Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Come experience mountains and canyons, desert and dunes, night skies and spectacular vistas within a place unlike any other. Guadalupe Mountains National Park protects the world's most extensive Permian fossil reef, the four highest peaks in Texas, an environmentally diverse collection of flora and fauna, and the stories of lives shaped through conflict, cooperation and survival.
Alerts
- CautionNPS ↗Devil's Hall is a Strenuous Hike
The hike to Devil's Hall is rated as strenuous. The portion of the route in the wash requires rock scrambling and is dangerous when wet or if water is present. The wash surface is loose gravel and rocks and may be unstable.
- InformationPark Store To Go Cashless
Starting August 14th, 2025 the park store will go cashless. All major credit cards, debit cards and mobile electronic payments will be accepted.
Fees & passes
| Type | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Per PersonAn entrance fee of $10 per person (16 years of age and older) is required; entrance fees/passes permit 1-7 consecutive days of use in this national park. Holders of the Annual, Senior, Military, 4th grade and Access Pass can bring in 3 adults free of charge under their pass. Any pass must be displayed in a vehicle while in the national park. | $10 | |
| Education/Academic GroupsEntrance fee waivers are available to groups when the purpose of their visit is educational rather than recreational. Completed applications along with required documentation must be submitted via email. Fee waiver requests must be submitted at least six weeks before a scheduled visit to allow for consideration. | Free | |
| Passes | ||
| Annual Entrance - ParkThis pass is valid for entrance into Guadalupe Mountains National Park for one year from the month of purchase. The pass admits up to four adults in a private vehicle and is non-transferable; visitors under 16 years of age are free. You can purchase this pass at the Pine Springs Visitor Center. | $35 | |
Entrance fees may be paid with a credit card at the Pine Springs Visitor Center (open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) or with a credit card at the self-pay stations located at any trailhead. At the trailhead fill out the appropriate information on the front of the green fee envelope, seal, remove the detachable stub and place on dash of vehicle. Deposit the green fee envelope at any trailhead pipe safe.
Hours
| Pine Springs | Daily · All Day |
| Salt Basin Dunes | Daily · Sunrise to Sunset |
| McKittrick Canyon | Daily · 8:00AM - 5:00PM |
| Frijole Ranch | Daily · Sunrise to Sunset |
| Dog Canyon | Daily · All Day |
When to go
March draws the most visits here and August the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Campgrounds
| Pine Springs Campground | 35 sites | |
| $20 a night · The Pine Springs Campground is open year round, 24 hours a day. · 35 reservable | ||
| Dog Canyon Campground | 14 sites | |
| $20 a night · The Dog Canyon Campground is open year round, 24 hours a day. | ||
| Guadalupe Peak Wilderness Campground ↗ | 5 sites | |
| $6 a night · Wilderness Campgrounds may close due to emergency, maintenance work, or resource protection concerns. · 5 reservable | ||
| Pine Top Wilderness Campground ↗ | 8 sites | |
| $6 a night · Wilderness Campgrounds may close due to emergency, maintenance work, or resource protection concerns. · 8 reservable | ||
| Bush Mountain Wilderness Campground ↗ | 5 sites | |
| $6 a night · Wilderness Campgrounds may close due to emergency, maintenance work, or resource protection concerns. · 5 reservable | ||
Show all 13 campgroundsHide
| Blue Ridge Wilderness Campground ↗ | 5 sites | |
| $6 a night · Wilderness Campgrounds may close due to emergency, maintenance work, or resource protection concerns. · 5 reservable | ||
| Mescalero Wilderness Campground ↗ | 8 sites | |
| $6 a night · Wilderness Campgrounds may close due to emergency, maintenance work, or resource protection concerns. · 8 reservable | ||
| Marcus Wilderness Campground ↗ | 5 sites | |
| $6 a night · Wilderness Campgrounds may close due to emergency, maintenance work, or resource protection concerns. · 5 reservable | ||
| McKittrick Ridge Wilderness Campground ↗ | 8 sites | |
| $6 a night · Wilderness Campgrounds may close due to emergency, maintenance work, or resource protection concerns. · 8 reservable | ||
| Wilderness Ridge Wilderness Campground ↗ | 5 sites | |
| $6 a night · Wilderness Campgrounds may close due to emergency, maintenance work, or resource protection concerns. · 5 reservable | ||
| Shumard Canyon Wilderness Campground ↗ | 5 sites | |
| $6 a night · Wilderness Campgrounds may close due to emergency, maintenance work, or resource protection concerns. · 5 reservable | ||
| Tejas Wilderness Campground | 5 sites | |
| $6 a night · Wilderness Campgrounds may close due to emergency, maintenance work, or resource protection concerns. · 5 reservable | ||
| Frijole Horse Corral Campground | 1 site | |
| $20 a night · The horse campsite is a reservation only facility. · 1 reservable | ||
Every campground here has its own page on Campsite Atlas, with site counts, hookups, rig limits and booking windows. All of them on one page → How park camping works
Visitor centers
- Pine Springs Visitor CenterPassport stamp
Pine Springs Visitor Center is the park's main visitor center and headquarters. Visitors can pay entrance and camping fees, tour the museum, purchase items from the park store, pick up brochures and maps, and obtain overnight wilderness use permits here.
