The Guadalupe Mountains tour meets in El Paso for orientation, then we drive into McKittrick Canyon. Our hike on Day 1 follows a spring fed stream, whose waters provide a riparian ecosystem in this desert location. We’ll hike past historic structures, hard wood trees and a picturesque canyon. We continue north in the van to the community of White’s City to our comfortable hotel for the duration of the tour.
On Day 2 we get right at it with a hike to the highest mountain in Texas. Guadalupe Peak tops out at 8,751 feet, and from its summit we can see what looks like all of Texas and into Mexico.
We take a more casual turn on Day 3 as we spend the day at Carlsbad Caverns. We will take the natural entrance into the cave and have time to explore the Big Room on our own, and spend a little time above ground with the cacti and wildlife. An optional hike back towards White’s City is available.
On Day 4 we return to the heart of the Guadalupe Mountains for a fascinating hike along the base of El Capitan cliffs and out to the salt basin overlook. You will feel like you are on another planet! The view from the far end looks out over the vast salt flats on a scale hard to imagine.
Our last Day 5 in the area gives us the chance to explore a historic ranch and hike in a shady oasis where wildlife sightings are frequent. We return to El Paso in the afternoon for the conclusion of our Guadalupe Mountains National Park tour.
We are offering and optional Extension Day to visit White Sands National Park. Lodging in El Paso on Day 5 is included. The next day we will drive to White Sands for a one day exploration, including hiking the Alkali Flats trail, if it is open. (5 miles) We return to El Paso by 4pm that afternoon. Call the office for more information.
