Hiking is the main reason to visit the Guadalupe Mountains, and while the national park has a relatively small number of trails, the paths are quite varied in both difficulty and the type of scenery. Some large regions like Frijole Ridge and all the west face of the mountains have no maintained trails; instead most of the routes are found in the middle of the park, between the entrances at Dog Canyon and Pine Spring Canyon. The best paths are to Devils Den, Guadalupe Peak, Hunter Peak/the Bowl (via the Bear Canyon and Tejas Trails) and McKittrick Canyon.
Guadalupe Mountains Trailheads: Dog Canyon | Frijole Ranch | McKittrick Canyon | Pine Spring Canyon
The Guadalupe Mountains National Park Map shows the location of each trail.
|
|
Trail |
Length
(one way)
(miles) |
Elevation Change (feet) |
Trail Description |
Dog Canyon
|
Bush Mountain
Marcus Overlook
Marcus Trail
Bush Mountain
Tejas/Bowl Trail |
1.8
2.8
8.1
11.0 |
900
2,430 |
This long backcountry path first follows a side drainage up to a viewpoint on top of a ridge (Marcus Overlook), descends the steeper west face into the West Fork of Dog Canyon (past a junction with the Marcus Trail), then climbs again into the Brokeoff Mountains, which form part of the western crest of the Guadalupe Range. The forested ridgeline is followed southwards for several miles to the second highest peak in the national park (and in all Texas), 8,631 foot Bush Mountain, after which the path turns east and descends gradually to a junction with the Tejas and Bowl trails, above Pine Spring Canyon. |
| Indian Meadow |
0.6 (loop) |
level |
The tree-lined Indian Meadow, at the foot of a steep, 1,000 foot hillside, is toured by this short nature trail, accompanied by notices about the local plants and wildlife. |
| Marcus |
4.3 |
1,400 |
The Marcus Trail crosses hilly, partly wooded land in the north of the park, from a junction with the Bush Mountain Trail in West Dog Canyon, southwards alongside the drainage then climbing quite high above, ending at an intersection with the Tejas Trail near South McKittrick Canyon. |
| Tejas |
|
|
See the description under Pine Spring Canyon. A good day hike destination along the north section of the Tejas Trail is Lost Peak after 3.2 miles (1,540 feet elevation gain). |
Frijole Ranch
|
| Foothills |
0.7 |
160 |
The short Foothills Trail runs between a corral beside the Frijole Ranch road junction and the Frijole Trail near the park headquarters, over dry washes and grassy slopes with scattered bushes and cacti. |
| Frijole |
2.7 |
500 |
Frijole is a connecting path linking Frijole Ranch with the Tejas Trail near Pine Spring campground; the Bear Canyon Trail forks off northwards about half way along, leading into the high country of the Bowl. |
| Smith Spring |
2.3 (loop) |
220 |
This easy loop first leads to Manzanita Spring, in a grassy clearing close to Frijole Ranch, then climbs up open hillsides below Frijole Ridge to the larger Smith Spring, set in shady maple/oak/pine woodland in a small canyon. The return is via another path a little way west. The first section to Manzanita Spring (0.2 miles) is paved and accessible to wheelchairs. |
McKittrick Canyon
|
McKittrick Canyon
Pratt Cabin
Grotto
McKittrick Ridge
Tejas Trail |
2.4
3.4
5.4
8.1 |
200
400
2,700
2,900 |
McKittrick is the most scenic canyon in the national park - a shallow stream flows year-round, and the lower few miles have abundant vegetation and wildlife. Two possible destinations for a day hike are an old wooden cabin after 2.4 miles and a limestone grotto after 3.4 miles; both have a small picnic area nearby. Beyond the grotto the trail climbs very steeply above the valley, up to 7,716 foot McKittrick Ridge, (location of a backcountry campsite), then crosses more undulating terrain along the edge of an escarpment to a junction with the Tejas Trail. |
