Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Overview

• Dog Canyon is a 70-mile (113 km) drive from the nearest town of Carlsbad, New Mexico and is 110 miles (177 km) from the Pine Spring Visitor Center & Campground (a 2 hour drive time).
• Before booking a reservation: It is your responsibility to review all (Site Details, Allowable Equipment, Allowable Vehicle/Driveway and Need to Know) for the individual campsite. Failing to do so may result in being prohibited from occupying the site upon your arrival. Refunds are not provided by the park.
• Dog Canyon Campground lies in the secluded, forested canyon on the north side of Guadalupe Mountains National Park at an elevation of 6,300 feet (1920 m). It is located at the end of NM Hwy. 137 (Queen Highway).
• This quiet location is great for relaxing, wildlife watching and hiking.  
• The campground is open year-round and is busiest, March-May and September-November.

Recreation

• Trails from Dog Canyon offer good access, with relatively easy grades, to the high country of Guadalupe Mountains National Park. 
• The hike to Lost Peak is 6.4 miles (10.3 km) round-trip, is considered strenuos and has 1500’ (457 m) elevation gain. 
• The hike to Marcus Overlook is 4.5 miles (7.2 km) round-trip, is considered moderate with an 800' (244 km) elevation gain. 
• The Indian Meadow Nature Trail near the campground is 0.6 miles (1 km) and winds around a grassy area surrounded by a mix of broadleaved evergreens, deciduous trees and pines.

Facilities

• The campground features 13 sites total with 9 tent, 4 RV sites and 1 group site available by reservation.  

• Campsite occupancy is limited to 6 persons or 2 tents, per site. The group site allows 10 -20 persons. 

• No open fires (this includes portable propane fire rings and charcoal) are permitted anywhere in the park. Only cooking stoves or lanterns using containerized fuel are permitted.

• Tent sites are hike-in only (61 to 178 feet/19 to 54 m from parking) and cannot accommodate RV parking. Each site offers a tent pad and picnic table.  

• RV sites are gravel with picnic tables.  

• No shower facilities, hookups or dump stations. 

• Dog Canyon is remote. Fuel your vehicle and purchase supplies before heading to the park.  

• The use of weight-bearing hammocks, slacklines, tarps or similar devices tied to natural and/or manmade features is prohibited. This regulation is intended to protect the landscape and environment in the park, as these devices may cause damage to trees and other features and encourage camping out of bounds and off designated camping pads. Incidental and temporary lines for clothes drying or Wilderness food storage are not subject to this limitation.

   

Natural Features

• The Dog Canyon Campground is in an area with wooded drainages, meadows, and grassy hillsides and sparsely vegetated outcrops. Large alligator junipers, oaks, maples, madrones, piñon and ponderosa pine are in and near the campground. Shrubs include ceanothus, sumacs, mahonia, and mountain mahogany. Desert-adapted plants include a variety of prickly pear cactus, agave, and chollas. Western scrub jays, acorn woodpeckers, and a variety of hummingbirds frequent the area. Mule deer are commonly seen.
• Algerita ridge casts morning shade, and cool mountain air settles in the canyon bottom nightly. Daytime highs are similar to the Pine Springs area, but nighttime lows can be much cooler. Views of the night sky are pristine.
• During the Permian Period, shallow marine water that was behind the Capitan Reef, created a series of layers of limestone and sandstone. Faulting and subsequent erosion created the canyon. Nearby topographic features include Lost Peak, Blue Ridge, West Dog Canyon, and the Brokeoff and Cutoff Mountains.

Contact Info

Nearby Attractions

Carlsbad Caverns National Park: In addition to a variety of cave tours, the national park also offers hiking trails and a scenic drive. Rattlesnake Springs and Slaughter Canyon, part of Carlsbad Caverns are nearer attractions for day use activities. Birding is excellent at Rattlesnake Springs.

Lincoln National Forest: The Guadalupe District of the Lincoln National Forest is located just over the state line, north of the national park. Road access is through New Mexico, north of White’s City, via Dark Canyon Road to NM SR 137 through Queen (also the way to the national park’s Dog Canyon). The forest provides for various camping, hiking, caving, hunting, and picnicking opportunities. Sitting Bull Falls is a nice waterfall and picnic area in the Lincoln National Forest. Five Point Vista is a glorious ridge road ride of the area, closer to Dog Canyon.

