Tejas Thru Hike

This is the backbone of the Guadalupe Mountains — nearly twelve miles of trail that stitches the park together from Pine Springs in the south to Dog Canyon at the northern boundary. You'll start with a relentless climb out of the desert scrub of Pine Springs Canyon, gaining serious elevation as the landscape transforms beneath your boots. Once you crest into the highlands, the trail threads through the Bowl, a surprisingly lush pocket of Douglas fir and ponderosa pine that feels like you wandered into New Mexico. The central stretch is forested and rolling, crossing drainages and connecting to a web of spur trails before dropping into the grassy meadows of Dog Canyon. This is a point-to-point thru-hike, which means you need a shuttle or a very generous friend with a car. Best suited for strong hikers who want to see the full spectrum of what these mountains hide behind their desert facade.