Along the edge of an ancient sea, a reef formed. The water was an inland sea, connected to the rest of the earth’s oceans by a narrow channel. The reef grew and grew until it stretched around the horseshoe-shaped shoreline of the sea for a length of over 400 miles, towering high above the ocean floor, similar to the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia. This 250-million year old reef is known as The Capitan Reef. It was a tropical ocean, teeming with life – sponges, algae, and other lime-secreting marine organisms.

For several million years these organisms built their home in the ocean until the inlet became restricted and the sea began to evaporate. Thick blankets of other sediments then covered the reef, eventually burying it for millions of years. As movements of the Earth’s plates caused the area to rise and these ancient sediments were exposed, they began to erode and reveal the massive reef once again, leaving the resistant limestone standing high above the surrounding softer sedimentary rock. This exposed reef now forms the rugged and beautiful Guadalupe Mountains National Park, which contains the four highest peaks in Texas.

In late October 2008, my usual hiking buddy Ward and myself made a trek from Oklahoma to the west Texas Chihuahuan Desert to visit Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Guadalupe Mountains National Park is not a park where one drives to overlooks to see the sights – here you have to get out and hike to them. And hike we did. There are 85 miles of trails in the desert, the mountains, and the rugged canyons. The park is remote, it lacks water, and once you’re in the backcountry chances are you’ll feel like you’re the only visitor in the whole place. In our week there we saw the highest point in Texas, hiked in the canyons, were amazed at the bright autumn colors of the maples, had endless views of the surrounding countryside, and spent a couple of nights in the isolated backcountry campgrounds of this awesome national park.

A Hiking Trip to Guadalupe National Park Begins

We drove from our homes in central Oklahoma, across the somewhat boring flatlands of western Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle, and arrived at the park in late afternoon. We found a camping spot in Pipe Springs Campground. It was only $8 for the night, but there are essentially no facilities except a restroom, a few water spigots, and a sink for washing dishes. It was adequate for our needs. After a cool, quiet night, and a beautiful sunrise, we relaxed around the campsite for a time, then broke camp, loaded our packs, and began our hike to Guadalupe Peak. Our goal was to go to the peak and then camp at the backcountry campground which has five sites. Guadalupe Peak is the highest point in Texas (8,749 feet) and it is 4.2 miles one way to peak from Pipe Springs Campground.

Along the way there is a 2,940 foot elevation gain. On sections of the trail, we were amazed and impressed with the expert construction of the trail, and the obvious difficulty of constructing a trail in such steep terrain. At one point, there is even a footbridge perched precariously over a chasm on the side of the mountain. The last part of the climb to the peak is steep and rocky but not that difficult. From there are beautiful 270 degree views of the surrounding desert and El Capitan below. On the highest point of the peak is a silvery metallic obelisk – a monument placed by American Airlines in 1958 to commemorate the one-hundredth anniversary of transcontinental mail delivery, which went through Guadalupe Pass. After visiting the peak and taking some pictures, it was getting late in the afternoon so we headed about a mile back down the trail to the campground – the highest campground in Texas – which has five sites scattered just off of the trail.

The next morning we were treated to a lovely sunrise. We broke camp and headed back down the trail to the campground and chose a site where we set up camp for the night. Since it was still early afternoon, we decided to hike Devil’s Hall Trail. Compared to the trail to Guadalupe Peak, this is relatively easy 4.2 mile round trip with minimal elevation change (~750 feet). The trail also starts at Pine Springs Campground, heads out across the desert and eventually drops into the shallow valley of Pipe Springs Canyon. The canyon meanders and gets gradually deeper. I’m sure that water flows in the canyon some times of the year, but when we were there it was completely dry. Partway along the hike is a stepped rock formation known as the Hiker’s Staircase. The canyon is lined with oak and big-tooth maple trees, alligator junipers, yuccas, agaves, cacti, and Texas madrones. At the end of October, the maples in this canyon were especially vivid. At the end of the trail is Devil’s Hall, a narrow, vertical-walled slot, about 200 feet long and 15 feet wide. This is the turn-around point of this hike.