Fort Davis National Historic Site and State Park: Fort Davis is one of the best surviving examples of an Indian Wars' frontier military post in the Southwest. From 1854 to 1891, Fort Davis was strategically located to protect emigrants, mail coaches, and freight wagons on the Trans-Pecos portion of the San Antonio-El Paso Road and on the Chihuahua Trail. This is located about 2.5 hours south of the park. A state park is located nearby with camping and a scenic drive. Also located in Fort Davis is McDonald Observatory with several programs available.

White Sands National Park: Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert, creating the world's largest gypsum dunefield. White Sands National Park preserves a major portion of this unique dunefield, along with the plants and animals that live here.

Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site: Hueco Tanks State Park is located on the east side of El Paso, about an hour and a half from the Guadalupes. At Hueco Tanks, you can hike, rock climb, bird watch, study nature and history, picnic and stargaze. Visitors can take guided and self-guided tours to view rock imagery.

Charges & Cancellations

• Individual Site: A $10.00 service fee will apply if you modify your reservation or change your stay dates. Cancelling your reservation prior to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time two nights before your stay will incur a $10.00 cancellation fee. Camping reservations cancelled the day before and day of arrival incur a $10 cancellation fee and forfeit the first night's use fee.
• If you need to cancel or modify your reservation, you must do so through Recreation.gov.
• Group Site: Customers who cancel a group overnight reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee & forfeit the first night's use fee.

Overview

• This site is designed for stock use. If your party does not need access to a horse campsite, please consider selecting a campsite at the Pine Springs Campground located one mile west of Frijole Horse Corral Campground.
• Frijole Horse Corral Campground is located one mile east of Pine Springs Visitor Center, just off U.S. 62/180 and at an elevation of 5,400 feet.
• This campground has a large gravel parking area that is used as trailhead parking to access the Foothills and Frijole trails. It provides additional parking for horse trailers.  
• The Frijole Horse Corral campground is located 1 mile from the Pine Springs area and Visitor Center. It is 100 miles or a 2 hour drive from the Dog Canyon horse corrals by road.
• The campground is open year-round and is busiest, March-May and September-November.
• High winds with over 50 mph gusts are common, especially during winter and spring
• The Frijole Horse Corral Campsite is approximately 100 yards from the very busy U.S. 62/180 highway, expect traffic noise, including large trucks, 24 hours a day.

Recreation

Stock users may access trails in the Pine Springs area after obtaining a free stock use permit at the Pine Springs Visitor Center (8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) the day of their trip or up to 24 hours in advance. Trails that allow stock use are indicated on the park map and on maps for sale at the park bookstore. 

Riders must start their trip from the Frijole corral using the Foothills trail or Frijole trail.

The use of horses or pack animals is allowed on the following trails, routes or areas:

Trails designated for stock use are as follows:

• El Capitan Trail, Salt Basin Overlook Trail, Foothills Trail, Frijole Trail, Tejas Trail, Bush Mountain Trail from Tejas Junction at Pine Top to hitching racks at Bush Mountain, Bush Mountain Trail from Dog Canyon to Marcus Junction and the Marcus Trail, Blue Ridge Trail from Marcus Junction to Tejas Trail, McKittrick Canyon Trail from Tejas Trail to McKittrick Ridge Campground hitching racks

Roads designated for stock use are as follows:

• Dog Canyon Road & designated old roads in the west side escarpment area. Note that not all the old roads within the park are open for stock use. 
• These roads are open to stock use to allow access to designated trails and because there are no alternative trails or routes.

