Guadalupe Mountains National Park

[The Solemates]

In our quest to reach the highest point in every state in 5 years, we will be attempting highpoint #17 by visiting Guadalupe Natl Park and surrounding areas here in about a month. Anyone that has been to this area, please share must-see, must-do activities. Here is what is on the agenda so far:

climb Guadalupe Peak
spelunk in Carlsbad Caverns
snorkel the reef in Balmorhea State Park
explore the sand dunes of Monahans Sandhills State Park

any others? anyone who has visited this area?

[rhjanes]

I've not been there, but the daughted has.

Check Sonora Texas. Not too far from Monahans. You need to see the Caverns of Sonora. One of the prettiest caves in N America. And one of the best kept secrets.

[Nean]

Most people (from Texas!) don't think of Texas having an 8,ooo' mountain. I've seen it from the road, which again is more than most. Palo Duro Canyon is worth a visit if you are close.

[The Will]

Solemates,

You are truley in for something special during your visit to Southwest Texas! I have not been to Guadalupe Nat'l Park yet but I have spent two weeks each of the past two winters in Big Bend Nat'l Park and have really been taken by the desert landscape and that part of the country in general.

Some suggestions and things I would like to do myself when I return to the area.

Ft. Davis looked like a nice little town to spend a few hours in.....bookshops galleries, etc. I can't offer a lot of comment on Ft. Davis because I drove through at night, but it, and the surrounding Davis Mountains all looked worthy of exploration. North of Ft. Davis is the McDonald observatory (You've heard the mini-program "Stardate" on NPR?...this is the observatory that sponsors it.).....They have an evening program that cost $10 and includes a tour of the sky by naked eye and telescope and they show a film as well.....definitely worth the time and money.

Alpine, Texas is home of Sul Ross State Univeristy and I'm sure there are the usual benefits of being around an intellectual center such as art shows and musical perfomances......Willie Nelson is performing there on Valentine's day to help raise funds for the regions new NPR station. There's a hotel/restaurant/bar off the main drag in the old downtown section...I believe it was called the Edelweiss--it was exceptional.

If you make it as far south as Alpine or further into the Big Bend area, let your FM radio scan (and scan and scan and scan.....as I recall it was around 100.3 on the dial) and hopefully you will pick up the independent, coyote radio station operated out of Terlingua....a tremedously eclectic range of music.....something you'd only expect to find somewhere between Bozeman and Boulder.

If you do decide to spend some time in Big Bend, I'd be happy to share information on that place as well.

It sounds like you have a good trip lined up. Enjoy.

[Shutterbug]

Palo Duro Canyon is worth a visit if you are close.

I hiked Palo Duro Canyon last week. The hike to the "lighthouse" formation was a good one. It is well worth a day hike.

In the past, I have hiked Caprock Canyons State Park. It is also an interesting hike.

Both are good winter hikes. In the summer that area is really hot.

Shutterbug

[mdionne]

you must hike the summit trail and stay at the campsites just a quaarter mile from the summit. you must also hike the pine bowl trail (or something like that). el capitan is one bad ass cliff. the dunes are cool but you can see those from the top or when you're driving in. the canyon is also a hot spot to see. gaudelupe mountains are my favorite part of texas, hands down! better than big bend my friend. while your there, drive a half hour north and catch carlsbad caverns. you'll probably have to go there for gas anyway.

[TwoForty]

Do a day hike through McKittrick canyon. Another option is to start at McKittrick canyon and hike back to the Pine Springs (I think) visitor center. Make sure you hit the bowl.

[bigkingtut]

I have been there in Nov and April. The november trip was a loop hike in dog canyon on the Northside of the park and the April trip was to climb the peak.On the April trip I checked the weather and it was very promising,but when we started getting closer to the park I started seeing snow and more snow. The park is high enough that it has it's own weather system. We had to posthole through knee deep snow on our way to the top.
when we were there on the Nov trip we were going to climb the peak,but it was closed due to near blizzard conditions on the top,the rangers would not let you summit,so we went to dog canyon insted. I have pasted a link to the April summit trip.....
http://community.webshots.com/user/bigkingtut

[Cookerhiker]

Timely post. I'm also heading to Guadalupe around March 12-15 following a Sierra club service trip to Saguaro National Park. Thanks Bigkingtut - I'll be prepared for snow and cold weather.

