A National Park Trio: Guadalupe Mountains, Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands
By: Jenn De La Fuente
Tags: Camping, Hiking, National Park Service, National Parks

For a long time, I’d always wanted to visit Carlsbad Caverns National Park. But I live in California. I’m not that close. I’d go to other national parks in the Southwest or go to the Four Corners area and stare forlornly at that opposite end of New Mexico and sigh. I didn’t have enough time to drive out there.

I knew El Paso was close to Carlsbad Caverns. And then one day, I decided to do some research. What’s this? There’s another park near Carlsbad? And it has the highest point in Texas? And White Sands is a reasonable drive away?

Sign me up!

I like to do a weeklong jaunt (usually somewhere in the Southwest) every winter. The National Parks are a little less crowded and the desert heat isn’t so intense. In 2018, it was Death Valley / Bryce / Grand Canyon. In 2019, it was Page / Monument Valley / Four Corners. This time, it was this lovely slice of West Texas and New Mexico over four glorious days.

Of course, traveling in a COVID world is fraught with uncertainty. I almost had to bail on this trip because Carlsbad Caverns was closed for a time (and it was the crown jewel of this jaunt). But, luckily it reopened. Some amenities are closed, like ranger-led tours, but if you like communing with nature and follow all the rules and regulations and keep somewhat flexible, you’ll have a great time. I was also by myself and it’s pretty easy to keep your distance from everyone else out on the trail, and many people were very courteous and wearing masks. So go out there if you’re comfortable.

This is a very doable National Park trio for sure and has some spectacular sights. And you can say you’re a highpointer!

Tips:

El Paso makes an excellent entry / exit point if you’re like me and feel that driving is too far and need to fly. Bonus: When you fly into town, you get a spectacular view of the Franklin Mountains. That definitely does not suck.

If you flew like I did, you’ll need to pack smartly. I’ve backpacked before, so I’m used to getting everything I need into a (relatively) small space. I own a 65L Gregory backpack and had to carry everything in it, including my tent (which packs down to practically nothing, huzzah), clothing, sleeping bag, and camp stove and some other gear. I did have to check in my pack. It did come back in one piece. Whew. Also remember that you can’t bring a propane canister on a plane!!! I rented a car, and got some supplies after I touched down (I bought camp fuel and food at the local Dick’s Sporting Goods and a Walmart that was next door).

Guadalupe Mountains NP is about 110 miles from El Paso, just a hair under two hours. Carlsbad Caverns is another 45 minutes by car from Guadalupe Mountains. White Sands is even closer to El Paso, about 85 miles, so about an hour, 20 minutes drive. If you drive in a giant circle, White Sands is about 3 hours, 45 minutes from Carlsbad Caverns. It’s about 3 hours and change from Guadalupe Mountains if you go through El Paso. Plan your route to whatever suits you, but none of the driving times are unreasonable for sure.

Guadalupe Mountains makes an excellent base if you’re spending several days between there and Carlsbad Caverns. The camping is great! If you’re not like me and prefer a bed, there is lodging in Whites City (the town adjacent to Carlsbad Caverns) or another 15 miles away in the town of Carlsbad, NM. There is also lots of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land in the area, and you could find some dispersed camping for free. I like to use freecampsites.net for this purpose.

If you need somewhere to stay near White Sands, you can head to Alamogordo, NM, or Las Cruces, NM. (I stayed in Alamogordo.) If you’re approaching from Carlsbad and drive through the Lincoln National Forest, you can camp in the forest or stay in Alamogordo (that is on the way and closer than Las Cruces).

Please note there is no gas between El Paso and Guadalupe/Carlsbad. Make sure you have a full tank before going in either direction. You can fill up in Whites City or Carlsbad (the town) on your way out. Those are your best bets if you want for convenient highway access. Also note that it is super windy out there and driving into a headwind can cause your gas efficiency to go down!

Day 1: Guadalupe Mountains National Park

I drove in from El Paso, approaching from the west on U.S 62/180. I left town just before 8 and was at the ranger station by 10am. The drive is pretty nice. You can see the mountains from quite a ways out, but when you start the ascent and they’re suddenly in your face, it’s breathtaking. There are a couple of rest stops with terrific views to pop into just as you ascend if you are driving agog and don’t want to cause a traffic accident because you are gobsmacked by the beauty of these mountains.

The main ranger station is right off U.S. 62/180. It’s called Pine Springs Visitor Center. For most people, this is their entry to the park. (There is another station at Dog Canyon, but that is further north and more remote — you cannot get there from Pine Springs easily via car.) This is also the area where you’ll find Pine Springs Campground if you’re looking to camp.

