Texas High Country

Guadalupe Mountains National Park w/Carlsbad Caverns National Park

6 Days, 5 Nights; Sun-Fri.
Tour Dates: May 22-27th & November 6-11th
Custom Tours Available Year Round, Contact Us for details.
Price: $1,700 Dbl. Occupancy, Single Supplement = $300
Unless requested by you, we’ll pair you with someone of the same sex to avoid this charge.

Our Itinerary

Located about 100 miles East of El Paso, TX is Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The Guadalupes are a 50 mile long mountain range that extends North into New Mexico. Within the park lies Guadalupe Peak, at 8,749 feet it is the highest point in Texas. The park is 86,000 acres in size and has over 80 miles of hiking trails to offer. Guadalupe Mountains National Park has a variety of terrain from vast deserts, colorful canyons, and forested mountains, that will thrill any hiker. This is our most strenuous tour as several of the hikes are over 8 miles in length with elevation gains from 2,500 to 3,000 feet. A multitude of animal species can be found in the park, from Black Bears and Mountain Lions, to more than 300 different types of birds. This is considered one the true hidden gems of the National Park system as few people outside of Texas have ever heard of it, let alone visited it. Just about 25 miles North of the park is Carlsbad Caverns National Park, much more famous and frequented by tourists. We’ll spend time also exploring the caverns which are 750 feet below the surface on self and ranger guided tours. One of the highlights will be the Big Room, which is 4,000 feet long, 625 feet wide, and 325 feet high. This will be an outstanding adventure for those willing to explore these two outstanding National Parks.

Day 1

We’ll depart early from El Paso, TX and head to Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Our first hike will be on the Devil’s Hall Trail, a relatively flat trail that leads you through a forest of Maple and Ponderosa Pines. Near the end of the trail we’ll scramble up a natural rock stairway called the Hiker’s Staircase, which ends the hike at Devil’s Hall Canyon. The trail is 4.2 miles round-trip and is rated moderate do to some boulder scrambling. Lodging will be in Carlsbad, NM for the entire trip.

Day 2

Our goal on day 2 is Guadalupe Peak at 8,749 feet it’s the highest point in Texas. This is a strenuous hike that climbs up 3,000 feet to the top of Texas. The hardest part of the hike is in the first 1.5 miles, as we switchback our way into the high country. The trail grows less steep as we pass through a forest of Douglas Fir and White Pine. As we near the summit, El Capitan( A famous landmark) will come into view and soon we’re at the top with awesome views of the mountains and desert. The hike is 8.5 miles round-trip and takes 6-8 hours to complete.

Day 3

We’ll recuperate from our conquest of Guadalupe Peak as we head underground to the fabulous Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico. We’ll start off with the self guided Natural Entrance tour which leads us 750 feet below the surface to the famous Big Room which is 8.2 acres in size. The room is filled with such features as the Bottomless Pit, Giant Dome, and the Painted Grotto. Later in the day we’ll take Ranger lead tours of Kings Palace and Left Hand Tunnel. Kings Palace is the lowest point in the park at 830 feet below the surface, while Left Hand Tunnel is a lantern lit tour highlighting cave pools and Permian Era fossils(299 million years ago). If time allows, we’ll take the 9.5 mile Walnut Canyon Desert Drive for a view of what’s above ground at Carlsbad Caverns.

Day 4

It’s back to the Guadalupe Mountains and onto the Permian Reef Geology Trail. The Guadalupes were once a massive reef below an inland sea and this trail showcases the fossils and formations of the reef. The trail is somewhat strenuous as it climbs 2,000 feet in elevation but rewards the hiker with splendid views into McKittrick Canyon. The hike is 8.4 miles round-trip.

Day 5

The Dog Canyon section of Guadalupe Mountains N. P. is only reached from New Mexico but is well worth the drive as it allows you quick access into the high country. The Lost Peak Trail climbs 1,540 feet into forests of Juniper, Pine, Oak, and Maple. The summit has fantastic views of both the Guadalupes as well as the Cornudas Mountains 55 miles to the west. The hike is moderately strenuous at 6.5 miles round-trip, and takes about 6 hours.

Day 6

The final day of our tour takes us on the McKittrick Canyon Trail and into an oasis filled with Oak, Maple, and Juniper. McKittrick Creek flows intermittently through the canyon and has created this beautiful little eco-system. This is a 5 mile, moderate hike which takes about 4-5 hours to complete. Back to El Paso and the end of our tour.

This is the standard itinerary, if you customize your own tour any changes made will have the price adjusted accordingly.

Reservations

Download our Reservation Form or call us at 301-884-3460 to reserve your spot!