My visit to Guadalupe Mountains National Park was at the end of a week-long road trip to 3 national parks in the southwest near El Paso, Texas – including White Sands and Carlsbad Caverns. Each of these NPs can be well covered in a day or two, and I found that joining them together for a travel week in early April before the onset of summer’s heat made for a fun and rewarding itinerary. I was fortunate to be joined on this adventure by my good friend Sandy. We began at White Sands and added a day of short hikes in Lincoln National Forest, followed by a day at Carlsbad and two at Guadalupe.
Guadalupe National Park
Most important to me about Guadalupe National Park is the trail to the summit of its namesake peak, the highpoint of Texas at 8,751 ft. As you know, I’m summiting state highpoints, as well as visiting national parks, so this is a “2-for-1”! On day one of this two-day visit, Sandy and I hiked the Guadalupe Peak Trail and chose the McKittrick Canyon Trail, one of several other good day hikes, for the second day.
Day One – Conquering the Guadalupe Peak Trail
For our hike up the highpoint, we arrived early at the Guadalupe Peak trailhead at 6:30 am. We had been advised by a park ranger that parking at the trailhead can fill up by 7 am. Also, we learned that afternoon winds on the summit had gusted up to 65mph the day before. Particularly in spring, winds on the mountain ridge are among the strongest in the U.S. We planned to be well off the summit ridge by early afternoon.
Roundtrip, the hike is about 8.5 miles, gaining nearly 3,000 feet in elevation, and takes 6-8 hours. There are some steep sections of the trail and a few spots where you really wouldn’t want to trip. We departed shortly before 7 am and returned a bit after 1 pm –so about 6 ½ hours, including breaks and lunch along the way. As you can see from the photos, we had a mostly cloudy, windy day. The trail is relatively shielded from wind until the final ridge, which is nothing short of blustery.
A Chance Encounter with a Legend
I was jazzed on the way down, having successfully summited and having passed all other hikers on the way up so I couldn’t help but joke of my hiking prowess to a park ranger volunteer who was heading up the mountain. (Sandy wisely ducked away at this moment.) After a brief exchange I learned that this volunteer, Pam, had summited 260 times!
Ranger Pam immediately became my idol and agreed to take a picture with me, something I’d never asked of anyone before. I later recounted this story to other rangers at the Visitor Center, who informed me that Pam Bales is a legend. They asked me to share the photo with them. As I learned, she once rescued a hiker in a raging storm in the White Mountains of New Hampshire – a story made into a film, Infinite Storm, starring Naomi Watts.
Day Two – McKittrick Canyon Trail
The next day was one of eventful weather. Sandy and I got a much later start than usual, 11 am, at the McKittrick Canyon Trail, considered one of the most beautiful in Texas, particularly during fall foliage season. This is an out-and-back trail to historic sites such as Pratt Cabin. The Cabin is named for Wallace Pratt, who lived seasonally with his family before donating all his Guadalupe land as the seed of the future national park. Sandy and I hiked the Trail up a deep canyon along a creek bed lined with not only the usual flora but also oak and maple, unusual in these parts, whose fall leaves paint a dramatic landscape of color. We did not experience that. Rather, we were dealt strong winds, and rapidly falling temperatures, freezing rain and hail. Nasty. We made it to Pratt Cabin and decided not to continue further as the inclement weather wasn’t turning positive anytime soon. So, we slogged back. It took my hiking boots three days to dry out.
Other day hikes to consider are Permian Reef Trail and Devil’s Hall Trail.
Tips: We stayed in a very fine VRBO house in the town of Carlsbad located about 30 minutes from the caverns and an hour from Guadalupe’s Pine Springs Visitor Center. There is nothing closer worth considering. We were glad to have chosen a house with a very nice, fully equipped kitchen, because we found that dining options in this town were at best unremarkable, and Sandy and I are quite capable in the kitchen.
On the drive from Guadalupe to El Paso, we drove over 100 miles without encountering a gas station or coffee spot to warm up after the cold, rainy hike. We came across no one, just one non-human trying to hitchhike; it appeared (see below). It’s lonely country out here, so plan accordingly.
In Summary: Guadalupe NP is another great option for a couple of days of hiking and highpointing. I was very pleased to have conquered another state highpoint that I can check off my list. Always consider the weather conditions which can make a big difference to your plans. Plan accordingly and check the closure times – most parks are very strict. For all the details on this trip please check out Peter’s Itineraries.
Carpe Diem!