- Dog Canyon Ranger StationPassport stamp
Visitors can pick up brochures and maps from the Dog Canyon Ranger Station when staff or volunteers are available. The Dog Canyon Ranger Station is open intermittently depending on staff availability.
- McKittrick Canyon Contact StationPassport stamp
Visit the contact station at the mouth of McKittrick Canyon (staffed during peak seasons in the spring and fall). Pick up a park brochure, and view the outside exhibits and video.
Explore
Things to do
- Drive to Williams Ranch4-6 Hours
If you have a high-clearance, four wheel drive vehicle, the primitive dirt road to Williams Ranch provides a unique opportunity to get off the beaten path and get close to the remote and imposing western escarpment of the Guadalupe Mountains.
Opens on the Park Service site - Overnight on Wilderness Ridge2-3 Days
The lesser used Permian Reef Trail leads to sheltered campsites and spectacular views into McKittrick Canyon, making a great destination of a one night, two day backpacking trip into the Wilderness.
Opens on the Park Service site - Guadalupe Peak Viewpoint1-30 Minutes
This viewpoint, located just to the southeast of the park boundary alongside U.S. Highway 62/180 provides an excellent view to the summit of Guadalupe Peak.
Opens on the Park Service site - Visit the historic Frijole Ranch10-60 Minutes
Frijole Ranch is a delightful oasis on the edge of the dry, lower slopes of the Guadalupe escarpment which truly captures the rugged sprit of the American West.
Opens on the Park Service site - The Notch5-7 Hours
The hike to "the Notch" is a challenging day hike that proceeds through McKittrick Canyon to a dramatic viewpoint about half way up toward McKittrick Ridge.
Opens on the Park Service site - Hiking off-trail1-8 Hours
A new kind of experience in the Guadalupe Mountains starts where the maintained trail ends. However, off-trail hiking requires planning and preparation and carries a great deal of risk. Any person or persons planning to hike off trail in the park…
Opens on the Park Service site
Show all 12Hide
- Backpacking Preparation
A backpacking trip in Guadalupe Mountains Wilderness requires some prior planning and decision-making to ensure the best experience.
Opens on the Park Service site - Know the Rules
There are a variety of rules and regulations that dictate how the parks must be managed. These laws and regulations help us protect park resources while also providing visitors with a safe and enjoyable experience.
Opens on the Park Service site - McKittrick Canyon to Dog Canyon8-12 Hours
The McKittrick Canyon Trail follows the floor of South McKittrick Canyon for four miles before climbing steeply to gain the ridge on the north side of the canyon.
Opens on the Park Service site - McKittrick Ridge8-12 Hours
The journey to the top of McKittrick Ridge is "the toughest hike in Texas." This arduous hike is best enjoyed as an overnight hike allowing for rest, recovery, and fabulous night skies at the McKittrick Ridge Wilderness Campground.
Opens on the Park Service site - Trail Rides4-10 Hours
For those bringing horses and other stock to the Guadalupe Mountains, the park offers diverse riding opportunities. Sixty percent of the trails are open to stock use.
