8.4 Miles Roundtrip Out & Back

3,000 Feet Elevation Gain

Hard, Stenuous, & Steep Climb To The Highest Point In Texas

In the ancient coral Capitan Reef range of Guadalupe Mountains is the awesome, strenuous, but very rewarding Guadalupe Peak Trail which takes you to the highest point in all of Texas at 8,751 feet. The trail starts at the Pine Springs Campground which is about a half mile from the Pine Springs Visitor Center. From there you immediately begin your ascent as steep switchbacks take you along the canyon’s wall. The entire hike, the views become increasingly better and more rewarding. You’ll get to see the surrounding plains of the Chihuahuan Desert, the sand dunes, the salt flats, and as you climb you’ll enter the highlands and its forest terrain. That forest includes ponderosa pines, Douglas firs, aspen, and southwestern white pines.

Watch out for the false summit at around the three mile mark, you’re not quite there yet. Eventually you’ll come across the backcountry campsite, you’ll cross an awesome wooden bridge, and you’ll pass some horse hitches. And then finally, you’ll be at the amazing 360° view summit which let’s you see down into the heart of Southwest Texas and its Mountain Trail as well as up into New Mexico towards Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

When I did this hike in 2018, I began it after 2:00pm because it had been cloudy, foggy, misty, & chilly all morning and I didn’t want to hike up to a nonexistent vista. Once it cleared though, I made up my mind to do the grueling steep hike and be back down by sunset (6pm that day) which gave me only 4 hours. My only option, according to the Park Ranger was to run up and back down. So that’s exactly what I did. I finished this 8.4 mile straight up and down hike in just a few minutes over 4 hours. I don’t recommend it but it was worth it.