[Critterman]

If you go through Odessa on your drive out there stop by the meteor crater it is just off the road. It is interesting to see but nothing like the one in Arizona.

[The Solemates]

I have been there in Nov and April. The november trip was a loop hike in dog canyon on the Northside of the park and the April trip was to climb the peak.On the April trip I checked the weather and it was very promising,but when we started getting closer to the park I started seeing snow and more snow. The park is high enough that it has it's own weather system. We had to posthole through knee deep snow on our way to the top.
when we were there on the Nov trip we were going to climb the peak,but it was closed due to near blizzard conditions on the top,the rangers would not let you summit,so we went to dog canyon insted. I have pasted a link to the April summit trip.....
http://community.webshots.com/user/bigkingtut

thanks for the advice. we leave this weekend and certainly were not planning for snow. but if you got some in april, certainly we may get some in early march! will post pictures upon our return.

[RichardD]

There is a nice campground at Pine Springs located at the base of the Guadalupe peak trail. The hike up Guadalupe peak makes for a nice day hike. There is a backpacking camp a little before the summit, no water sources so all water has to be carried.
If you have time, another really nice hike is McKittrick canyon accesed by a road a couple of miles South of the visitor Center. An easy day hike is to hike in and out to the Notch, which overlooks a spectacular part of the canyon. If you have a non hiking driver, a great dayhike is to hike Mc Kittrick through to Dog Canyon, this makes for a much longer day hike but requires a driver to drive around to Dog Canon ( about 100 miles but a nice scenic drive).

Balmorhea State Park is a great place to camp in the Spring, the spring fed pool is great to cool off in and of course there will likely be many scuba divers. I have not found much in the way of hiking trails in its vicinity.

Monahans State Park is good for a visit but I would suspect that a day would be too much unless you have children who like playing in the sand.

Enjoy your trip

[Cookerhiker]

There is a nice campground at Pine Springs located at the base of the Guadalupe peak trail. The hike up Guadalupe peak makes for a nice day hike. There is a backpacking camp a little before the summit, no water sources so all water has to be carried.
If you have time, another really nice hike is McKittrick canyon accesed by a road a couple of miles South of the visitor Center. An easy day hike is to hike in and out to the Notch, which overlooks a spectacular part of the canyon. If you have a non hiking driver, a great dayhike is to hike Mc Kittrick through to Dog Canyon, this makes for a much longer day hike but requires a driver to drive around to Dog Canon ( about 100 miles but a nice scenic drive).

Balmorhea State Park is a great place to camp in the Spring, the spring fed pool is great to cool off in and of course there will likely be many scuba divers. I have not found much in the way of hiking trails in its vicinity.

Monahans State Park is good for a visit but I would suspect that a day would be too much unless you have children who like playing in the sand.

Enjoy your trip

Richard, what about the hike to El Capitan? Can you actually hike to the summit - the dsecriptions I read indicate the trail goes around it. Can you camp at Williams Ranch - is there water there?

I might backpack from Pine Springs to the end of Dog Canyon where there's a ranger station with water and back the next day. Is this feasible?

[RichardD]

There is no trail to the summit of El Capitan. El Capitan is a reef cliff that lies below and to the East of Guadalupe Peak. A very well used trail goes to the summit of Guadalupe peak.
The El Capitan trail runs along the base of El Capitan, it is very scenic but stays low. I have hiked this trail part way to Williams Ranch but turned back after the wind became excessive, I also had a very close encounter with a very large Western Diamondback on this trail. I don't know about water availability at Williams Ranch.
I have hiked from Mc Kittrick to Dog Canyon but not from Pine Springs to Dog Canyon. I would think one day from Pine Springs to Dog Canyon with an overnight and water resupply at Dog Canyon then back to Pine Springs would make for an excellent trip. If you could get a ride the few miles from Pine Springs to McKittrick then the hike out from McKittrick to Dog Canyon then back to Pine Springs would be even better two day trip.
If your trip is in the Springtime have alternate hikes in mind, the wind can be fierce and the Park sometimes closes the trail to Guadalupe peak. If you leave your tent in the campground while you climb the peak make sure you secure it really well or collapse it and secure. Many campers return to wind damaged tents after a day of hiking.
Enjoy your trip.

