The Ultimate Guide To Guadalupe Mountains National Park | 2-Day Itinerary

Guadalupe Mountains National Park might not be on everyone’s radar, but if you are in or around the area it’s worth a visit. Jake and I visited Guadalupe Mountains National Park when we were on a road trip through New Mexico and Texas.

They are beautiful green lush mountains that offer some beautiful views. In this ultimate guide to Guadalupe Mountains National Park 2-day itinerary, I will go over some of the best hikes in the area, where to find accommodation and what else to do around the area. 

Guadalupe Mountains National Park is one of the less visited National Parks.

There are still a variety of great hikes to choose from, but we think you can easily get a good feel for the park in 2 days. But, that’s not to say you should shorten your time here, there are definitely plenty of ways to enjoy a longer trip in the area.

Follow this ultimate guide to Guadalupe Mountains National Park 2-day itinerary.

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Map Of The ultimate guide to Guadalupe Mountains National Park:

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Day 1 in Guadalupe Mountains National Park: 

When Jake and I plan a road trip, we like to add some aggressive hikes into our itineraries so we can get a great feel for the park. Which usually tends to be on top of a mountain. And we think Day 1 on this Guadalupe Mountains National Park 2-day itinerary, is the right time to climb a mountain, when your legs are still fresh.

There are two long, strenuous hikes you can choose from when visiting Guadalupe Mountains National Park: Guadalupe Peak or Hunter Peak.

Guadalupe Peak is the tallest peak in Texas, but Hunter Peak offers a beautiful view of Guadalupe Peak. You can’t really go wrong with either as they both offer stunning views from above.

Jake and I chose Hunter Peak, because we wanted a view of Guadalupe Peak and wanted to avoid the crowds. And great views and complete solitude is what we received.

Hunter Peak:

Hunter Peak stands 8,360 ft high. The hike starts from the Pine Springs Campground.

The hike to the top of Hunter Peak is 7 miles with 3,067ft elevation change. It is a steady climb most of the route to the top.

First, the hike starts off walking through a dry river bed, and quickly turns the corner to meander up the mountain through a Pinyon Pine and Douglas-fir forest. Once you are near the top, you meander along a more dense forest.

There is a loop hike at the top called the bowl if you want to continue your journey. Jake and I visited in winter, so most of the leaves were off the trees and the forest floor was dead and dry.

Therefore, we don’t highly recommend the bowl hike during the winter months. And it adds an additional 2 miles to the total hike. I can imagine in late spring, summer and early fall it is a great addition to the hike with a lush forest. 

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Guadalupe Peak:

If you want to climb the tallest peak in Texas, then you should choose Guadalupe Peak.

The hike is 9 miles with 2,982 ft elevation change. The hike is a steady climb the whole route, starting in the Chihuahuan Desert and later hiking through Pinyon Pine and Douglas-fir Forest. But the views from the top will be well worth the trek. 

Plus, if you don’t want to climb all the way back down, you can carry a pack with all your backpacking essentials and camp up at the top. 

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Day 2 in Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Day 2 on the ultimate guide to Guadalupe Mountains National Park 2-day itinerary, will be a bit less of a climb, but still quite a few miles.

To start off the morning, we hiked McKittrick Canyon to Pratt Cabin. If you have more time in the park, then you could spend a full day exploring the canyon, but Jake and I were on a time crunch so we only explored the first section. And the views are stunning to say the least. 

After hiking McKittrick Canyon Head to Devil’s Hall to hike to a unique formation in the canyon. Depending on where you stay for the night, either hike could be flip-flopped. 

McKittrick Canyon Trail:

McKittrick Canyon is also a great hike to capture some beautiful fall foliage in late fall or early winter.

The trailhead for McKittrick Canyon starts from the McKittrick Canyon Visitor Center. The hike is well-maintained along a wide dirt path.

Although there are a couple times you need to cross the river. But there are rocks placed so you can usually cross without getting your feet wet. 