Hikers will find many opportunities as well:

• The nearby Pine Springs Trailhead includes access to many different types of hikes. Hikes to Guadalupe Peak or the Bowl are strenuous, 8-9 miles, and have 2500-3000 feet of elevation gain. Another strenuous hike is the Devil’s Hall Trail (4.2 miles round-trip, 500 feet elevation gain, ½ of the trail in a rocky, uneven wash which includes route-finding and boldering skills). For a more moderate hike consider the the Frijole/Foothills Trail. The El Capitan Trail is a strenuous trail that offers excellent open views of the surrounding desert and close approaches to the cliff face of El Capitan. Because of its distance, lack of shade, some primitive route travel, and numerous elevation changes, this trail is best saved for cooler times of year and for people with experience in route-finding. 
• The ruins of a Butterfield stage station, called the Pinery are next to the highway, and a short, paved nature trail connects the visitor center and the historic site. 
• The Frijole Ranch & History Museum is .25 miles away. The grounds are always open, but the museum is staffed intermittently.
• Six miles to the east on Hwy 62/180 is McKittrick Canyon. This area offers three trails, the McKittrick Canyon Nature Trail (0.9 miles loop), McKittrick Canyon Trail (4.8 miles round-trip to Pratt Cabin or 6.8 miles round-trip to the Grotto) and the Permian Reef Trail (8.4 miles round-trip, for serious geology buffs).

Facilities

• No open fires (this includes portable propane fire rings and charcoal) are permitted anywhere in the park. Only cooking stoves or lanterns using containerized fuel are permitted. 

• This site has the following amenities to accommodate for stock users: (4 corrals, hitching posts, extra trailer parking (not level), water troughs, stock watering tanks). Please be aware that recreating near horse campgrounds can provide a different experience to non-stock users. Please be courteous and select non-horse sites at Pine Springs Campground.

• This area may be shared with other stock users for day use purpose. Reserving the campsite does not guarantee you will have the area to yourself.

• Frijole Horse Corral Campsite has a large gravel parking area that is used for trailhead parking to access the Foothills and Frijole trails. It provides additional parking for horse trailers. The area is not level.

• Campsite occupancy allows 1 – 12 persons.

• The site has two tent pads (one is raised for accessibility) and two RV parking spaces (one site is paved for accessibility).

• This site offers a picnic table and drinking fountain. 

• The Park does not have shower facilities, hookups or a dump station. Remember to fill your holding tanks prior to arrival.

• The Park is remote. Fuel your vehicle and purchase supplies before heading to the park. The visitor center bookstore carries limited camping and hiking supplies.

• Cell phone service may be available in the Frijole Ranch and Pine Springs area , depending on your service provider. Free Wi-Fi may be available in front of the Pine Springs Visitor Center.

• Overnight backcountry permits are required for wilderness camping. Permits may be obtained in person at the Pine Springs Visitor Center (open 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM) 24 hours before the start of your trip.

• The use of weight-bearing hammocks, slacklines, tarps or similar devices tied to natural and/or manmade features is prohibited. This regulation is intended to protect the landscape and environment in the park, as these devices may cause damage to trees and other features and encourage camping out of bounds and off designated camping pads. Incidental and temporary lines for clothes drying or Wilderness food storage are not subject to this limitation.

   

Natural Features

• The Frijole Corral Campground is in an area with small, scattered trees, shrubs, and grasses. Trees include gray oaks and redberry junipers. Higher elevations include Douglas fir and hop-hornbeam. Shrubs include whitethorn acacia, Mexican orange, Apache plume, sumacs, and algerita. Desert-adapted plants also occur in this area, and include prickly pear cactus, New Mexico agave, sotols, and soaptree yuccas.
• Hunter Peak, El Capitan and Guadalupe Peak are visible from the campground. Riding up either side of Pine Springs canyon offers excellent views of the surrounding desert.
• Birds commonly seen and/or heard around the campground can include Canyon towhees, turkey vultures, white-winged doves, common ravens, chipping sparrows, Say’s phoebes, common poorwills, and Woodhouse’s scrub jays depending on the season.
• Night sky visibility is excellent and nearly pristine. Nearby high ridges and peaks are situated to north.

