The Devils Hall in Guadalupe Mountains National Park

After eating a large Texas-shaped waffle in Odessa, my wife and I made the three-hour drive to Guadalupe Mountains National Park to do the relatively easy hike to Devils Hall. The 4.2 mile hike would act as a warm-up for our trek up to Guadalupe Peak the next day - the highest point in Texas.

Because the Guadalupe Mountains are so isolated, the park, established in 1932, is one of the least visited parks in the National Park System. Only about 200,000 people make the trek to the West Texas park each year – compared to roughly 10 million for the Great Smoky Mountains each year.

The park rises above the Chihuahuan Desert, and lies within the heart of the Guadalupe Mountain range that spans southeastern New Mexico and West Texas.

Our destination for the day was a relatively flat trail that leads hikers to a narrow canyon at the end of Pine Spring Canyon.

The trail highlights a wide diversity of plant life. In addition to the many cactus type plants you might expect to see in a desert environment, we also saw many wildflowers, as well as maple, ash and pine trees.

Roughly half-way into our hike we startled a mule deer. Instead of running away, it hopped away as if it were on a pogo stick. We also saw several prairie lizards, a rather large collared lizard, and a couple of Rufous Hummingbirds. Fortunately, or unfortunately, we didn’t get an opportunity to see any of the other star creatures of the park, such as black bears, mountain lions, elk, javelinas, rattlesnakes, scorpions or even tarantulas.

Just prior to reaching the Devils Hall we climbed the Hikers Staircase - a natural rock formation that conveniently provides hikers with relatively easy passage through an otherwise rough section.

As you proceed up Pine Spring, the canyon continues to narrow until you reach the dramatic and beautiful Devils Hall.

Over the next two nights we stayed in the tiny town of Van Horn, Texas – roughly 60 miles south of the park. Prior to our trip we had heard about Chuy’s, a local Mexican restaurant in town. We were quite intrigued by the fact that John Madden of NFL fame claimed the restaurant as one of his favorites on his "John Madden Haul of Fame" bus stops, and made at least one visit per year from 1993 until his recent retirement. However, the restaurant got some mixed reviews on Trip Advisor which concerned us a little. We decided to try it anyway.

After eating there twice I can understand why some of the reviews were less than complimentary. My assumption is that these people went in there expecting to get the same Tex-Mex fare you can get at almost any Mexican restaurant around the country. What makes this restaurant stand out is that it serves food that is more traditional, or home-style. You’ll find a lot of the same items as anywhere else, but they’re made and taste completely different than anything you normally get. We especially liked the gorditas.


Trail: Devils Hall
RT Distance: 4.2 miles
Elevation Gain: roughly 300 feet
Max Elevation: roughly 6000 feet
TH Location: Pine Springs Campground near the Visitor Center
Map: Guadalupe Mountains NP Trails Illustrated Map



Hiking Carlsbad Caverns & Guadalupe Mountains National Parks - is the only comprehensive guide to all thirty-six trails — both underground and above ground — in these two national parks. From deep caverns, to high peaks and backcountry canyons, these parks provide the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable experience.

Guadalupe Peak: The Top of Texas

After staying in Van Horn the night before, Kathy and I made the 60-mile drive north to Guadalupe Mountains National Park in the early morning darkness. My goal was to arrive just outside of the park in order to a get a photo of El Capitan, just as the sun begins to shine on the dramatic east face of the mountain that stands at the southern terminus of the Guadalupe range.

With an elevation of 8,749 feet, Guadalupe Peak is the highest point in Texas, and, is the 14th highest state highpoint. It’s also one of only four state highpoints that are located within a national park - Denali, Mount Rainier and Clingmans Dome being the other three.

The hardest part of the hike is at the very beginning in which the trail ascends a series of switchbacks over the course of the first mile-and-a-half or so. Hikers can use the parking lot and the state highway to gauge their progress.

During this first section the trail climbs the east face of the peak, which means hikers are fully exposed to the hot desert sun. I highly recommend starting this hike before sunrise in order to knock-out as much of this section as possible during the relative cool of the morning. It's also a good idea to start early so that you’ll have time to get off the mountain before summer afternoon thunderstorms arrive.

At roughly 7000 feet in elevation, and 1.7 miles from the trailhead, the trail skirts a relatively narrow ledge. Although not exceedingly dangerous, you'll still want to take your time through this short section of trail. Just beyond this point the switchbacks mercifully come to an end (although they'll inflict more pain on the way down). Soon the trail winds around the other side of the mountain and reaches some much appreciated shade. From here the grade becomes much easier and remains relatively moderate for the rest of the hike.

As we traveled upward we saw numerous Northern Harriers flying just above us. Up at the summit we also saw a few Golden Eagles and a couple of Peregrine Falcons soaring and gliding on the thermal updrafts.

At the second cliff section:

The photo above includes a young man from New Zealand and his girlfriend getting ready to cross the highest bridge in Texas. Just days before a 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit near his hometown just outside of Christchurch. It took a day or two, but he finally received confirmation that his entire family was alright. He said his dad, who happens to be a building inspector, was keeping extremely busy in the aftermath of the quake. The young Kiwi was working as a rafting guide on the Pigeon River in Tennessee.

Just past the bridge we began the final climb to the top. Over the last quarter-of-a-mile route finding became a little difficult. We made the same mistake a guy in front us made by missing the trail as it heads-off towards the right. Consequently, we took a route that required a little bit of scrambling. No big deal, it just would’ve been easier had we stayed on the main trail.

At the summit is a stainless steel memorial that was erected by American Airlines in 1958 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Butterfield Overland Mail Route, a 2800-mile stagecoach route that passed along the south side of the mountain. On one side of the pyramid is the American Airlines logo. Another side displays a U.S. Postal Service tribute to the Pony Express Riders of the Butterfield Stage, while the third side displays a compass with the logo of the Boy Scouts of America.

From the summit we could see a line of thick high clouds extending from one end of the horizon to the other in the far off distance (they say you can see more than 100 miles away). These were likely the leading bands of Hurricane Hermine that was pummeling central and east Texas that day.

Although the hurricane had no impact on our hike, hikers should always expect high winds on the mountain – especially during the winter months when winds can exceed 80 MPH on a fairly regular basis.

Looking towards the north from the summit:
Looking down on El Capitan and Highway 62/180 far below:
The park also recommends that you take a full gallon of water. I only took about 100 ounces, thinking that would be enough given the relatively cool weather that day. I barely had enough, however. During peak summer months I would definitely take the parks’ recommendation of one full gallon.

One final note about this part of the country: After our hike we had planned to attend the Evening Star Party at the McDonald Observatory 65 miles south of Van Horn. Every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday the observatory invites the public to view the universe through 16 and 22-inch telescopes located atop Mount Locke and Mount Fowlkes (6300-6800 feet). This observatory in the remote Davis Mountains offers some of the darkest night skies in the continental United States. Unfortunately Hurricane Hermine wasn’t going to allow that to happen that night. As the early evening progressed the clouds continued to thicken, so we decided to cancel our plans. However, we did hear a lot of great things about the program and sounds like it would be a great excursion if you’re in the area.


Trail: Guadalupe Peak Trail
RT Distance: 8.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 2927 feet
Max Elevation: 8749 feet
TH Location: Pine Springs Campground near the Visitor Center
Map: Guadalupe Mountains NP Trails Illustrated Map



Hiking Carlsbad Caverns & Guadalupe Mountains National Parks - is the only comprehensive guide to all thirty-six trails — both underground and above ground — in these two national parks. From deep caverns, to high peaks and backcountry canyons, these parks provide the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable experience.