Guadalupe Mountains National Park - Plan Your Visit

Guadalupe Mountains National Park by National Parks Service

Operating Hours Seasons

The park is open year-round. Visitor Center hours are 8 am to 4:30 pm, slightly longer in summer. Headquarters Visitor Center is closed on Christmas Day. McKittrick Canyon is a day-use area; the gate at the highway is open from 8 am to 4:30 pm; open until 6 pm during daylight savings time.

Getting There

Plane

The closest large commercial airline service is El Paso, Texas. Other airlines serve Albuquerque, New Mexico, Lubbock and Midland, Texas and Mesa Airlines offers passenger service between Albuquerque and Carlsbad, New Mexico.

Car

Guadalupe Mountains National Park is located in far West Texas on U.S. Highway 62/180. The driving distance is 110 miles east of El Paso, Texas, or 56 miles southwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico.

Visitors traveling to Dog Canyon, on the park's north side, can access the area via New Mexico State Road 137.

Public Transportation

No public transportation available.

Getting Around

While the approach to Guadalupe Mountains National Park is scenic from any direction, there are no paved driving tours within the park. Park roads provide access to the Headquarters Visitor Center and Pine Springs Campground, the McKittrick Canyon Contact Station, Frijole Ranch, Williams Ranch (4X4 only), and trailheads.

Most visitors enjoy the park by hiking along one of over 80 miles of trails, ranging in difficulty from easy to strenuous. Many trails are rocky, often steep, and rugged. Trails lead to Guadalupe Peak, around the base of El Capitan, up into the high country, and into McKittrick Canyon. Self-guided nature trails are located at McKittrick Canyon (McKittrick Canyon Nature Trail), at the Headquarters Visitor Center (Pinery Trail), and at Dog Canyon (Indian Meadow Trail).