Nearby Attractions

• Carlsbad Caverns National Park: In addition to a variety of cave tours, the national park also offers hiking trails and a scenic drive. Rattlesnake Springs and Slaughter Canyon, part of Carlsbad Caverns are nearer attractions for day use activities. Birding is excellent at Rattlesnake Springs.
• Lincoln National Forest: The Guadalupe District of the Lincoln National Forest is located just over the state line, north of the national park. Road access is through New Mexico, north of White’s City, via Dark Canyon Road to NM SR 137 through Queen (also the way to the national park’s Dog Canyon). The forest provides for various camping, hiking, caving, hunting, and picnicking opportunities. Sitting Bull Falls is a nice waterfall and picnic area in the Lincoln National Forest. Five Point Vista is a glorious ridge road ride of the area, closer to Dog Canyon.
• Fort Davis National Historic Site and State Park: Fort Davis is one of the best surviving examples of an Indian Wars' frontier military post in the Southwest. From 1854 to 1891, Fort Davis was strategically located to protect emigrants, mail coaches, and freight wagons on the Trans-Pecos portion of the San Antonio-El Paso Road and on the Chihuahua Trail. This is located about 2.5 hours south of the park. A state park is located nearby with camping and a scenic drive. Also located in Fort Davis is McDonald Observatory with several programs available.
• White Sands National Park: Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert, creating the world's largest gypsum dunefield. White Sands National Park preserves a major portion of this unique dunefield, along with the plants and animals that live here.
• Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site: Hueco Tanks State Park is located on the east side of El Paso, about an hour and a half from the Guadalupes. At Hueco Tanks, you can hike, rock climb, bird watch, study nature and history, picnic and stargaze. Visitors can take guided and self-guided tours to view rock imagery.

Charges & Cancellations

• Group Site: Customers who cancel a group overnight reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee & forfeit the first night's use fee.
• If you need to cancel or modify your reservation you must do so through Recreation.gov.

Overview

• The Pine Springs RV campground is not a traditional campground. Be aware, this is a paved parking lot. The area shares a popular and busy trailhead accessing four major trails. The area is frequently congested with day use hikers searching for available parking and with foot traffic from overflow parking areas.
• Before booking a reservation: It is your responsibility to review all (Site Details, Allowable Equipment, Allowable Vehicle/Driveway and Need to Know) for the individual campsite. Failing to do so may result in being prohibited from occupying the site upon your arrival. Refunds are not provided by the park.
• Pine Springs Campground is located near the Pine Springs Visitor Center, just off U.S. 62/180 and at an elevation of 5,730 feet.  
• The location offers great hiker access to the Guadalupe Mountains National Park trail system.  
• The campground is situated at the opening to the Pine Springs Canyon with spectacular views of the world’s best example of a fossil reef and of the vast Permian Basin to the east.  
• The campground is open year-round and is busiest, March-May and September-November.
• High winds with over 50 mph gusts are common, especially during winter and spring. 

Recreation

• The Pine Springs Trailhead includes access to many different types of hikes. Hikes to Guadalupe Peak or the Bowl are strenuous, 8-9 miles, and have 2500-3000 feet of elevation gain. Another strenuous hike is the Devil’s Hall Trail (4.2 miles round-trip, 500 feet elevation gain, ½ of the trail in a rocky, uneven wash which includes route-finding and boldering skills). For a more moderate hike consider the the Frijole/Foothills Trail. The El Capitan Trail offers excellent open views of the surrounding desert and close approaches to the cliff face of El Capitan. Because of its distance, lack of shade, some primitive route travel, and numerous elevation changes, this trail is best saved for cooler times of year and for people with experience in route-finding. 
• The ruins of a Butterfield stage station, called the Pinery are next to the highway, and a short, paved nature trail connects the visitor center and the historic site. 
• The Frijole Ranch & History Museum is 1.5 miles away. The grounds are always open, but the museum is staffed intermittently.
• Seven miles to the east on Hwy 62/180 is McKittrick Canyon. This area offers three trails, the McKittrick Canyon Nature Trail (0.9 miles loop), McKittrick Canyon Trail (4.8 miles round-trip to Pratt Cabin or 6.8 miles round-trip to the Grotto) and the Permian Reef Trail (8.4 miles round-trip, for serious geology buffs).

Facilities

• The campground features 35 sites total with 20 tent, 13 RV and 2 group sites available by reservation.

• Campsite occupancy is limited to 6 persons or 2 tents, per site. Group sites allow 10-20 persons per site.  

• No open fires (this includes portable propane fire rings and charcoal) are permitted anywhere in the park. Only cooking stoves or lanterns using containerized fuel are permitted. 

