalupe National Park
Hot chicks at Guadalupe Peak National Park

6. Views of El Capitan are Best on Hwy 62

About five miles south of the park entrance are a pair of pull-out view points. If you push a few miles further, just before the turnoff for Highway 54, the view is more expansive (photo below).

7. Park Camping is Decent — Guadalupe Mountains National Park

The Pine Springs Campground has 20 tent and 13 RV sites available for $20 per night. Amenities include drinking water and toilets, but there are no hookups, dump stations or showers. The Pine Springs location has fantastic access to some of the best trailheads.

8. There is Nothing Within 35 Miles of the Park

There is a gas station and gift shop at Whites City RV Park (35 miles north). This is a decent place to stay if you require full hook-ups for your RV. The nearest town is Carlsbad, New Mexico (55 miles north). El Paso, Texas is 120 miles west.

Related Article: 10 Tips for Big Bend National Park

Guadalupe National Park
Nice view of Guadalupe Peak National Park

9. The Visitor Center is Small

Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas has one of the smaller VC’s you will find within the national parks system. If you’re looking to purchase a sticker or magnet they have a few to choose from, but T-shirt selection is mostly unimpressive. There is a cooler of beverages with a limited selection. When someone mentions the cooler beverages, you know it’s a small visitor center.

10. Carlsbad Caverns are 45 Minutes Away

Its a national park two’fer! Carlsbad Cavern National Park and Guadalupe National Park are part of the same mountain range. If you’re in the area you might as well hit both of them. FWIW, Carlsbad has much better facilities. It is also much more popular (and more amazing).

An Honest Conclusion for Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Guadalupe National Park

Guadalupe Mountain National Park in Texas is great because all national parks are great. However, it isn’t one of the most impressive that we’ve seen. The hike to the top of Texas is worth it for the view and the bragging rights. McKittrick Canyon is beautiful in the fall. The rest of the park is pretty ok.

We definitely enjoyed our experience here, and the mountains photograph very well! While we’ve found ourselves talking about the hike quite a bit with our friends, we don’t want to hype it too much.

Thank you for stopping by our website! We are the Hoffmann family, a full-time RV family that has split residence in Seattle, Washington and San Antonio, Texas. We have special needs children that we homeschool, and work travel assignments for the Veteran Affairs Hospital. If you would like to learn more about us, check out our Start Here and Biography pages. In the meantime, God bless and travel happy!

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