Guadalupe Mountains National Park
A fossil reef pushed into the sky, holding the highest point in Texas.
- 41named trails
- 107trail miles mapped
- Texaslocation
Popular hikes in Guadalupe Mountains
- Smith Spring Loop · about 2.3 mi · Moderate
- Devil's Hall · about 3.8 mi · Moderate
- Salt Basin Overlook · about 4.4 mi · Moderate
- McKittrick Canyon · about 4.8 mi · Moderate
- Permian Reef · about 8.4 mi · Strenuous
- Guadalupe Peak · about 8.4 mi · Strenuous
- El Capitan Trail · about 9.1 mi · Strenuous
Best months to visit
- April: Spring is comfortable for Texas's highest summit before summer heat. Desert blooms start in the lower canyons.
- November: McKittrick Canyon's maples and oaks turn red and gold from late October to mid-November, one of the best fall color shows in Texas.
Permits and reservations
No entry reservation. Overnight trips need a wilderness permit.
- Overnight wilderness permits: Required for all overnight backpacking. Reserve up to 3 months ahead (at least 2 days before the trip) for a $6 reservation fee plus $6 per person per night, then pick the permit up in person at Pine Springs Visitor Center with ID.
Entrance fees
- Per Person: $10
- Education/Academic Groups: $0
Official park site: nps.gov
All 41 trails in Guadalupe Mountains
- Amphitheatre Trail · 0.06 mi round trip · Easy
- Bear Canyon Trail · 3.6 mi round trip · Strenuous
- Blue Ridge · 4 mi round trip · Moderate
- Bowl Trail · 6.18 mi round trip · Moderate
- Bush Mountain Campground Access · 0.18 mi round trip · Easy
- Bush Mountain Trail · 23.38 mi round trip · Very strenuous
- Butterfield Stage Ruins Trail · 0.36 mi round trip · Easy
- Devil's Hall Trail · 4.2 mi round trip · Strenuous
- Dunes Trail · 4 mi round trip · Moderate
- El Capitan Trail · 18.62 mi round trip · Very strenuous
- Foothills Trail · 4.5 mi round trip · Moderate
- Frijole Ranch Trail · 0.16 mi round trip · Easy
- Frijole Trail · 4.22 mi round trip · Moderate
- Guadalupe Peak Campground Access · 0.26 mi round trip · Easy
- Guadalupe Peak Horse Trail · 3.1 mi round trip · Moderate
- Guadalupe Peak Trail · 8.4 mi round trip · Strenuous
- Hunter Peak Trail · 8.7 mi round trip · Strenuous
- Indian Meadows Nature Loop · 0.6 mi loop · Easy
- Juniper Trail · 3.9 mi round trip · Moderate
- Kincaid Trail · 13.4 mi round trip · Very strenuous
- Manzanita Ridge Route · 2.8 mi round trip · Moderate
- Marcus Trail · 5.2 mi round trip · Moderate
- McKittrick Canyon Nature Loop · 1.7 mi round trip · Easy
- McKittrick Canyon Trail · 18.8 mi round trip · Strenuous
- McKittrick Ridge Campground Access · 0.2 mi round trip · Easy
- McKittrick Ridge Trail · 15.2 mi round trip · Strenuous
- Mescalero Campground Access · 0.16 mi round trip · Easy
- Old McKittrick Canyon Road · 0.74 mi round trip · Easy
- Permian Reef Geology Loop Trail · 0.88 mi round trip · Easy
- Permian Reef Trail · 8 mi round trip · Strenuous
- Pine Springs Campground Trail · 0.2 mi round trip · Easy
- Pinery Trail · 0.75 mi round trip · Easy
- Pratt Cabin Access Trail · 4.8 mi round trip · Moderate
- Salt Basin Overlook · 4.7 mi round trip · Moderate
- Salt Basin Overlook Loop (east section) · 1.62 mi round trip · Easy
- Salt Basin Overlook Loop (west section) · 0.94 mi round trip · Easy
- Shumard Campground Access · 0.1 mi round trip · Easy
- Smith Spring Trail · 2.3 mi round trip · Moderate
- Tejas Trail · 23.6 mi round trip · Strenuous
- Visitor Horse Corrals Access · 0.22 mi round trip · Easy
- Wilderness Ridge Trail · 9 mi round trip · Strenuous
Trailbound shows every one of these on an interactive map with live weather, park alerts and elevation profiles. It's free to browse.