The best camping in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, TX

In far western Texas, the state’s highest point, Guadalupe Peak, rises 8,751 feet above the vast Chihuahuan Desert. This promontory and surrounding mountains give Guadalupe Mountains National Park its name and form the backdrop for adventures in the park. Go hiking, biking, and horseback riding in immersive canyons and on high-country trails. The National Park Service offers three campgrounds, each with dry camping and limited amenities. Outside the park, dispersed camping and primitive campgrounds are found in the Lincoln National Forest and on BLM lands. RVers may find private parks with full hookups near Whites City and Carlsbad, New Mexico.

• Best for easy access: The Pine Springs Campground is located near the visitor center.
• Best for serenity: The Dog Canyon Campground is more remote and is located in a forested landscape.
• Best for camping with horses: The Frijole Horse Corral Group Campground provides access to horse corrals and may be booked up to 6 months in advance.
• Best for free camping: The Bureau of Land Management offers some primitive campgrounds and dispersed camping options nearby.

• Campsites are reservable through the Recreation.gov website.
• Reservations may be made up to 6 months in advance.
• Flush toilets and potable water are available at both main campgrounds, but no hookups are offered at individual sites.
• Both main campgrounds can accommodate RVs, while also offering walk-in campsites for tents only.
• Wilderness camping is also available in 10 primitive campgrounds, offering tent camping only. Campers must obtain a permit. 
• Park campgrounds can fill to capacity during fall and spring.

Warm weather can be expected much of the year. Summer can bring extreme heat, with highs in the 90s. The summer monsoon season brings afternoon thunderstorms. Spring and fall are cooler, with chilly nights. Though winter has pleasant daytime temperatures, the area can be extremely windy from November through March. Occasional snows and freezing temperatures are a possibility. The weather can vary greatly by elevation, so it’s important to dress in layers and to plan accordingly when camping.

• Campfires and propane fire pits are not allowed, only cookstoves. 
• There are no dump stations for the NPS campgrounds.
• Cell signals are limited in many areas of the park.
• In order to preserve a natural environment, no roadways were constructed through the park’s peaks.
• Carlsbad Cavern National Park is a short drive away, making it easy to visit both parks on a single trip.