Pine Springs Campground
The Quick Take
Pine Springs is the only developed campground in Guadalupe Mountains, which means it pulls double duty as both the convenient basecamp and the only game in town. Sitting right off the highway and a two-minute drive from the visitor center, it trades seclusion for access -- you can be on the Guadalupe Peak trail within minutes of waking up. The campground is small and stripped down: no hookups, no showers, no fires of any kind, and forget about cell service. What you get instead is some of the darkest sky in Texas, a quiet 8 PM curfew that the park actually enforces, and a front-row seat to one of the least-visited parks in the system. RV sites exist but without hookups or a dump station, this is really a tent camper's world. Choose Pine Springs if you want a no-frills base for serious hiking and you can live without a campfire.
Booking
Reserve Your Campsite
All 35 sites are reservable.
Book at Guadalupe Mountains LodgesWhat You Get
Sites & Setup
RV Information
RVs allowed. No electrical hookups. Generators permitted during designated hours.
Accessibility
Wheelchairs can be maneuvered around all campground areas and the accessible tent and RV site. Ramps throughout the tenting, RV, restroom and amphitheater areas allow wheelchair, walker, and scooter users to travel with no problem. Paved Roads - All vehicles OK
Rules to Know
- Fires:- Only cooking stoves are permitted; charcoal, wood fires, and propane firepits are prohibited.
- Generators:- Quiet hours in all the park’s developed campgrounds are from 8:00 p.m.
Pro Tips
Book the moment reservations open for fall weekends -- October brings the famous McKittrick Canyon fall color show, and all 35 sites fill fast despite this park's reputation as a quiet one. Midweek in winter is almost always available same-day.
The amphitheater hosts ranger programs on weekend evenings, and the lack of light pollution makes the post-program stargazing genuinely world-class. Bring a camp chair and binoculars -- you won't need a telescope to see the Milky Way here.
No fires means no charcoal, no wood, and no propane firepits -- only cooking stoves are allowed. Pack a reliable backpacking stove and plan meals that don't require grilling. Wind is constant and ferocious here, so bring a stove with a built-in windscreen or you'll burn through fuel cartridges fast.
Photos
NPS Photo
NPS Photo
NPS PhotoGetting There
Directions
The entrance to the park off of highway 62/180 will immediately lead visitors to the entrance of the campground. The tent and RV campground is a 2 minute drive from the Pine Springs Visitor Center.
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