Tips Needed (Guadalupe Mountains NP)

[Animag771]

Hello, from Texas. I'm new here, so I'll start with a little background. After years of car camping as a kid and a few times with my wife (who grew up RV camping every summer) we've started to get a bit more adventurous with our destinations and have done a handful of hike-in base camping. Now that we've got a bit more/better gear and we think we're ready to try something a bit more challenging.

It was kind of a sput of the moment idea, but since she (teacher) will be off for spring break, I decided to take that time off as well. We talked about going to Big Bend (never been) for a few days, but after reading about it more, it seems like spring break is the busiest time of year and we really want to go get lost somewhere and have some peace and quiet. Sooo.... After some more searching we've decided to check out Guadalupe Mountains NP. It seems to be more of a hidden gem and (fingers crossed) less populated.

Now we're in the planning stages and sadly we didn't really give ourselves much time to prepare... That's where I'm going to need some help/advice.

The idea is 4 days/3 nights (maybe 5/4 to make the drive home easier) starting at McKittrick Trailhead. Not sure how long it's going to take us to get from one spot to the next without overextending ourselves, since we've never been there. Obviously we'd like to see a little of everything, but I don't think that's possible given the time frame and water requirements. Oh and for reference I'd say we're moderately active. I'm built like your typical thru-hiker (skinny with an unstoppable metabolism) and she's of average build; not a beanpole like me, but not fat. We don't have gym memberships or do workout routines, but we often do 3-4 mile day hikes near home with packs.

Current thought:
Day 1: McKittrick Trailhead--> McKittrick Ridge
Day 2: McKittrick Ridge --> Blue Ridge Trail --> Bush Mountain ???Too far???
Day 3: Bush Mountain --> Bowl Trail --> Bear Canyon Trail --> Pine Springs ???Too far???
Day 4: Pine Springs --> Devil's Canyon Trail --> Guadalupe Peak
Day 5: Guadalupe Peak --> Pine Springs --> Home

Concerns:
Ideas for carrying enough water?
I'll check the forecast but should I bring rain gear just in case?
Do I need to shorten my route?
How do I get back to my car? I doubt I can call an Uber from Pine Springs.


Any advice is greatly appreciated.