Guadalipe Mountains National Park is a wonderland of fucking fantastic trails. But having hiked the vast majority of the trails in this park, the top three are actually pretty easy to choose.
The three best hikes in Guadalupe Mountains National Park are McKittrick Canyon Trail, Permian Reef Trail, and Tejas Trail.
Ask me which one of those is the best and I can’t give you a straight answer. You’ll have to decide that for yourself. But let’s talk about what makes these trails the three best hikes in Guadalupe Mountains National Park.
Table of Contents
McKittrick Canyon Trail
View from “the Notch” on McKittrick. Pictures do not nearly do it justice.
McKittrick Canyon Trail easily makes this list because it’s an eyeful of stunning beauty and a challenging hike to boot. Drop dead gorgeous and a dose of real adventure to boot?
Sign me the fuck up.
McKittrick Canyon Trail runs for a total of 10.9 miles one way from the trailhead to the Tejas Trail junction. Along the way, it gains a total of 2700 feet of elevation, much of it occurring in just two miles.
Despite the challenge, it is probably one of the most popular hikes in the park and extremely easy to navigate.
This trail is so diverse that it has challenges for hikers of all abilities. While a hike of nearly 11 miles may not be everyone’s cup of tea, hikers can choose their own adventure – even just 5 miles round trip will suffice to get an eyeful of the beauty that McKittrick Canyon can offer.
This hike is particularly popular in the fall because it features spectacular leaf color changes that can be enjoyed from almost anywhere on the trail.
McKittrick Points of Interest
Also along McKittrick Canyon Trail you can explore Pratt Cabin, a cabin once lived in by oil geologist Wallace Pratt in the 1930s. Today, it makes for a pleasant rest stop just 2.4 miles down the trail.
But wait, that’s not all! McKittrick Canyon also houses The Grotto, a small, open cave and rock face about 3.6 miles from the trailhead. The Grotto is the perfect place for a picnic, with rock tables and benches and a decent amount of shade.
The Grotto
Perhaps the best part of McKittrick and one very worth seeing, in my very humble opinion, is the Notch. The Notch is 4.5 miles down the McKittrick Canyon Trail and a must-visit for serious hikers.
The views from this perch are arguably the best in the park and some of the best in Texas. I go back and forth on whether the view from the Notch or Permian Reef is better. Ask me one day and I’ll say one thing – ask me again the next and I’ll say something different.
Both are soul filling so you should just hike each one to decide for yourself! Speaking of the Permian Reef…
Permian Reef Trail
Fucking glorious view from the top of Permian Reef Trail
Equally beautiful in its own way, the Permian Reef Trail may be the most underrated and under-hiked trails in Guadalupe Mountains. This path is extremely remote and is the very definition of the road less traveled.
I love it!
It fits into this category of “best” hikes in Guadalupe due to a delightful combination of spectacular views and lack of popularity (always a bonus in my mind). Ascending Permian Reef Trail via the North side of McKittrick Canyon, you can look down and see gobs of people bobbing down McKittrick Canyon Trail while you are all alone on this trail. Hell yeah!
At the top of the Permian Reef ridge you’ll discover some of the very best views that Texas has to offer, rivaling even the famous McKittrick Canyon Trail. If you weren’t already out of breath from the 3,474 feet of elevation gain, this view will absolutely take your breath away and (almost) make you forget the agony of the climb.
From here you can see down into McKittrick Canyon and beyond, where the mountains wrinkle out below you in tree covered wonder. It’s fucking spectacular.
Permian Reef Points of Interest
For the geeks amongst readers, this trail was actually specifically designed to show the Permian age geologic features preserved in the park (not my cup of tea; I’ll just drink in the beauty, thank-you-very-much). The detailed guidebook on such features can be purchased online or at the visitor center or downloaded here and here (you’re welcome, geeks).
About 2 miles up the trail, situated between a saddle, there’s a nice spot to have lunch and enjoy the views both in front of you and behind.
View from said saddle
The real jewel of this hike, however, is at the top. There are no shortcuts for this one, folks. You’ve got to haul your ass all the way up to the Wilderness Ridge Campground area to get the best views on this hike.
Trust me, the effort is worthwhile. I’d do this hike again in a heartbeat, which isn’t true of many hikes.
Tejas Trail
Tejas Trail doesn’t get a lot of love online, but it’s the trail that made me fall in love with Texas mountain hiking.
It’s one of the best hikes in Guadalupe Mountains National Park because it’s easy to access, easy to navigate, a moderately challenging hike, easy to loop with other trails (y’all know how I feel about out and backs), and gives you a feel for the quintessential Guadalupe Mountain goodness.
Tejas Trail Points of Interest
My favorite part about Tejas Trail is that it offers fantastic views into the mountain basin as you gain elevation on it. About 1 mile into the hike you’ll see Tejas Arch, a really cool rock arch visible slightly off the trail. Traveling toward Dog Canyon, the arch will be to your right. Keep an eye out after you pass it, as the trail wraps around behind it for a view of its rump.
Once you can see the Tejas Arch’s behind, turn to the left! In the opposite direction is a fantastic view down into Cherry Canyon. As you look down over the canyon, you’ll see mountain slopes dotted with various shrubs and coniferous trees and the landscape is deliciously green (well, for Texas anyway).
View of the Arch
While these views aren’t as sweeping or dramatic as what you’ll get from the top of Permian Trail or The Notch, it’s still an experience worth having, especially for the less fit or experienced hiker.
Too Long: Didn’t Read;
Don’t ask me which of these three is the ultimate best trail in Guadalupe Mountains National Park – that’s like asking me to pick a favorite kid!
Regardless, these three trails are the cream of the crop. Each one offers a memorable and unique experience, with options from day hikes to full-on backpacking adventures.
- McKittrick Canyon Trail is very accessible and has a number of great stopping off points along the way. Great options here for all abilities.
- Permian Reef is perfect for those who love to hike alone and revel in the solitude of the backcountry. It’s quiet and spectacularly beautiful, but also a very challenging climb.
- Tejas Trail offers a quintessential Guadalupe Mountains experience and great aerial views over the main park areas. It can also be the start of a backcountry adventure, connecting you to other peaks and trails deeper in the park.