Guadalupe Ridge Trail (GRT)

The Guadalupe Ridge Trail is not a casual weekend outing — it is a genuine hundred-mile traverse connecting two national parks across some of the most remote desert terrain in the American Southwest. Starting from Guadalupe Mountains National Park, the route threads through Lincoln National Forest and BLM land before delivering you to the doorstep of Carlsbad Caverns. Expect exposed ridgelines with sweeping views of the Chihuahuan Desert, rugged limestone terrain that will test your ankles, and long waterless stretches that demand serious planning. The roughly twenty miles within Carlsbad Caverns feel like a reward — you have earned every bit of that dramatic canyon scenery. This is a trail for seasoned backpackers who want a multi-day wilderness challenge with virtually no crowds and the kind of solitude that makes you forget cell phones exist.