Along Devil's Hall Trail

McKittrick Canyon

The next day we hiked in McKittrick Canyon. This canyon is in the eastern part of the park – to get there from Pipe Springs and the visitor center area, you have to leave the park briefly and drive a few miles to the northeast and then back into the park, or hike up and over the reef, which would amount to a multi-day backpacking trip. McKittrick Canyon Trail is fairly level and shaded most of its length and follows a small stream for much of the way. Historic Pratt’s Lodge, Hunter Line Cabin, and the Grotto are highlights along the trail, plus the relatively lush forest. It is about 3.4 miles to where we turned around at The Grotto, although the trail continues past this spot, climbing nearly 2,000 feet to McKittrick Ridge where the trail connects to several other trails in the heights of the mountains.

One evening, with nothing better to do than hang out and enjoy the fresh air of west Texas, we drove out of the park a few miles to the southwest, where we had a spectacular overview of the west side of the reef. As the sun set I repeatedly took pictures of the ever-changing light on the mountains, and came away with one of my favorite photos which I now proudly display in my home. When taking pictures, it is always a goal of mine to shoot one which I consider worthy of hanging on my walls. I occasionally succeed, as was the case that evening.

Desert scenery at its finest

To Pine Top

Our next hike was up the Tejas Trail to spend the night at Pine Top Campground. The Tejas Trail starts off fairly level for the first mile or so, then has three miles of switchbacks. The hike from the trailhead at Pine Springs Campground to Pine Top Campground is a total 4.2 miles with an elevation gain of about 2,540 feet. Pine Top is aptly named as it is in a dense (for west Texas) forest of ponderosa pines, Douglas firs, and other trees. Once we set up camp one of the eight available campsites – again with piled trees, branches, and rocks for a windbreak – we took an evening jaunt on the Bowl Trail to Hunter’s Peak. This peak is, at 8,368 feet of elevation, the 5th highest peak in park and has spectacular views in all directions – a great place for a panoramic photo of the park and the surroundings. It is an easy mile hike from Pine Top to Hunter Peak. Back at our campsite at Pine Top, I shot some beautiful sunset shots of Hunter Peak.

The Guadalupe Mountains can offer spectacular scenery at sunset and sunrise.

Final Thoughts on the Guadalupe Mountains

It’s mind-boggling to think that all of what we had seen during our visit was once under an ocean. This is a rugged mountain range, with steep slopes and deep canyons, high ridges, and limited water sources. The geography is complex, allowing unique life zones to shelter a staggering variety of animals and plants. After a wonderful four days of hiking and enjoying the fall colors and beautiful scenery of the Guadalupe Mountains, we said our farewell (for now) to the mountains, and headed home. The park is a hiker’s dream, with numerous trails ranging from easy beginner trails to multi-night backpacking trails. With few amenities and being in an isolated location, park visitation is small compared to many other national parks – all the more reason to go!

Need to Know

Information

Like most trips, visiting Guadalupe Mountains requires some planning to ensure that your experience is a pleasant one. There is no gasoline available in the park. If you are traveling from (El Paso) Texas, Dell City is the closest town with amenities such as gasoline, food, and ice. When traveling from New Mexico, Whites City is the last place to stock up on supplies. Campgrounds offer primitive dry camping. There are two campgrounds: Pipe Springs Campground near the visitor center, and Dog Canyon Campground, a more isolated in the secluded, forested canyon on the north side of the park. Other than restrooms and potable water, there are no other amenities. There are no lodges in the park. Weather in the park can be unpredictable. Cell phone coverage is very unreliable in the park. This is a dry environment. Permits (free) are required for all backcountry camping. Find more details on the park website. Other nearby attractions include Carlsbad Caverns National Park, about 42 miles to the northeast on US Highway 62.

Getting There

Guadalupe Mountains National Park is in west Texas, about 110 miles east of El Paso, Texas via U.S. Highway 62/180. Dog Canyon, on the north side of the park, is accessed via New Mexico state road 137.

Best Time to Go

The park is open year round. Weather in the Guadalupe Mountains can change in an instant. In the spring and summer, average temperatures vary with highs between 70-80+ degrees with evening lows in the 40-60 degree range. The fall and winter bring milder temperatures with highs typically from 50-60 and evening lows in the 30-50 degree range.

Maps and Books

National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map 203. For a guidebook see Hiking Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks, a Falcon Guide. For getting to and from trailheads and exploring other destinations in the state, the Delorme Texas Atlas & Gazetteer can be useful.

The Author

Steve Ancik is a landscape architect by profession whose hobbies include mountain biking, hiking, backpacking (getting there is half of the fun!), and photography. He lives in Edmond, Oklahoma. All photographs in this article © Steven L. Ancik.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in Issue 37 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here for additional photos and content.