[Cookerhiker]

There is no trail to the summit of El Capitan. El Capitan is a reef cliff that lies below and to the East of Guadalupe Peak. A very well used trail goes to the summit of Guadalupe peak.
The El Capitan trail runs along the base of El Capitan, it is very scenic but stays low. I have hiked this trail part way to Williams Ranch but turned back after the wind became excessive, I also had a very close encounter with a very large Western Diamondback on this trail. I don't know about water availability at Williams Ranch.
I have hiked from Mc Kittrick to Dog Canyon but not from Pine Springs to Dog Canyon. I would think one day from Pine Springs to Dog Canyon with an overnight and water resupply at Dog Canyon then back to Pine Springs would make for an excellent trip. If you could get a ride the few miles from Pine Springs to McKittrick then the hike out from McKittrick to Dog Canyon then back to Pine Springs would be even better two day trip.
If your trip is in the Springtime have alternate hikes in mind, the wind can be fierce and the Park sometimes closes the trail to Guadalupe peak. If you leave your tent in the campground while you climb the peak make sure you secure it really well or collapse it and secure. Many campers return to wind damaged tents after a day of hiking.
Enjoy your trip.

Thanks. Very helpful advice, especially about the wind. I'm taking my Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight tent. The first time I used it was in Death Valley when a windstorm snapped one of the poles. Campmoor gave me a new tent.

[The Solemates]

Just returned from our trip. Had a great time. will post more info and pictures soon.

[MedicineMan]

i bet you will find the obelisk on top interesting! i think it was donated from an airplane company...def. do McKittrick Canyon...it is a beautiful NP, we hiked there after 3 days in Big Bend NP...I love the west!

[The Solemates]

Photos under the "Southwest Tour" album on my yahoo page. Link below.

[mdionne]

i bet you will find the obelisk on top interesting! i think it was donated from an airplane company...def. do McKittrick Canyon...it is a beautiful NP, we hiked there after 3 days in Big Bend NP...I love the west!

interesting? not in the least. who cares that airplanes used to do their flight training in that area? there's nothing like hiking to the top of a mountain to find a advertisment for american airlines.:rolleyes:

btw, that thing is coming down. being fought only by the owners of nickel? cafe because her father helped hike it up there, oh and probably american airlines. but as we all may know, corporate involvement in texas is super powerful. powerful enough to get a small town there to change it's name to "dish" so the citizens of that town could reap the benefits of 10 years of free "dish tv". succeed now!!! and take florida with you!:D

[Cookerhiker]

Just returned from our trip. Had a great time. will post more info and pictures soon.

Just left Saguaro NP and am heading to Guadalupe. Planning to day-hike up Guadalupe Peak then some backpacking. Looking forward to it.

[Cookerhiker]

On the road home after spending 2 1/2 days there. Was planning to stay 2 mored days and backpack but I lost a trekking pole tip and had other reasons to get home anyway. I saw much of what the park offers.

Unfortunately, I picked the busiest week to visit because all Texas public schools and universities had there spring break. Couldn't get a campsite the first day. Just as well - the winds hit 80 mph gusts that night. Several campers lost their tents. I hiked a few miles up McKittrick Canyon which to me was reminiscent of Zion Canyon

Next day - early start. Got a campsite and dayhiked up Guadalupe Peak on a windy but sunny day. 4.2 miles one-way 2,970' of climb. Not a bad hike at all. Awesome views of El Capitan, salt flats, the Texas plains, and the other montains.

Next day - hiked up Bear Canyon. The steepness (2,000' in 1.8 miles) and the rockiness reminded me of NH and ME. Once up at the rim, the walk around the Bowl area was fascinating - Ponderosa pines and douglas firs along with a few blooming wildflowers. One photo I labeled "This is Texas?" Descended down the more gentl Tejas Trail but somehow lost the pole tip. Grade was easy but footing was almost entirely loose rocks.

Highly recommended! April might be a better time - less crowds, less wind, and not too hot yet.