There is no toll gate here. You can pay your fees at the ranger station, or do the honor system thing and pay at the trailhead (you don’t have to visit the ranger station if you just want to hike). But go see the folks at the ranger station. They’re very nice. Also, if you’re unfamiliar with the area, one of the first things you’ll notice is the giant sign that says Guadalupe Mountains NP is in the Mountain Time Zone even if your cell phone says otherwise. Yes, you’re in that sliver of Texas that isn’t in Central Time. They’ve got clocks near the trailheads too in case you have no idea whether your phone is lying to you. (And yes, I had no idea what time it was several times.)

If you plan on doing any backcountry camping — there are plenty of opportunities to, and you can even camp near the top of Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas — you’ll have to get your free permits at the ranger station. Also ask about the weather. Everything I read about Guadalupe Mountains mentioned it is windy there. It is. So you might want to check on weather, especially if you want to hike Guadalupe Peak, or any other mountain there. Thunderstorms and high winds are not things you want to deal with while standing on any summit.

After chatting with the lovely folks at the visitor center, I went to find a campsite. Camping at Pine Springs is first-come, first-served and super limited. It’s also $15 a night. There are only 18 sites available. The ranger suggested driving to the campsite, finding a space, staking your claim (at least put up a tent, don’t just park your car there) and then paying for the space. If you plan to camp, get there early. Since it was barely 10am, I was lucky and found a space and set up. Some spaces have trees, some don’t. The trees are definitely nice for shade when it’s hotter and may make a nice wind break.

The spaces include a tent pad and a picnic table. There are no fire rings because open fires / wood fires are strictly prohibited in the entire park. Remember, it’s windy there year-round and you could cause a wildfire in mere seconds if you light a fire, so don’t be a jerk and heed this rule! Camp stoves and propane stoves are fine, though.

My home for three days and two nights at the Pine Springs Campground at Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

The campgrounds are really nice. There is a vault toilet on one end and ample parking near all the sites so you don’t have to haul your gear very far. (Some sites have parking right in front of them — I snagged one of those.) A short walk from the campground is a larger parking lot with proper bathrooms (no showers though), a spigot for all the drinking water containers you need to fill, and even a dishwashing sink.

The large parking area is also where you self-register for your campsite. It’s one of those deals where you fill out the info on an envelope, put your cash in, and stick it in the slot. However, if you need to pay with a credit card, you can simply go back to the visitor center and do that. (There is a short trail that starts at the vault toilets — it’s not a far walk at all.) Also note that if you pay by cash, you need exact change and you cannot get change at the visitor center. (I was told this is some sort of federal regulation, which I didn’t know!) Either way, be a nice person and pay for your spot. It’s all the honor system, support the parks, OK?

The ranger had suggested I pay for what I think I needed and then just put in for additional days later if I wanted. This way, if weather changes or your plans change, you’re not stuck paying more than you needed. I actually did this (more on this later, and this is one reason first-come, first-served sites are great).

Once I set up camp and paid for my spot, it was time for some hiking! Pine Springs Campground is next to the trailhead for several popular trails, including Guadalupe Peak, Devil’s Hall, The Bowl, and El Capitan. (Side note: as a Californian, I think Yosemite when I think El Capitan, but the Texan version is really neat too!)

Devil’s Hall Trail

About 4 miles round trip (my tracker said 4.6 miles, but other routes say 3.6 so I’m splitting the difference). Rocky. Some scrambling involved but otherwise not a ton of elevation gain.

I decided I did not want to do the peak the first day. So I opted for something a little more chill. This is a pretty great hike if you have kids, take the younger ones if you feel like they can handle the distance. There is a lot of scrambling and rock climbing and they’ll love that. None of this scrambling is that hardcore, but if you’re not into that or hate super rocky trails, you might want to pass on this one.

The trail starts in the parking lot next to the Pine Springs Campground. Again, this is the starting point for several trails, but everything is well-marked. (I was honestly impressed by the signage — it’s some of the best I’ve seen in a National Park.) If you didn’t pay your entrance fee at the ranger station, you can pay at the trailhead using the fee envelopes. If you have an annual pass, just display it on your car.

You’ll encounter a sign off the bat because you’re at the junction of four different routes. There are several junctions, just follow anything that says Devil’s Hall. Again, it’s pretty straightforward.

The first half of the hike is on an established trail. There’s a little up and down (don’t forget, you’re at elevation, so you may huff and puff a little bit if you came from sea level!). It’s pretty standard fare as far as trails go. The scenery is nice. You’ll see Guadalupe Peak to your right and a whole host of mountains to your left. There are also lots of pretty trees, not just your usual desert fare. It was winter when I went, so most of the trees lost their leaves, but I bet the colors are gorgeous in the fall. You’ll scramble down a couple of rocks, but again, it’s pretty standard hiking fare.