National Park Spotlight: Guadalupe Mountains

Last week, I shared my experience hiking to the summit of Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas. However, I didn't delve much into the national park encompassing Guad Peak: Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Situated at the higher end of the Guadalupe Mountains, with Carlsbad Caverns at the opposite end about 40 minutes away, and the Lincoln National Forest and some BLM land in between. GUMO, as we call it around here, boasts a diverse range of habitats at varying altitudes, along with rich historical significance.

A stunning mountain view within Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Unlike Carlsbad Caverns, which I discussed two weeks ago with its timed entry reservation system, accessing GUMO is relatively hassle-free. It's typically not as crowded, with visitation spread across various parts of the park rather than concentrated at a single point of interest. GUMO also receives about half the total visitation of Carlsbad Caverns, offering visitors more breathing room and less congestion.

Notably, unlike other mountain parks, GUMO lacks a scenic drive for accessing higher elevations with vehicles. Parks with scenic drives were mostly established in the early 20th century or even the late 19th century, such as Yellowstone, Shenandoah, Zion, and Crater Lake. Guadalupe Mountains National Park, authorized in 1966 and established in 1972, after the Wilderness Act and the era of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) or Mission 66, lacks a scenic drive along the crest of the Guadalupes. Instead, several areas serve as access points from the highway into the park, with trails leading throughout the area for foot access to higher ground.

For any park visit, the best starting point is the visitor center, and in GUMO, that’s located in Pine Springs, TX. Pine Springs also offers a campground and serves as the starting point for several trails, including my favorite, Guadalupe Peak. Guad Peak, as I mentioned in last week’s article, is not for the faint of heart. It’s a tough hike that will make you earn every inch, but you will be rewarded with arguably the best view in the state. If you prefer a less challenging hike or have limited time, consider the Devil’s Hall trail, my second favorite in the park. This 4.2-mile round trip with 548 feet of elevation gain takes you through an impressive natural rock staircase and a beautiful canyon.

The natural staircase at Devil’s Hall.

While many are familiar with White Sands National Park (formerly White Sands National Monument until 2019), one of the National Park System's best-kept secrets is the gypsum dunes of Salt Basin in GUMO. Accessible via a drive to the remote town of Dell City, TX, followed by a 30-minute drive on a dirt road and a 1.5-mile hike to the dunes, these dunes are stunning, sugar-white, and set against the western view of the Guadalupe Escarpment, with El Capitan towering at the end of the ridge. While the sand dunes are lots of fun to walk on, there are a few things you need to remember to protect the dunes for future visitors to enjoy.

Salt Basin Dunes

A significant portion of the sand is adorned with a dark cryptogamic crust. Cryptogams, which comprise a symbiotic relationship between lichen and fungi, play vital roles such as nitrogen production in soil, wind and erosion prevention, and priming the soil for the growth of other vegetation. This cryptogamic crust is delicate; even simply taking a few steps across it can make the soil susceptible to erosion. It's important to be mindful of the dark crust formed by cryptogams and refrain from stepping on it. Stick to designated roads, trails, and non-vegetated dunes to preserve this fragile ecosystem.

Just down the road east of Pine Springs is Frijole Ranch, which is a beautifully preserved 19th century ranch that is one of the best remaining exhibits of early farming and ranching efforts in the area. For those among you have been exposed to basic Spanish (Yo hablo poquito Español), frijole means bean. I’m told beans were a staple diet of the locals in the area during the days when this ranch acquired that name. Visitors now can walk around the grounds of the ranch and check out the interpretive signs around the area before walking up the paved walkway to Manzanita Spring.

Manzanita Spring, just outside of Frijole Ranch.

Manzanita Spring is an oasis in the hot, dry desert, and it’s at this point that most people on the trail will turn around because the rest of the way isn’t paved and the Chihuahuan Desert is unforgiving, rugged country. But if you can spare some time and you’ve got plenty of water with you, there’s another reward a mile further up the trail that is well worth the trouble to get to. This reward comes in the form of Smith Spring, a heavily vegetated oasis, nestled into the mountains, the heavy forests contrasting beautifully against the rugged high Chihuahuan Desert. Be sure to enjoy the wildlife watching while you’re there, and take time to enjoy the scenery on the way out. It is well worth the trip.

Smith Spring in Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park offers a diverse range of experiences, ensuring that no two visits are exactly the same. Even I have yet to explore everything it has to offer, and you really couldn't experience it all in less than a week even if you tried. If you're planning a trip to Carlsbad Caverns soon, consider extending your stay (perhaps even adding more time) to explore Guadalupe Mountains. You won't regret it.

A view from the Permian Reef Geology Loop in GUMO.