Hiking Guadalupe Peak in Texas

Guadalupe Peak, also known as the “Top of Texas”, is the highest peak in the state which is what puts this strenuous hike on the list for many outdoor adventurers. To do this hike you need to visit Guadalupe Mountains National Park. I’ve visited Guadalupe Mountains twice, once this year and once last year. I’m going to share my experience with this hike as well as some tips and information I think is helpful to someone who wants to take on this challenge.

Hike Overview

Guadalupe Peak is an 8.4 mile hike that takes you through 3,000 ft. of elevation gain. This hike takes on average 6-8 hrs. to complete. I hiked this trail at the end of January with a decent amount of snow in 6 hours so if you’re in pretty good shape you may be able to do it in 5. However it is always best to play it safe and plan for the 8 hours. When starting this hike it is very obvious that you are in the Chihuahuan Desert, the abundance of cacti and succulents is amazing to see. The first mile of this hike is extremely difficult due to a long stretch of switchbacks early on. After gaining some elevation there is a gorgeous view of the mountain range that makes getting up those switchbacks worth it. Along the way the landscape will eventually change into a pinyon pine and douglass fir forest. Hikers be warned, there is a false summit on this hike, I fell for it myself. Once you reach the actual summit there is a stainless steel monument that marks the peak. From the summit there are views of the Chihuahuan Desert and El Capitan which is another notable peak of the Guadalupe Mountains.

How to Get There

Getting to the trailhead for Guadalupe Peak is very easy since it is so close to the Pine Springs Visitors center. From the visitor center you can either stop in or continue through the parking lot to the entrance of Pine Springs Campground. The campground is where the trailhead starts, there is day parking on the left side of the campground for hikers. The picture shown is a view from the campground, my home-made trailer is actually shown and is parked in campsite #33 for those who are interested.

What to Bring

The National Parks Service suggests that you pack the 10 essentials for this hike. I’ll share what I brought. For this hike I suggest bringing a backpack/daypack, I personally have a cheap one from Walmart that works just fine for me. The most important item to pack is a lot of water. I hiked this in January and went through way more water than I thought I would. Pack layers, the higher in elevation you go the colder it gets. You should also consider packing layers for sun protection. For navigation I packed a compass and map but solely used the NPS app with the park map on my phone. I also packed a headlamp, a first aid kit, and lots of food. I stopped once on the way up to take a snack break and then at the top I sat down and ate the lunch I had brought with me. I highly recommend bringing a lunch or something special to snack on at the summit, I always bring a small lunch but my mini can of pop is practically a delicacy for me after a difficult hike. Other than the basics I also brought my binoculars as a “luxury” item. Lastly this is the first hike I’ve ever done where I wished I was someone that carried trekking poles so if you’ve got them I would bring them along.

Tips for the Hike

1.) The first tip for this hike is to check the weather! It gets very cloudy on Guadalupe Peak so checking the weather before you go could save you the disappointment of summiting to only get a view of clouds. The picture I added shows how thick the clouds get on the mountain, it was surreal to be hiking straight into the clouds. Luckily by the time I reached the summit they broke up. Guadalupe Mountains is also known to get an insane amount of wind so weather advisories are often issued and shouldn’t be overlooked.

2.) The second tip I have is to download the NPS app and get the map for Guadalupe Mountains National Park downloaded for offline use. This app is free and run by the parks service. The map feature allows you to see exactly where you’re at in the park and where each trail is.

3.) My third tip is to start early, this seems like an obvious tip but I wouldn’t start this hike any later than 10am.

4.) My fourth and final tip is to complete the hike and then head over to the visitor center and purchase one of their commemorative summit shirts. I purchased one after my hike and every time I wear it I feel proud of what I accomplished and am reminded of the good memories from this hike.