Opens on the Park Service site - Day Hike Preparation
As with most activities, hikers face potential risks. Knowledge and preparation can increase your comfort level and reduce your chances of injury. Remember, you are ultimately responsible for your own safety.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Webcams
Camera images load live from the National Park Service and partner agencies
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
On the National Register nearby
- Pinery StationSite · Gaudalupe Mountain National Park · 4.5 mi
- Guadalupe RanchBuilding · Salt Flat · 5.1 mi
- Wallace Pratt LodgeBuilding · Gaudalupe Mountain National Park · 7.4 mi
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Forest Service trails nearby
These trails are outside the park on National Forest land, within 15 miles of Guadalupe Mountains. Each one opens on Trailhead Atlas.
Distance is measured from the park's reference point to the nearer end of the trail.
Guidebooks for Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Texas's national parks
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
- Hiking Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National ParksBill Schneider, 2023Find at Bookshop.org
- Best Easy Day Hikes Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National ParksStewart M. Green, 2018Find at Bookshop.org
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthBurrowing Owl 1× · Chihuahuan Meadowlark 1×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 267 birds, 70 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAmerican Kestrel · Bald Eagle · Barn Owl · Burrowing Owl · Common Black-Hawk · Cooper's Hawk · Elf Owl · Ferruginous Hawk · Flammulated Owl · Golden Eagle · Gray Hawk · Great Horned Owl · Harris's Hawk · Long-eared Owl · Merlin · Mexican Spotted Owl · Northern Harrier · Northern Pygmy-Owl · Northern Saw-whet Owl · Osprey · Peregrine Falcon · Prairie Falcon · Red-tailed Hawk · Rough-legged Hawk · Sharp-shinned Hawk · Swainson's Hawk · Turkey Vulture · Western Screech-Owl · Zone-tailed Hawk
Waterfowl & wadersAmerican Coot · American Wigeon · Blue-winged Teal · Canada Goose · Cattle Egret · Cinnamon Teal · Common Merganser · Great Blue Heron · Great Egret · Green-winged Teal · Pied-billed Grebe · Ring-necked Duck · Sandhill Crane · Snow Goose · Snowy Egret · Tricolored Heron · White Ibis · Wood Duck
Shorebirds & seabirdsHerring Gull · Killdeer · Long-billed Curlew · Ring-billed Gull · Spotted Sandpiper · Wilson's Snipe
Gamebirds & dovesBand-tailed Pigeon · Gambel's Quail · Inca Dove · Montezuma Quail · Mourning Dove · Northern Bobwhite · Ring-necked Pheasant · Rock Pigeon · Scaled Quail · White-winged Dove · Wild Turkey
WoodpeckersAcorn Woodpecker · Downy Woodpecker · Hairy Woodpecker · Ladder-backed Woodpecker · Lewis's Woodpecker · Northern Flicker · Red-headed Woodpecker · Red-naped Sapsucker · Williamson's Sapsucker · Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Hummingbirds & swiftsBlack-chinned Hummingbird · Blue-throated Hummingbird · Broad-billed Hummingbird · Broad-tailed Hummingbird · Calliope Hummingbird · Magnificent Hummingbird · Ruby-throated Hummingbird · Rufous Hummingbird · White-eared Hummingbird · White-throated Swift
