Guadalupe Mountains National Park

We visited Guadalupe Mountains National Park on the same trip as Carlsbad Caverns National Park. They are neighbors even though they are in different states. Many people go to Guadalupe Mountains to hike to the tallest point in Texas, Guadalupe Peak. We didn’t have time for that on this trip but were able to spend a few hours in the park.

After getting our sign picture and stopping in the visitor center to learn about the park we headed to the Frijole Ranch area. We spent some time exploring the ranch buildings and the nearby spring.

Our final stop in the park was the Smith Springs Trail Loop. The trail goes up about 400 feet to a spring. We got a later start than we wanted and the trail was a little warm. Fortunantly, the spring area is full of trees that provided a perfect place for a snack break. I may have been a little hot and hangry on the hike in so a snack in the shade was good for everyone in the group.

On our way back to the trailhead we were treated to a nice breeze and beautiful views.

This was a great trail for the short amount of time we had in the park. Water in the desert is always special. I hope to come back one day and hike a few of the other trails.