Attractions and Places To See in the Guadalupe Mountains - Top 20

Very impressive. Nice visitor center. Great place

Must do if the weather is right. Mid fall to early spring is the best time. Can take as little as 5 hours if you are reasonably fit (like 9 minute mile).

When visiting McKittrick Canyon in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, make sure to take a break at the historic Pratt Cabin, which is just a short distance off the main trail. Built in the 1930s by oil geologist Wallace Pratt, the cabin served as the Pratt family's summer home until 1940. Wallace, along with his wife Pearl and their three children, cherished this retreat and spent many summers here, sharing the cabin with friends. He later used the cabin to host geologists from around the world to study McKittrick Canyon. Today, the cabin is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and you cannot enter the cabin without a volunteer or ranger present. Even if you can not go inside the building, you can still appreciate the charm and beautiful setting of this historic site. Take advantage of the grounds around the cabin and the adjacent garage, where there is a picnic and rest area (but no bathrooms) as well as interpretive signage about Pratt family and their contribution to the creation of Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

The ruins of historic Pinery Station is on the National Register of Historic Places and is just a short walk from the main Pine Springs Visitor Center on an easy, wheelchair-accessible, paved path. The station was once part of the Butterfield Overland Mail route, which ran biweekly from St. Louis to San Francisco in the mid-1800s. The stagecoach drivers that worked the mail route traveled an astonishing average of 120 miles a day. The Pinery, which sits at 5,534 feet, was both the highest point and most isolated station on the route. The rock structure is the remains of a wall that once encircled the somewhat fortress-like station consisting of a wagon repair shop, a blacksmith shop, and three mud-roofed rooms with limestone walls for drivers and passengers to rest. The Butterfield Mail Coach only used the Pinery 11 months before switching to a new route, but other people from outlaws to soldiers continued to use station for decades after. This is a fascinating part of Texan history with stunning views; its a must-see if in the Pine Springs Area.

The Pine Springs Area and Trailhead is where many trails in the National Park begin and is by far the most heavily used day-use area in the park. Despite this, however, the parking lot is rather small so either plan to arrive early to get a spot or just park in the much larger Visitor Center lot. It is just a short distance away and there is a short trail connecting the two areas.

Also known as the "Top of Texas," Guadalupe Peak stands at 8,751 feet and is the highest point in the state of Texas. The summit hosts not only spectacular, panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, including the sheer cliffs of El Capitan, and the expansive desert, but it also has a monument marking its status as Texas's highest peak. This is a great place to eat a snack, snap some photographs, and relax after the strenuous hike.

Smith Spring is an oasis in the desert. Surrounded by plants, the heavily vegetated Smith Spring stands in stark contrast to the surrounding dry, rocky desert. This is a fantastic spot in the foothills of the mountains to relax in the shade, take some photographs, and be on the lookout for the many animals that rely on this important source of water in the desert.

The Frijole Ranch was built about 1876 by the Rader Brothers by Frijole Spring. The ranch complex consists of seven buildings and represents the most complete early ranching compound in the Guadalupe Mountains that still stands today. The National Park Service eventually purchased Frijole Ranch in 1966 and it has served many roles for the park, including as an employee residence and utility buildings, a Park Service operations center, and, beginning in 1992, as its current iteration as an interpretive center and museum. The museum has exhibits and information about the human history of the Guadalupes from Native Americans who also lived around Frijole Spring for millennia, to the early ranchers and the Rader family, to National Park Service. There are also staff members present to answer questions as well as bathroom facilities and a picnic area nearby.