There are a few different destinations along this hike such as, Pratt Cabin, The Grotto, McKittrick Ridge and/or Dog Canyon. Jake and I only traveled a little further than Pratt Cabin which is 4.6 miles with 200ft elevation change.

The next popular destination is the Grotto which is 6.8 miles with 400ft elevation change. 

And if you have more time to explore you can reach McKittrick Ridge in 4.1 miles with 2,000 ft elevation change (one-way) for a stunning view up top.

And at 14.9 miles with 2,946 ft elevation change (one-way) you can reach Dog Canyon. 

Devil’s Halls Trail:

Devil’s Hall was one of my favorite hikes in the park. The trail for this hike starts from the Pine Springs Campground.

The hike is 3.6 miles with 577ft elevation change. Devil’s Hall trail starts off climbing up in elevation right before entering in between canyon walls.

During late fall or early winter you might be able to capture some beautiful fall foliage within the canyon. 

The hike does require some scrambling, but most of the area is maintained, so you can easily follow the path of least resistance.

Once the canyon walls start narrowing in, you have come close to what is known as the Devil’s Hall.

This is one of the more popular hikes in the area, so we suggest going during morning to avoid crowds. 

El Capitan

And of course, a trip to Guadalupe Mountains National Park isn’t complete without snapping a pic of El Capitan.

On our drive out, Jake and I stopped at the El Capitan Viewpoint to snap a photo.

There is a hike where you can climb up close to get a better look, but we didn’t have enough time for that. 

The long version of the hike is 9.6 miles with 1689 ft elevation change.

But park rangers have said you can cut the hike in half if you park at a pull-off on the side of the road down Hwy 62. It will look like an abandoned road with a gate (use these coordinates: 31.863188, -104.836634). 

Use AllTrails for more details if you are interested in hiking to El Capitan. 

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Where To Stay in Guadalupe Mountains National Park:

There are a few different places to stay within the area. 

Campgrounds in Guadalupe Mountains National Park:

There are 2 established campgrounds within the park. But they are on opposite sides of the park.

Pine Springs Campground is located on the South side of the park and Dog Canyon Campground is located on the North side.

Pine Springs Campground has 20 tent sites and 20 RV sites. Dog Canyon Campground has 9 tent sites and 4 RV sites. 

Dog Canyon tends to have cooler temperatures due to higher elevation and offers more solitude as it is farther from civilization.

Both campgrounds are first come-first serve. Pine Springs Campground is closer to the more popular hikes within the park For more information about either campground, check out the National Parks Service Website. 

Backcountry Camping in Guadalupe Mountains National Park:

If you are looking to camp in the backcountry you can obtain a permit within the visitor center. There are 10 designated campgrounds within the backcountry.

Check out the different campsites on the National Park Service Website.

Free Camping Near Guadalupe Mountains National Park:

If you are looking for free camping, consider staying at Dillhauty Drive. Jake and I found this spot via iOverlander. There is also a primitive campground along this road, but it was just a big gravel lot. 

Also check out our post: 3 Great Websites For Free Camping

Hotels & Vacation Rental Homes Near Guadalupe Mountains National Park:

If camping isn’t your style, there are hotels and vacation rentals in the surrounding areas (near Guadalupe National Park). But do note, they will be a bit of a drive from the park.

Use this helpful map to find hotels and vacation rentals nearby.

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Take A Virtual Tour With Us Through The Park:

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Takeaway | The Ultimate Guide To Guadalupe Mountains National Park | 2-Day Itinerary:

Guadalupe Mountains National Park is home to the tallest mountains in all of Texas. The beautiful scenery here is in stark contrast to the rest of West Texas which is mostly flat.

Some of the hikes we did here were unique and beautiful. Plus if you go in the off season, you might find complete solitude in this area. 

Also, be sure to check out Carlsbad Caverns National Park while you are in the area. It is simply one of the most unique sights you will see as you meander the caverns witnessing formations that have formed over millions of years.

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