Best trails in Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Great trail and a repeat for sure. Quite challenging with climbing over the boulders!! Pretty strenuous but very worthwhile. Take the time to do this. Guadalupe Mountains National Park is fantastic

Memories of the desert! The Guadalupe Peak Trail in Guadalupe Mountains National Park is a strenuous (based on our strength level) yet worthwhile 8.4 miles round trip that leads to the highest peak of Texas. It is an out and back trail type with 2949 ft elevation gain. The summit provides breathtaking views of the El Capitan and Chihuahuan desert landscape. The trail features steep sections, switchbacks, rough terrain, and narrow paths with drop-offs, especially near the summit where we had to do some scrambling. The trail run through pinyon pine and Douglas-fir forests and is well maintained. We observed various cacti (including prickly pear cactus, cane cholla), sotol, lime pine, and others, in addition to shrubs. We did this trekking on 29th November 2024 to experience the stunning desert environment. It was a bright morning and the weather was excellent. Our first mistake was beginning the trek a little later than planned. This was our first strenuous trekking and it took 9.5 hours to finish which includes multiple pauses, snacking, and photography. Because the time zone was frequently changing, occasionally we found it challenging to keep track of the time. We had to trek in the dark using flashlight for the last 1 hour, for which we were not prepared, but here the fellow hikers are really nice, one couple helped us showing light. The second mistake we did was parked our vehicle near the visitor centre parking area. After this level of hiking, it was very difficult to walk extra few miles in dark to get to our car. A visitor provided us with a lift to the parking lot. We gained a lot of knowledge from this hike. Although we faced a few challenges but still it was a very memorable trek for us. On the basis of our experience following are the suggestions: 1) Begin your trek early in the morning. 2) Before heading out, please check the weather forecast and check the trail conditions from the park’s website. 3) Park your vehicle close to the trail’s parking space. 4) Put on sturdy hiking shoes with good traction. Please make sure you have all your hiking gear (Hiking poles, headlamp, medical kits etc.) with you. 5) Be prepared for shifting weather conditions, and wear layers that you can adjust as needed. 6) Carry snacks and enough water for the entire trek. 7) Don't overextend yourself, and take breaks when necessary. 8) The descent can be more difficult than the ascent, so be ready for loose rocks and possible slips. 9) Leave no trace behind, and pack out all of your trash.

Quick hike in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Overall not strenuous and well marked.

Rough and rocky! But fun and worth it! There’s a natural wall to climb before you get to the Hall which can be challenging going up and back down! Probably or favorite of the Guadalupe Mountains NP we hiked!

Coolest hike I’ve ever done! Definitely a challenge but doable and very rewarding. Must-do if you’re at Guadalupe Mountains.

This was a cool little spot! Bring lots of water, sunscreen and proper shoes for the sand. The sand dunes were fun to explore although I wish there was less vegetation and more sand but if you take your time you’ll find some nice spots. It would take about an hour round trip if you were just going out and back. I spent 3 hours there exploring and taking photos of the sunset on the Guadalupe mountains, it was beautiful!