Guadalupe Mountains and Carlsbad Caverns Hiking Tour

“Timberline has the greatest guides. They are exceptionally accommodating and provide excellent service.” – Brenda B.

In the vast Chihuahua Desert of western Texas lies an ancient limestone reef that was once buried in a massive inland sea.  Millions of years ago the area went through an uplifting, then a period of erosion to expose this fossilized reef.  These are the Guadalupe Mountains.  In the area you can find Salt Basin Dunes, rich grassland, conifer forests and a diverse collection of flora and fauna. Its remote location and lack of luxurious amenities makes it one of the least visited National Parks, but the fascinating terrain, variety of trails,  and widespread views are so worth a visit.  We combine a trip to these mountains with a visit to the nearby Carlsbad Caverns with the largest single cave chamber in North America and a chance to explore the unique limestone reef from below.  Come explore this part of the largest desert in North America.

Guadalupe Mountains Hiking

The Guadalupe Mountains tour meets in El Paso with a 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.

Carlsbad Caverns Hiking

We take a more casual turn on Day 3 as we spend the day at Carlsbad Caverns.  We will have time to explore the large room on our own, take a ranger led tour, and spend a little time above ground with the cacti and wildlife.  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!  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.

Join our expert guides here at Timberline on a trip of a lifetime. View our full tour calendar to book your trip!