Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Our last stop in Texas during our 2024 Summer of Sunscreen leads us to the Guadalupe Mountains National Park. This park was established in 1972 and it is is not just another mountain located in the middle of nowhere. It is a unique terrain that is the largest peak in Texas. Not only that but it is the largest Permian fossil reef. That’s right, at one time approximately 265 million years ago this entire area was covered by the Delaware Sea.

Now all that is left is this spectacular display of mountains and pretty vast open sandy/rocky terrain. Some of this terrain is said to be filled with Gold. Researching some of these old folk tails leaves you wondering if somewhere in this ancient land if there is deposits of gold left behind by the hands of old settlers. Not that I will ever know, we hiked for a few hours out here and this heat is something else. You cannot underestimate it. This will hurt you if you are not prepared and hydrated. Today it is 100 degrees and the sun feels like a blow torch on your skin. Be careful but still enjoy. Get out early, this morning around 7 AM it was only 82 outside. Much easier to hike and enjoy yourself.

Here is a tip! The desert is freaking hot. Bring at least a gallon of water per person. More if you are planning a day hike or multiple hikes. I felt like a idiot having multiple water bottles on us plus 5 gallons of water in the Jeep but seriously you may need it. It is better to be prepared than to be, well you know……dead.

Pinery Nature Trail

Pinery nature trail is located right from the Pine Springs Visitor Center parking lot. So there is no reason not to take this trail. From the Visitor Centers lot this trail is a .75 mile loop that is flat, mostly paved, and accessible for handclapped individuals. This loop gives you nice views of the mountains but also great views of the area vegetation. You will also get to see plenty of lizards running around. They are everywhere! It is like squirrels back home.

I recommend this trial for anybody that has kids. Also if you are not all that into hiking but want something easy with plenty of bench’s to take a seat this one is for you. Also with it being at the Visitors Center you have a water bottle filler, flushing toilets, and AC if you get hot.

One last thing about this trail is it takes you to some ruins of the Old Butterfield Stagecoach Route Pinery Station that was established in 1858. This was a relay station that was only open for about a year. The Pinery Nature Trail is a great way to get a taste of the environment without the danger of a day hike.

Manzanita Springs and Frijole Historic Site

Heading up the road you will come to the Manzanita Springs and Frijole Historic Site. We did not walk the entire trail to both the Manzanita Springs and the Smith Springs. We decided to check out the Frijole Historic Site and the Manzanita Springs then to move on.

The Manzanita Springs trial is an easy .5 mile out and back trail that will take you right past Frijole Ranch. It was interesting to see this small pond located in the middle of the desert. Surrounded by lush greenery this pond was used by family’s in the 1800’s to water crops.

The Frijole Ranch was built in 1876 by two brothers that used the spring located on the property to grow crops. They then would load up crops and take them by carriage overnight to a community roughly 61 miles away. They would leave at evening and arrive at morning in time for everyone to purchase for the day. With the cost of living today this whole setup would run you well over a million dollars, ok I have no proof of that but damn inflation in crazy right now.

Anyway I digress. This setup is amazing that it is still in such good shape after all these years. It does a fantastic job of bringing you back in time to a much more simple world. Spend some time here and think about what it must have been like to live back in those days in this environment.

McKittrick Canyon Nature Trail

McKittrick Canyon Nature Trail is a easy/moderate trail located in McKittrick Canyon. The trial is only .9 miles but the terrain is more rocky and uneven. The trail is also very narrow, you will be in a single file line not walking side by side. This trail also does not have a lot of shade, so I recommend doing this early morning. At the trailhead you will have flushing toilets but I could not find a water bottle filling station.

On this trail it is much of the same. Great views of the mountains and up close with the vegetation and terrain. One thing that was really cool is we came across a tarantula hole and it looked like the tarantula was inside. I have never seen this in person so It was pretty amazing to come across this I thought.

If you are looking for the best place to stay that is close. Please click here where we will highlight a close RV park but also other places to explore in the Guadalupe area!