Pine Springs Campground

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 sparro