If you aren’t a die-hard National Park visitor, or are not from the Texas/New Mexico area, I expect you may be wondering what this park, Guadalupe Mountains, is. Receiving just 172,000 visitors in the last report, it gets just 1% of the number of visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Most of those visitors will arrive the way we did, along Highway 180 between El Paso, TX and Carlsbad, NM.
Located just 25 miles west of Carlsbad Caverns, these parks are great to pair together into one visit. I’d suggest a day for each park as the minimum time to plan for and let Carlsbad take your priority as your ability to get an entrance ticket here is the most challenging part. We rented a home in Carlsbad, NM so we weren’t too far from either park.
We did 2 separate hikes in Guadalupe Mountains and both were perfect for families! The park’s most popular trail takes you to the top of Guadalupe Peak (8,751 feet), the tallest point in Texas. That trail, rated strenuous and featuring 3000 feet of elevation gain is possible with older kids, but we knew that we weren’t ready for it. I suppose that extra, well, couple dozen COVID pounds didn’t help me feel ready to tackle it! Instead, we did 2 hikes in this park – one that is quick and could be done the same day as your cavern tour and the other that is best planned as your main activity for the day.
The Best Family Hike in Guadalupe Mountains – the Devil’s Hall Trail
The Devil’s Hall Trail is a gem! The bulk of the hike is spent in a wash that carries you through a few memorable spots before you find yourself in a narrow canyon. This hike was where we felt like we connected with Guadalupe Mountains National Park and got to feel like we were truly on our vacation and I could feel the stress washing away and simply enjoy the sun, the gorgeous scenery, and the company of my family.
Devils’ Hall Trail leaves from the Pine Springs Trailhead, which is also the origination point for the Guadalupe Peak Trail, the Bowl, and El Capitan trails. Parking is limited up here, so we ended up having to park at the Visitor Center, which adds about 10 minutes to the hike. If both are full there is a small overflow lot that is dirt and located just east of the Visitor Center road and adds another 10 minutes or so to the hike.
Traveling a total round trip distance of 4.2 miles and gaining about 600 feet of elevation, this hike is perfect for kids who can hike and especially for kids who like to scramble as there are a lot of rocks they can play on and distract themselves from the time and distance.
The first mile or so is along a single track trail, some of which is shared with the alternate route for Guadalupe Peak. You will keep right and after that first mile will descend into the wash and while some portions of the trail are loose rock/sandy soil the bulk of it is firm enough to be easy to walk in. The further you go up the trail the more you end up dealing with boulders so if you are a person who has bad knees or likes to hike with poles they are not a bad idea.
As you come to the end of the hike, nearly at the 2 mile mark, you come to the first signature spot – the Hiker’s Staircase. It is neat and beautiful, but a bit tricky to navigate as the surface is slick and the steps are short. I think we all stubbornly thought our route up was better, easier, and smarter than the others, but in all honesty they are all a bit precarious. We saw some older folks on the trail and wondered if they would make it up this part but assume they did.
Finally, you arrive at the Devil’s Hall, a narrow canyon just 15 feet wide that runs about 150 feet long and 100 feet tall. The trail does continue past the Hall, but shortly after there is a sign that instructs you to turn around during the winter season (I believe it was November through May) to protect wildlife that lives here.
Be sure to pay attention to the trail on your way back to your car. We were so busy looking down at our feet, we missed the turn-off on the trail and went too far down the wash and had to back-track.
A final detail – there are flush toilets at the Visitor Center, and by the trailhead, and nothing beyond that point so plan accordingly! The hike will take you awhile – we took about 4 hours to do so from start to finish. Bring water – more than you would think as the air is dry and it gets hot. We were glad that we had layers as the morning was cool and it was nice to shed them as the sun got stronger. There is very little shade, so bring a hat and hiking early is smart!
The 2nd Best Family Hike in Guadalupe Mountains – the Smith Spring + Manzanita Spring Trail
If your kids are younger, your time is limited, or you are physically intimidated by the Devil’s Hall trail I suggest the Smith Spring and Manzanita Spring Trail at the Frijole Ranch area. This loop hike is rated as easy and runs just 2.3 miles with an elevation gain of 220 feet. The easy part can depend on the season, as during the summer with the lack of shade I expect a person could sweat a good deal on this trail! The main features are the Manzanita Spring, which is on a short 0.2 mile paved section of the trail and the Smith Spring which is at the highest point along the trail.
We did this hike in the afternoon and it took about 2-3 hours including some nice stops to take photos, eat some snacks, and visit. While you don’t get that same thrill of achievement that Devil’s Hall provides, you do get to see excellent views of the Guadalupe Mountains, Nipple Hill (yeah, its’ name is pretty accurate), and enjoy the bubbling “waterfall” at Smith Spring. We didn’t see any wildlife, but I understand deer and even elk visit this area to take advantage of the springs. Mid-afternoon is never a good time to see wildlife but that was when our schedule allowed for us to visit.
The trailhead has a pit toilet and a number of picnic tables, which makes is a great spot to stop for lunch or a snack as well. The parking area is down the dirt road – the parking lot near the highway is not where you want to park. Unfortunately, the Frijole Ranch at the trailhead was closed when we were there, but otherwise it is an old ranch house that includes a small museum and history of the 1876 homestead.
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