Located about 100 miles east of El Paso stands the majestic Guadalupe Mountain range, ancient and rugged, boasting the highest peak in Texas. Naturally, Rusty wanted to hike Texas’ highest peak, so we headed to Guadalupe Mountains National Park to spend five nights at the park’s main campground, Pine Springs. We got a sweet spot right at the base of the mountains, and with our half price pass our campsite was only $7.50 per night, which included flush toilets and access to water – yeah!. The draw of this park, in addition to its vast beauty was the fact that at nearly 6,000 ft. in elevation, the temperature ranged from 55 overnight to 75 degrees during the day. This was a welcome change from the 100-degree weather we had experienced in Houston and San Antonio.

Unfortunately, it rained off and on for the first two days we were there. But by the second afternoon the weather broke and Rusty decided this was his best shot at the Guadeloupe Peak Trail. He set off at a good clip on a reasonably difficult climb of 3,000 ft. over 4 miles. The trail was wide and well-maintained, but very rocky, requiring him to focus hard on foot placement. The earlier rain also turned much of the trail into tiny streamlets, which were easily avoided but also required extra effort.

On the way up, a slight sprinkle returned and continued as he climbed into the clouds. There were two sections where the trail went around a cliff’s edge with steep 100-foot drop-offs, and one short but sturdy bridge where there was no room for a trail to be cut. As Rusty climbed higher toward 8,000 ft., his heartrate and breathing became more labored, requiring him to stop frequently to catch his breath. It’s been a long time since he’s hiked at these elevations.

Maybe three-fourths of the way into the climb, Rusty began to come out of the cloud layer and could see his surroundings better. The mountain ridges and the valleys beyond the clouds were beautiful! He reached the top at about 3:30, where he found five other hikers sitting about the summit and a large 3-sided obelisk. While snacking on some bars, Rusty noticed humming birds flitting about. They were unafraid as they whizzed around from flower to flower, sometimes right by his head. They looked like ruby-throated hummingbirds to him, but we later learned that they were broad-tailed humming birds that prefer the upper elevations during the summer.

Rusty’s hike down was pretty fast, skipping over the rocks and around the abating streams. The clouds came and went, sometimes giving him a view, sometime obscuring. Eventually, as he rounded the last ridge to our campsite (still about a mile away), he could see our van far below. Rusty finished his hike at 5:20 pm, tired and a bit sore. But he was elated to share his hike and pictures with me over dinner that night.

The next day we decided to hike the Frijole and Foothills Trails, a moderate loop trail that began at the campground and included a visit to the historic Frijole Ranch and its spring, a side trail up the escarpment to the Smith Springs, and a return trail through the rolling terrain at the base of the Guadeloupe Range.  It was amazing to learn how the rain that falls regularly at the top of this mountain range percolates slowly through the cracks in the limestone to feed several active springs in the foothills below. This area is a true oasis in the desert, and we could see why a pioneering family would have chosen this spot to farm and raise cattle.

Although this was considered a moderate hike, I found it to be more difficult than I expected due to the elevation. Like Rusty the day before, I was stopping to catch my breath every quarter mile or so. But all-in-all, the hike was amazing, with stunning views of the mountains and foothills, dotted with cacti, succulents, desert trees, and wildflowers.

The next day we decided to take it easy, taking a short 2-mile trek on The Pinery Trail, which began at the visitor center and ended at the ruins of The Pinery, a Butterfield Trail stagecoach station. We took a lot of photos of cacti, plants, and flowers, and enjoyed watching the hummingbird moths flitting among the Apache plume, before heading back to our campsite. This is just what we needed to stretch out our legs from the day before.

Our last hike at Guadeloupe was a short 4.2-mile trek to a place called Devil’s Hall, rated moderate to strenuous, and this hike took us by surprise. The first mile was on a constructed trail that ran along the edge of a steep washout, with beautiful views of El Capitan and Guadalupe Peak. As the trail descended into the washout, however, we realized we were into a battle of rocks and boulders as we headed up along the now-dry washout to Devil’s Hall.

This trail was one heck of a workout, climbing up boulders and sliding down loose rock as we made our way to our destination. About two-tenths of a mile from the top and Devil’s Hall, the washout comes to a near-vertical wall, which marks the beginning of the Hiker’s Staircase. The wall is like the side of a 20-ft. deep bowl with shallow hand and foot-holds that have been eroded into the natural rock formation by rushing water.

Tired from the difficult hike, and a little dizzy from the elevation, I decide to sit this next part out in a nice spot of shade. Rusty climbs to the top of the bowl, making the treacherous look just a little too easy. Then just as he heads past the lip of the bowl and out of sight, I hear a bang and a groan. Rusty had slipped on some loose rock and banged his knee hard. He assured me he was okay, rested for a bit as the pain subsided, then continued on. The rest of the ascent was easier with more flat shale-like bedrock and less bouldering. He finally arrived at Devil’s Hall, a narrow crevice through 100-foot limestone walls at the top of the ridge. On his way back, he took a long video to share with me and you.

We stayed at the base of the staircase for a while, eating snacks and drinking lots of water. Hydration up here is important. As we headed back again down the wash, I noticed that Rusty has a noticeable limp now, favoring his left knee. He assures me that he’s fine, but I’m able to keep up with him now without too much effort. Lol.

Overall, the Devil’s Hall hike took us about 4 ½ hours. We were exhausted by the time we got back to the van, but it was a great end to our stay at GMNP.

We’re definitely coming back someday.

~ Girl Hobo