Also on the checklistAmerican Dipper · American Goldfinch · American Pipit · American Redstart · American Robin · American Tree Sparrow · Ash-throated Flycatcher · Baltimore Oriole · Barn Swallow · Belted Kingfisher · Bewick's Wren · Black Phoebe · Black-and-white Warbler · Black-chinned Sparrow · Black-crested Titmouse · Black-headed Grosbeak · Black-tailed Gnatcatcher · Black-throated Blue Warbler · Black-throated Gray Warbler · Black-throated Green Warbler · Black-throated Sparrow · Blue Grosbeak · Blue Jay · Blue-gray Gnatcatcher · Blue-headed Vireo · Brewer's Blackbird · Brewer's Sparrow · Bronzed Cowbird · Brown Creeper · Brown Thrasher · Brown-headed Cowbird · Bushtit · Cactus Wren · Canyon Towhee · Canyon Wren · Carolina Wren · Cassin's Finch · Cassin's Kingbird · Cassin's Sparrow · Cassin's Vireo · Cedar Waxwing · Chestnut-collared Longspur · Chestnut-sided Warbler · Chihuahuan Raven · Chipping Sparrow · Clark's Nutcracker · Clay-colored Sparrow · Cliff Swallow · Colima Warbler · Common Grackle · Common Nighthawk · Common Poorwill · Common Raven · Common Yellowthroat · Cordilleran Flycatcher · Crissal Thrasher · Curve-billed Thrasher · Dark-eyed Junco · Dusky Flycatcher · Eastern Bluebird · Eastern Meadowlark · Eastern Towhee · European Starling · Evening Grosbeak · Field Sparrow · Fox Sparrow · Gadwall · Golden-crowned Kinglet · Golden-crowned Sparrow · Grace's Warbler · Grasshopper Sparrow · Gray Catbird · Gray Flycatcher · Gray Vireo · Great-tailed Grackle · Greater Pewee · Greater Roadrunner · Green-tailed Towhee · Hammond's Flycatcher · Hepatic Tanager · Hermit Thrush · Hermit Warbler · Hooded Oriole · Hooded Warbler · Horned Lark · House Finch · House Sparrow · House Wren · Hutton's Vireo · Indigo Bunting · Juniper Titmouse · Kentucky Warbler · Lark Bunting · Lark Sparrow · Lawrence's Goldfinch · Lazuli Bunting · Lesser Goldfinch · Lesser Nighthawk · Lincoln's Sparrow · Loggerhead Shrike · MacGillivray's Warbler · Mallard · Marsh Wren · McCown's Longspur · Mountain Bluebird · Mountain Chickadee · Nashville Warbler · Northern Cardinal · Northern Goshawk · Northern Mockingbird · Northern Parula · Northern Rough-winged Swallow · Northern Shoveler · Northern Shrike · Northern Waterthrush · Olive-sided Flycatcher · Orange-crowned Warbler · Orchard Oriole · Ovenbird · Pacific-slope Flycatcher · Painted Redstart · Phainopepla · Pine Grosbeak · Pine Siskin · Pine Warbler · Pinyon Jay · Plumbeous Vireo · Purple Finch · Pygmy Nuthatch · Pyrrhuloxia · Red Crossbill · Red-breasted Nuthatch · Red-eyed Vireo · Red-faced Warbler · Red-winged Blackbird · Rock Wren · Rose-breasted Grosbeak · Ruby-crowned Kinglet · Rufous-crowned Sparrow · Sage Sparrow · Sage Thrasher · Savannah Sparrow · Say's Phoebe · Scarlet Tanager · Scissor-tailed Flycatcher · Scott's Oriole · Song Sparrow · Spotted Towhee · Steller's Jay · Summer Tanager · Swainson's Thrush · Swamp Sparrow · Townsend's Solitaire · Townsend's Warbler · Varied Bunting · Varied Thrush · Verdin · Vermilion Flycatcher · Vesper Sparrow · Violet-green Swallow · Virginia's Warbler · Warbling Vireo · Western Bluebird · Western Kingbird · Western Meadowlark · Western Scrub-Jay · Western Tanager · Western Wood-Pewee · Whip-poor-will · White-breasted Nuthatch · White-crowned Sparrow · White-eyed Vireo · White-throated Sparrow · Wilson's Warbler · Winter Wren · Worm-eating Warbler · Yellow Warbler · Yellow-billed Cuckoo · Yellow-breasted Chat · Yellow-eyed Junco · Yellow-headed Blackbird · Yellow-rumped Warbler · Yellow-throated Vireo
Small mammalsBanner-tailed Kangaroo Rat · Black-tailed Jackrabbit · Botta's Pocket Gopher · Brush Mouse · Cactus Mouse · Chihuahuan Desert Pocket Mouse · Crawford's Desert Shrew · Deer Mouse · Desert Cottontail · Eastern Cottontail · Fulvous Harvest Mouse · Gray-footed Chipmunk · Hispid Cotton Rat · Mearns's Grasshopper Mouse · Merriam's Kangaroo Rat · Merriam's Pocket Mouse · Mexican Ground Squirrel · Mexican Woodrat · Mogollon Vole · North American Porcupine · Northem Rock Mouse · Northern Grasshopper Mouse · Ord's Kangaroo Rat · Pinon Mouse · Plains Harvest Mouse · Rock Pocket Mouse · Rock Squirrel · Silky Pocket Mouse · Southern Plains Woodrat · Spotted Ground Squirrel · Texas Antelope Squirrel · Western Harvest Mouse · Western White-throated Woodrat · White-ankled Mouse · White-footed Mouse · Yellow-faced Pocket Gopher · Yellow-nosed Cotton Rat
