Guadalupe Peak Wilderness Campground — Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Full disclosure: this was our first backpacking trip. And it was amazing. Yes, our packs were too heavy. Yes, we should have started sooner in the day. Yes, we underestimated the gain. But I will never forget watching the sun come up over the horizon from the top of Texas.

We watched the weather for a few months waiting for the spring winds to die down and for cool evening temperatures. We decided on a Monday in late July with a slight forecast of rain, and temps in the 50s-70s. I think we lucked out!

We had a little thundershower on the way up, which was intimidating for lighting purposes, but was actually quite refreshing and so we soldiered on. The 3.1 miles hike to the campground was very tough, primarily because we were packing nearly 50lbs each. Eventually we made it to the Guadalupe Peak campground about 4 hours after leaving the Pine Springs campground. We were not rushing. Like I said, this was our first time carrying weight like that up a mountain. Slow and steady.

We made it just in time for an early dinner and we had the entire campground to ourselves. The cloud cover parted and we were treated with clear evening skies with little wind and no rain.

Note: your phone might switch back and forth between mountain time. This was a bit of an issue for us because our plan was to wake 90mins before sunrise, make coffee and hike to the summit. We ended up wishing we just had a cheap alarm clock because our smartphones/watches were being a bit too smart.

All that being said everything worked out perfectly. We spent the night in the campground and woke up ready to catch the suMmit sunrise. Morning temps were cool and clear. We were a vigilant hiking in the dark, because we had seen several rattlesnakes the day before.

The section from the campground to the summit is certainly the most beautiful portion of the hike. We were the first ones to the summit and made it just in time to watch the sun crest over the horizon. We brewed some coffee enjoyed the sunrise and the summit for a couple hours before heading back down to the campsite.

This was an incredible experience that I will never forget.

The main reason why you might want to stay at this campsite during your visit to West Texas and Guadalupe Mountains National Park is to summit Guadalupe Peak and stand on the highest point in Texas. And the main reason why you hike to the peak is to see the views. 

There are no facilities or amenities at this campsite - no water, no restrooms, no shelters, no firewood, no wifi. Just views that stretch on for miles and miles.

You'll likely start your trip by checking into the Pine Spring Visitor Center where you can obtain a backcountry use permit. Permits are issued on a first come, first serve basis so try to arrive as early as possible and preferably before noon. During peak visitation periods permits may be in demand, so it might be a good idea to stay one night at the Pine Spring campground. If the Pine Spring campground is full, there is some Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land nearby in New Mexico. Ask the visitor center for more info. The backcountry permit authorizes camping in designated sites in the established backcountry campsites. Fires are prohibited so containerized fuel is your best bet to be used for cooking.

The hike from the Pine Springs Visitor Center to the Guadalupe Peak campground is 3.1 miles - and it is almost all uphill. The hike from the Guadalupe Peak campsite to the peak is an additional 1 mile. The campsite is on a nook of the mountain and marginally protected from high winds. There are a few trees and a few rock windbreaks near the tent pads. The winds often exceed 80 miles per hour, so even if it is not windy when you arrive, secure your tent with additional guy lines. Elevation gain from the visitor center to this campsite is about 2200 feet. You'll need to carry all of your water for your ascent and descent so be prepared to haul 4 to 8 liters depending on the season, heat and personal needs. 

After you've conquered Guadalupe Peak and hiked around other parts of the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, check out the nearby Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico.

Primitive campsite on South Rim trail. Trail to campsites branches off from the junction of the Pinnacles trail and Emory Peak trail. As we were first summiting Emory Peak, we took Pinnacle trail up, dropped off our gear the junction of Pinnacle trail and Emory Peak (there are several bear boxes), and summited. After, we returned, grabbed our gear, and set off down the South Rim trail. There were several primitive campsites in close proximity. Our campsite had a large metal bear box in which you could store food and packs. The site was large enough for a few tents (2-3); we had a group of five and had more than enough room. Nearby, there was a compostable toilet that was shared by the surrounding campsites. The toilet is rather open, and they ask to add on soil/mulch after using the bathroom. There is not a water source (to my knowledge) anywhere on the mountain or close to the trail, so you must pack in all water. This campsite is approximately a mile from the junction of Emory Peak and Pinnacle trail; where it meets with the two, the peak is a mile further along. Additionally, if you continue along the South Rim trail, there are breathtaking views atop the ridge that look out over an immense canyon. On a clear day, you can easily see the Rio Grande, Mexico, and the cliffs and mountains across the border.