The Pine Springs tent camping area is small and can typically fill by Thursday evening for popular weekends. The good news is that the NPS folks are pretty cool and will let "tenters" sleep in their cars or pickups in the RV area if spaces are available and the tent area is full. This was the case for my group. Still nice picnic tables available around the RV space. You just cannot pitch a tent there. The park enforces quiet time after 8 PM so you don't have to worry about generators going all night long. The flexibility to stay in the RV lot is good because other drive-up camping options are a LONG drive away.
Midland-Odessa Airport (Texas)is about 200 miles away, but may be a better bet if you're also heading to Big Bend on the same trip, as it is 90 miles closer to BB than El Paso is. You have to compare the airfares and cost of car rental at each place.
Please add the info about the trail length etc...I found this on Texas hiking trails site. Guadalupe Peak Trail. Length: 4.20 Miles Elevation Gain from trail head: 3000.
thank you
Absolutely amazing peak. It is, by far, my favorite mountain I've climbed out. I started hiking a few hours before sunset. The first mile or is probably the steepest part of the hike. The trail is well defined and will lead you up the face of the mountain immediately adjacent to the parking lot. The first part of the trail has some steps constructed out of rock and wood. One part of the trail is carved out of solid rock. Watch out for mountain goats. I turned a corner of the trail and came face-to-face with one. He jumped over the edge and joined a few other goats running down the mountain. I reached the summit at sunset. The view was outstanding. You can see vast distances in every direction. The light was bouncing off the back of El Capitan and provided excellent photos. I hiked back in the dark, but the trail is well marked and it was no issue. The hike is about 8-9 miles round trip and isn't particularly strenuous. Round trip for me was about five hours, including the time I spent on the summit.
slowbutsteady - Apr 28, 2010 12:04 pm - Voted 10/10
firearmsI believe firearms may now be carried in National Parks
vanman798 - Jun 7, 2013 11:15 am - Hasn't voted
Re: firearmswhat for?
Sarah Simon - Jun 7, 2013 12:13 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: firearmsConfirmed: http://www.nps.gov/gumo/parkmgmt/lawsandpolicies.htm
No need to infringe on the Constitutional rights of law abiding citizens visiting the park.
Cheers,
Sarah
Bark Eater - Nov 14, 2013 10:36 am - Voted 10/10
Camping optionsThe Pine Springs tent camping area is small and can typically fill by Thursday evening for popular weekends. The good news is that the NPS folks are pretty cool and will let "tenters" sleep in their cars or pickups in the RV area if spaces are available and the tent area is full. This was the case for my group. Still nice picnic tables available around the RV space. You just cannot pitch a tent there. The park enforces quiet time after 8 PM so you don't have to worry about generators going all night long. The flexibility to stay in the RV lot is good because other drive-up camping options are a LONG drive away.
Sarah Simon - Nov 15, 2013 4:05 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: Camping optionsThanks for the updated notes - I will incorporate these into the page! -Sarah
Bark Eater - Nov 16, 2013 7:19 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: Camping optionsYou bet! Amazing place. I greatly enjoyed our visit. Wish we could have stayed longer!
MarkDask - Jan 20, 2014 1:28 pm - Hasn't voted
Nearby airportsMidland-Odessa Airport (Texas)is about 200 miles away, but may be a better bet if you're also heading to Big Bend on the same trip, as it is 90 miles closer to BB than El Paso is. You have to compare the airfares and cost of car rental at each place.
Sarah Simon - Jan 20, 2014 9:28 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: Nearby airportsThanks, Mark, I'll add this to the page / getting there. - Sarah
6sniders - Jan 23, 2017 11:40 pm - Voted 6/10
Trail Info missing?Please add the info about the trail length etc...I found this on Texas hiking trails site. Guadalupe Peak Trail. Length: 4.20 Miles Elevation Gain from trail head: 3000.
thank you
Sarah Simon - Feb 1, 2017 8:43 am - Voted 10/10
Re: Trail Info missing?Hi,
Alan's route description, attached to this peak, is right where it's been since 2002:
http://www.summitpost.org/guadalupe-peak-trail/157442
Cheers,
Sarah
sam807 - Sep 19, 2017 1:26 pm - Hasn't voted
AmazingAbsolutely amazing peak. It is, by far, my favorite mountain I've climbed out. I started hiking a few hours before sunset. The first mile or is probably the steepest part of the hike. The trail is well defined and will lead you up the face of the mountain immediately adjacent to the parking lot. The first part of the trail has some steps constructed out of rock and wood. One part of the trail is carved out of solid rock. Watch out for mountain goats. I turned a corner of the trail and came face-to-face with one. He jumped over the edge and joined a few other goats running down the mountain. I reached the summit at sunset. The view was outstanding. You can see vast distances in every direction. The light was bouncing off the back of El Capitan and provided excellent photos. I hiked back in the dark, but the trail is well marked and it was no issue. The hike is about 8-9 miles round trip and isn't particularly strenuous. Round trip for me was about five hours, including the time I spent on the summit.
skinnywhitecomic - Oct 26, 2020 1:28 pm - Voted 10/10
Park FeesAs of 10/24/2020, the entrance to the trail was $10 a person.