| McKittrick Nature |
0.9 (loop) |
150 |
Notices about the plant and animal life of the Chihuahuan Desert accompany the McKittrick Nature Trail, an easy loop to a small spring on the hillside west of the McKittrick Canyon visitor center. |
| Permian Reef |
4.2
to park bdy |
2,000 |
The Permian Reef Trail ascends the north side of McKittrick Canyon, gaining height steadily via many switchbacks up to flat-topped Wilderness Ridge (7,000 feet, location of a primitive campsite), then continues northwards into the Lincoln National Forest. Numbered signs en route correspond to articles in a geology guidebook sold at the national park visitor center. |
Pine Spring Canyon - Park Headquarters
|
| Bear Canyon |
1.5 |
2,000 |
Bear Canyon is a steep drainage east of Pine Spring Canyon; the path up the ravine is a less used alternative to the Tejas Trail for reaching the Guadalupe Mountains backcountry. It starts along the Frijole Trail in the desert foothills and ends at a junction with the Bowl Trail, in cool pine woodland at 8,000 feet. Although steep and rocky, much of the route is shaded by trees and in shadow during the morning, unlike the more exposed Tejas Trail. |
Bowl
Tejas-Bear Cyn
Tejas-Juniper
Bear Cyn-Juniper |
1.1
1.4
2.2 |
200
400
600 |
High above the desert lowlands, the sheltered pine and fir forest of the Bowl is circled by a loop trail that connects the Bear Canyon and Tejas trails and has a 0.3 mile spur to the summit of 8,368 foot Hunter Peak. Another junction is with the Juniper Trail, an alternative connector to the Tejas Trail for continuation trips further north. |
| Devil's Hall |
2.1 |
750 |
Devil's Hall is a narrow, 200 foot deep, vertical-walled ravine through thin-layered limestone strata, and may be reached by a fairly level trail up Pine Spring Canyon. The last mile is over pebbles and boulders along the streambed. |
El Capitan
Salt Basin Tr
Salt Basin Tr
Williams Ranch |
3.0
3.8
9.5 |
400
500
1,300 |
This long but relatively flat trail winds across desert hillsides south of El Capitan peak, passing cactus flats, dry washes and rocky outcrops with two junctions en route, with the start and end of the Salt Basin Trail to the south. The El Capitan path, now rather less traveled, continues further west and descends Shumard Canyon to Williams Ranch, a disused building reachable by a 7 mile 4WD track from US 62/180. |
| Guadalupe Peak |
4.2 |
2,940 |
The highest peak in Texas rises nearly 3,000 feet above Pine Spring campground, starting point for the strenuous trail to the summit. The path is very steep in places but well maintained and has fantastic views all the way. |
| Pinery |
0.35 |
100 |
The short, paved Pinery Trail has exhibits about desert life; it starts at the national park visitor center/headquarters and ends at a parking area along US 62/180, beside the ruins of a station on the Butterfield Overland Mail route. |
| Salt Basin |
3.0 |
450 |
The 3 mile Salt Basin Trail branches off the El Capitan Trail after 3 miles, rejoining it 0.8 miles later after descending a little alongside Guadalupe Canyon then traversing a flat limestone plateau to the west. There are good views over the desert 2,000 feet below, and of Salt Basin further to the west. |
Tejas
Bowl Tr
Juniper Tr
Marcus Tr
McKittrick Canyon Tr
Dog Canyon |
3.3
4.8
6.3
7.8
11.0 |
2,100 |
The longest trail in the Guadalupe Mountains links the park headquarters at the mouth of Pine Spring Canyon with the northern entrance in Dog Canyon - 11 miles in all, across a succession of ridges and valleys. The steepest but most used section is the southernmost 3.3 miles, which form part of the 9 mile loop to Hunter Peak, also involving the Bowl, Bear Canyon and Frijole trails. There are three primitive campsites along the way, and junctions with several other paths including the Marcus, Juniper and McKittrick Canyon trails. |