PredatorsAmerican Badger · American Black Bear · Bobcat · Common Gray Fox · Coyote · Kit Fox · Long-tailed Weasel · Mountain Lion · Northern Raccoon · Ringtail · Striped Skunk · Western Spotted Skunk · White-backed Hog-nosed Skunk
Hoofed mammalsBarbary Sheep · Collared Peccary · Elk · Mule Deer · Pronghorn · White-tailed Deer
BatsBig Brown Bat · Big Free-tailed Bat · Brazilian Free-tailed Bat · California Myotis · Cave Myotis · Fringed Myotis · Hoary Bat · Long-legged Myotis · Pallid Bat · Silver-haired Bat · Townsend's Big-eared Bat · Western Pipistrelle · Western Small-footed Myotis
Also on the checklistVirginia Opossum
Activities
Activity guides for this park Birdwatching in the national parks · Camping in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Horseback riding in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
Weather & climate
The Guadalupe Mountains are known for high winds year-round; gusts can reach 60MPH or higher. In winter the mountains experiences occasional, light snowfalls which seldom last more than a day. From May through October, temperatures vary with highs between 80F-100F+ with lows in the 40F-60F range. November to April is generally milder with highs in between 50F-70F with lows in the 30F-50F range. Elevations above 8,000’ will be about 10F cooler than headquarters, with corresponding wind-chill.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Guadalupe Mountains?
Entrance is $10 per person on foot or bike. An entrance fee of $10 per person (16 years of age and older) is required; entrance fees/passes permit 1-7 consecutive days of use in this national park.
Source: National Park Service
Which passes work at Guadalupe Mountains?
The $80 America the Beautiful pass covers the entrance fee here, and a Guadalupe Mountains-only annual pass is $35.
Source: Is the pass worth it
Can I pay the entrance fee in cash?
No. Guadalupe Mountains takes cards only at the entrance.
Source: National Park Service
When is entrance to Guadalupe Mountains free?
Next on October 27, Theodore Roosevelt's birthday. 2 fee-free days are left this year, for US residents only.
Source: Free entrance days
Do I need a reservation to enter Guadalupe Mountains?
No. There is no timed-entry or entrance reservation at Guadalupe Mountains. Camping and some tours have their own reservations.
Source: National Park Service
Is Guadalupe Mountains open year-round?
Yes. The grounds are open 24 hours a day, year-round.
Source: National Park Service
Can I camp in Guadalupe Mountains?
Yes. The Park Service lists 13 campgrounds in Guadalupe Mountains: Pine Springs, Dog Canyon, Guadalupe Peak Wilderness, Pine Top Wilderness, and Bush Mountain Wilderness, and more. 13 take reservations through Recreation.gov.
Do any Guadalupe Mountains campgrounds have hookups or showers?
No. None of the 13 listed campgrounds report showers, electric hookups, or a dump station.
Source: Campgrounds
Do camping fees at Guadalupe Mountains include the entrance fee?
No. Camping is charged per night on top of the entrance fee or a pass; Pine Springs is $20 a night.
Source: Campgrounds
Is anything closed at Guadalupe Mountains right now?
2 active alerts as of October 14, 2026: Park Store To Go Cashless; Devil's Hall is a Strenuous Hike.
Source: Alerts
How busy is Guadalupe Mountains?
206,423 recreation visits in 2025, number 172 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Guadalupe Mountains?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE and T-Mobile 4G LTE. No reported coverage for AT&T. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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