Guadalupe Peak National park trip. - Wild Texas Forums: Parks, Travel & Recreation

boyntonhaus · 01-21-2007, 10:31 PM

Hey Guys,
I am planning my first trip to Guadalupe Peak this coming June, taking the family and the pop-up. If I get there and the campsites are full, are there any close by campgrounds? Are there any campgrounds in New Mexico close to Carlsbad? I don't want to drive out there and not find a place to stay!Any info would be helpful. Thanks

happybooker1 · 01-22-2007, 08:48 AM

Just spent nearly at week at Brantley Lake SP in New Mexico. 15 minutes north of Carlsbad. Great little campground. You can go online & make reservations. CHEAP too!! Their SP's are only $14/night with w/e!!

We had a great time there.

aggiehiker92 · 01-22-2007, 10:45 AM

There are two campgrounds in Guadalupe Mountains NP; Pine Springs (most accessable, right off 62/180 at the HQ) and Dog Canyon (much harder to get to; easiest to go through Carlsbad and turn south on NM 137, then drive about 60 miles). I prefer Dog Canyon, personally. It has running water, ranger station and restrooms, but limited to 4 back-in sites. Lots of tent sites. Fine for a pop-up. It is a much greener site; more forested than Pine Springs. The hiking trails are fabulous, and the community of Queen, NM (just up the road) has a great little cafe with good breakfast. Ask to see the etch-a-sketch art. Impressive.

Carlsbad has a very fine private campground on the south end of town; used to be a KOA, but not sure what it is now. Very friendly people, and a nice, clean establishment.

Hope this helps.

boyntonhaus · 08-13-2007, 07:23 PM

My trip has been pushed back to the first week in October. Getting there late Friday night or early Saturday morning, do you think that all the pop-up camper sites will be taken? Can't wait to hike the Peak trail.

aggiehiker92 · 08-14-2007, 08:41 AM

That time of year is prime "Autumn foliage" season, so the sites may be harder to get; there is always White's City just up the road from Pine Springs. They have a commercial campground.

boyntonhaus · 08-14-2007, 10:11 AM

Thanks Aggiehiker. Sounds like you know the territory well. Maybe we will see you there?

aggiehiker92 · 08-14-2007, 10:27 AM

Unfortunately not well enough. I know I'd like to spend more time there; the last time I went was last Labor Day. It's really a good 2-day drive for me, so it's a bit far for a weekend jaunt.

Again, I'm more partial to the Dog Canyon CG; just my preverence, really. I have yet to climb Guadalupe Peak; I'm sure one trip I will. The north park of the park really holds my interest well, and there's still lots ot explore.

Hope the trip goes well for you; it's really a magical place.

Troop198 · 08-14-2007, 10:13 PM

We stayed at a KOA north of Carlsbad as we were there for the caverns. Thats worth the trip also.

Did hike McKittrick Canyon but only to Pratt Lodge (4.8 miles one way) Really nice hike once you get to the river, just bring lots of water. Saw deer up close and some trout in the water. A diverse area to say the least.

Stopped at Davis Mountains State Park on way back nice short hikes there too

yippikiyo · 08-15-2007, 12:18 PM

The upper forested areas of the Guadalupes are especially lovely right now due to all the rain they've received. On Bush Mountain and Blue Ridge trails the trees were so dense and green and relatively humid, just lovely! In some of the lesser-used areas the trail was over grown and could be lost in some places if you don't pay attention.

In mid July there were some fellas from a NM university doing some field research based at the Dog Canyon site and quite a bit of trail maintenance being done by volunteers on the Tejas trail from Pine Springs to Pine Top and also on the Bear Canyon trail (which really needs some work, imo). I was glad to see all the activity. However, as is typical, very few people were up top overnight. I saw evidence of just one other person during the week I was there though I never saw him. Not many places you can go 3-4 days without seeing a human which is one of the reasons I love this place.

Smelled a bear near the Tejas/Juniper trail intersection but never saw it. Lots of elk and deer, too. Lots of cougar scat just outside the park boundary up on Wilderness Ridge past the Permian Reef trail.

I just love the Guadalupe's!
yippikiyo

boyntonhaus · 10-09-2007, 04:06 PM

Hey Guys,:thumbsup:
Just returned from GMNP. The boys (17 & 14) and I arrived Friday night and pitched our tent at Pine Springs Campground.
Up Saturday morning and hiked to the top of Texas! 3.5 hours up, a strenuous hike! The views from the top were incredible. I wished we could have stayed up there until sunset. 2.5 hours down. We would have slept well that night if it hadn't been for the wind. It was very hard to sleep( I had experienced some of this years ago on a tent camping trip to Big Bend).
Sunday we hiked McKittrick Canyon. This hike was much anticipated for the fall colors, however we only saw one red oak tree. Everything else was nice and green. Very cool place. We did see some trout in the stream but it was not running much. Left McK Canyon and did Carlsbad Caverns NP. What a huge cave. Saw the bats that evening, just magnificent. Drove to the city of Carlsbad. Got stopped by the Sheriff along the way. The speed limit goes from 70 to 55 and I must have missed that! Anyway we showered at that former KOA campground and got a bite to eat at Chili's. Returned to campground.
Monday morning broke camp and drove home. The boys and I had a great time. That mountain range is very impressive. May habe to return with my wife so she can see the mountains and Carlsbad Caverns NP.
Thanks for reading.

toejam · 10-11-2007, 04:55 AM

Thanks for sharing about your trip

This summer I discovered something to help me sleep in a tent when it's windy - ear plugs.

boyntonhaus · 11-20-2007, 04:51 PM

This is the slideshow of our trip to GMNP and Carlsbad (hopefully).

Slideshow of pictures, photos, and videos, from webshots

JohnK · 12-01-2007, 12:42 PM

Loved the slideshow! You have some great shots there!

I've gone on a couple of backpacking trips in the Guadalupes and agree whole-heartedly with yippikiyo. I too love the Guadalupes and relish the seclusion of the backcountry. For this reason, I also agree with aggiehiker92 and prefer Dog Canyon, due to its remoteness and relatively low traffic.

I've posted a photo-journal report of a trip I took with my daughter in June hiking in via Dog Canyon at: Backpacking the Guadalupe Mountains

JohnK