• Tent sites are hike-in only (38’ – 277’ from parking) and cannot accommodate RV parking due to the narrow access road. Each site offers a tent pad and picnic table.  

• RV sites are paved but very basic, offering picnic tables at most sites.  

• No shower facilities, hookups or dump stations.  

• The park is remote. Fuel your vehicle and purchase supplies before heading to the park. The visitor center bookstore carries limited camping and hiking supplies.  

• The use of weight-bearing hammocks, slacklines, tarps or similar devices tied to natural and/or manmade features is prohibited. This regulation is intended to protect the landscape and environment in the park, as these devices may cause damage to trees and other features and encourage camping out of bounds and off designated camping pads. Incidental and temporary lines for clothes drying or Wilderness food storage are not subject to this limitation.

   

Natural Features

• The Pine Springs Campground is in an area with small, scattered trees, shrubs, and grasses. Trees include gray oaks and alligator junipers, which cast partial shade at some sites. Texas madrones, bigtooth maples, chinquapin oaks, and ponderosa pines become more common along the canyon floor. Higher elevations include Douglas fir and hop-hornbeam. Shrubs include whitethorn acacia, Mexican orange, Apache plume, sumacs, and algerita. Desert-adapted plants also occur in this area, and include prickly pear cactus, New Mexico agave, sotols, and soaptree yuccas.
• Hunter Peak and cross-sectional views of the Capitan reef are visible from the campground. Roadside pullouts (one mile and four miles away) provide excellent views of El Capitan. Hiking into Pine Springs canyon or along the foothills reveals Guadalupe Peak. The Guadalupe Peak trail ascends to the highest point in Texas and offers excellent views of the surrounding desert.
• Birds commonly seen and/or heard around the campground can include Canyon towhees, turkey vultures, white-winged doves, common ravens, chipping sparrows, Say’s phoebes, common poorwills, and phainopeplas depending on the season.
• Night sky visibility is excellent and nearly pristine directly overhead, to the south, and the southwest. Nearby high ridges and peaks are situated to the west and north.

Nearby Attractions

Carlsbad Caverns National Park: In addition to a variety of cave tours, the national park also offers hiking trails and a scenic drive. Rattlesnake Springs and Slaughter Canyon, part of Carlsbad Caverns are nearer attractions for day use activities. Birding is excellent at Rattlesnake Springs.

Lincoln National Forest: The Guadalupe District of the Lincoln National Forest is located just over the state line, north of the national park. Road access is through New Mexico, north of White’s City, via Dark Canyon Road to NM SR 137 through Queen (also the way to the national park’s Dog Canyon). The forest provides for various camping, hiking, caving, hunting, and picnicking opportunities. Sitting Bull Falls is a nice waterfall and picnic area in the Lincoln National Forest. Five Point Vista is a glorious ridge road ride of the area, closer to Dog Canyon.

Fort Davis National Historic Site and State Park: Fort Davis is one of the best surviving examples of an Indian Wars' frontier military post in the Southwest. From 1854 to 1891, Fort Davis was strategically located to protect emigrants, mail coaches, and freight wagons on the Trans-Pecos portion of the San Antonio-El Paso Road and on the Chihuahua Trail. This is located about 2.5 hours south of the park. A state park is located nearby with camping and a scenic drive. Also located in Fort Davis is McDonald Observatory with several programs available.

White Sands National Park: Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert, creating the world's largest gypsum dunefield. White Sands National Park preserves a major portion of this unique dunefield, along with the plants and animals that live here.

Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site: Hueco Tanks State Park is located on the east side of El Paso, about an hour and a half from the Guadalupes. At Hueco Tanks, you can hike, rock climb, bird watch, study nature and history, picnic and stargaze. Visitors can take guided and self-guided tours to view rock imagery.

Charges & Cancellations

• Individual Site: A $10.00 service fee will apply if you modify your reservation or change your stay dates. Cancelling your reservation prior to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time two nights before your stay will incur a $10.00 cancellation fee. Camping reservations cancelled the day before and day of arrival incur a $10 cancellation fee and forfeit the first night's use fee.
• If you need to cancel or modify your reservation, you must do so through Recreation.gov.
• Group Site: Customers who cancel a group overnight reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee & forfeit the first night's use fee.