McKittrick Canyon - Guadalupe Mountains National Park

McKittrick Canyon is located in the northeast corner of Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas. It is accessed via a 200-foot wide corridor of Guadalupe National Park property centered on a 4¼-mile paved road from US 62/180 to the visitor center parking lot. The paved parking lot has spaces for about four dozen automobiles, nine RVs or busses, and four handicap placarded vehicles. 

The visitor center is only staffed during peak seasons in the spring and fall. