Guadalupe Mountains NP - Carlsbad Caverns NP - pic heavy

Trip was made back in November 2016, I realize I took a few decent pictures IMO. I was working in the area and had a few days off and hiked Guadalupe Mountain the day before and saw there was a 4wd trail on the west side of the NP.



Guadalupe Mountain

Pictures from the hike up Guadalupe Mountain (8751' - Texas's tallest peak, with Emory in Big Bend NP at a close second). It was a 4.1 mile hike up and I did it in my slip on steel toe boots- I don't recommend cowboy boots for the task either. My feet = . As I neared the top in just a long sleeve shirt and a wind breaker it began to sleet and it was a lil' icy. My water was slushy at the top too and my iPhone died, never envisioned such a cold day in Texas. Glad I brought plenty to eat and that alone helped keep me warm somehow.




A-hole parking award for the day too...I was the only one there, must had been the cold weather and potential rain that kept others away.

Limestone... I'm a geologist FYI.


Point where I wish I had something to wear other than slip on steel toe boots.

It was windy AF. Stopped here for some grub and to defrost my nose.

Yeah totally wishing I had wore better socks at this point too. I was sporting some sweet Haynes. Total success though.


Phone died at this point. Wish it didn't the views on the peak we're great- looking south- flat AF Texas, the north- Mountains in NM - east/west - mountains or high desert. As I descended the mountain I found a loose quarter in my boot. Totally made the experience .05% better, but fitting for the supreme choice in footwear.








Williams Ranch Road - Butterfield Stagecoach Trail

To access the 4wd trail at Guadalupe Mountains National Park (GMNP) you'll need to get the key from the main ranger station at Pine Springs. I entered the ranger station and inquired about the 4wd trail and asked him politely for the key. Ranger told me "I'd give it to you but your crazy, you'll out of gas, get stuck, them darn thorns will tear up your tires and you'll get flats" so I replied "Right, do I have to sign to get the key?" Few minutes and a short drive I unlocked the good ole Texas spin style lock gate for multiple 'lease holders'




There actually is two locked gates to access the trail.



Alright now the wheeling is about to begin!



As I headed up the trail I spotted some Elk like 1,000 yards off so I decided do hike up there and get a closer look. I was sporting my Vortex 10x monocle.


I found a intermittent creek bed that headed up their direction and as I was walking towards the elk I heard some noise. There was about 6 javalinas grazing about 30-50 yards away. I can say I've hunted and harvested them in the past and they are some ferocious animals and I know in numbers they are lethal. So I promptly abandoned the idea to get a closer look at the elk at that point, for now.

They were up wind of me, so I did linger a moment to get a picture of them with the iPhone looking through my monocle.


So I drove a little further and realized I'm closer to where I saw them elks. So I headed up a small hill, that overlooked where they were. They were gone, I stood on the edge of that same creek bed and below I heard noise. Two stud mule deer bucks just pranced out and ran off. I wish I had a better picture, but they are there in this nice pixelated photo.


So I then kept on driving out and saw a pretty cool sign notating that this trail also used to be the old Butterfield Stagecoach road. Great picture of the permian reef here- El Capitan.



I kinda failed at taking pictures of the actual 4wd road, honestly it was not technical at all nor that hard to me. I think I put my truck in 4H twice going up steep sections where the rocks were loose. As I neared the abandoned ranch house the trail did get .05% worse, just larger cobble to boulder sized (rocks big as your hand or bigger than your head). And there was very few overgrown sections of mesquite and a few yuccas.


Finally made it to the old ranch house. It was pretty neat. I walked around and was greatful others left behind tools and stuff that belonged to the original owners, almost left the way it was all these years ago. The house is boarded up, but I did sit on the porch and ate a sandwich and took in the view.







I kinda was a little envious of these leaf springs here. My stock 3 leafs are done worn out!


Heading back to the asphalt now.


Carlsbad Caverns National Park

So I had another day off and decided to venture into Carlsbad Caverns National Park (CCNP) and not hike GPNP trails due to the aforementioned boot fail.

Headed on down to Carlsbad Caverns NP from Carlsbad. The access road its self to CCNP is pretty cool.
Visitor center at CCNP is pretty nice, even has an all out restaurant in there too.




I took a guided tour and humbly kept my geological knowlege to my self and listened to what the ranger guide had to say. Sure was fun. I walked the ~ 1 mile out. I didn't havest any guano and saw one dead bat as they migrated to Mexico.
The dead bat...

...don't go full nerd




And that's all folks. Next time I get an opportunity to venture around here I'd bring hiking boots and hit the trails of GMNP or drive around Lincoln National Forrest in NM.

 

I didn't know there was 4wd at Guadalupe.

Can you camp out there or just drive in and out within the day?

 

Yes I think so- you can park at near the ranch house; and there is a hiking trail from there that go around El Captain that you can hike. Not sure on camping on the 4wd section though.

Edit- no camping. Day use only. I'm not sure how one could possibly get to the hiking trail in a day though.
https://www.nps.gov/gumo/planyourvisit/4x4.htm

 

I just saw that link