🥾 Guadalupe Peak (8.4 miles, 2,952 feet elev. gain): If there is one thing you absolutely must do at Guadalupe Mountains, it’s this hike. This trail takes you to the highest point in Texas, providing stunning views at the top and beautiful scenery on the way up.
🥾 Devil’s Hall (3.6 miles, 577 feet elev. gain): While this trail doesn’t take you to any high points, you’ll get the chance to see some mountainous landscapes culminating in the impressive canyon that the trail is named for.
🥾 Salt Basin Dunes (3-4 miles, elev. gain varies): If you want to get an up-close view of the park’s gypsum sand dunes, check out this hike.
🥾 McKittrick Canyon Trail (distance varies): From the McKittrick Canyon parking area, hikers can venture into this out-and-back trail for as long and as far as they please. It takes you through beautiful scenery, bolstered by greenery if you visit at the right time of year.

🎒 Backpacking: Guadalupe Mountains is a backpacker’s paradise. While there are plenty of day hikes to do in the park, you can spend far more time in the park and escape its visitors by venturing deep into its backcountry. Don’t forget your wilderness permit.
⛺ Camping: If you’re visiting Guadalupe Mountains from afar, camping is almost a necessity due to the lack of nearby towns. Camping allows you to experience the park’s night sky and wildlife more fully. The park features several developed campgrounds, including Pine Springs and Dog Canyon.
🚗 US Highway 62 from the South: The most impressive views of the park – especially of El Capitan – can be seen from US 62 approaching from the south.

🏞️ Carlsbad Caverns National Park: Guadalupe Mountains’ more popular neighbor features stunning caves for both the average visitor and hardcore caver to explore, including its namesake Carlsbad Caverns and the Slaughter Canyon Cave. The park sits about 30-45 minutes east of Guadalupe Mountains.

📅 When to Visit: Fall seems to be the best time of year to visit Guadalupe Mountains, when temperatures are more mild and the fall foliage creates beautiful scenery. Visit in October for the best chance at seeing the fall colors. However, the park offers plenty to do year-round.
⌚ How Long to Visit: The average visitor will likely be satisfied with 1-2 days in the park. Allow time at minimum to summit Guadalupe Peak and hike in McKittrick Canyon. If you have extra time, visit the Salt Basin Dunes. If you are backpacking, consider a 3-4 day visit.
🚗 How to Get There: El Paso is the closest major population center to the park, sitting just under 2 hours west of the Pine Springs Visitor Center. Those visiting from afar can fly into El Paso and rent a car. Otherwise, those on long-distance national park road trips can easily pair the park with other nearby or semi-nearby offerings like Carlsbad Caverns, Big Bend, and White Sands.
🛏️ Where to Stay: Pine Springs Campground and Dog Canyon Campground are the park’s two standard camping options. Note that Dog Canyon Campground is a two-hour drive from the park’s visitor center. If you don’t want to camp, Van Horn and Carlsbad are small towns nearby with a few lodging options.
🧳 What to Bring: Bring your usual hiking and camping or backpacking gear, with an emphasis on extra water and sunscreen. The park is friendly to horse owners – with a special campground designed for stock use – so feel free to bring a horse if you happen to own one.

✅ DO reserve campsites in advance, since there aren’t many places to stay near the park. So, you won’t be happy if you show up at the park to find its campgrounds full.
✅ DO be aware of wildlife, especially mountain lions. Ensure that you know how to handle a mountain lion encounter, just in case.
❌ DON’T underestimate the heat. Even though the park is mountainous, it is still part of the Chihuahuan Desert, so conditions can be brutally hot in the summer months.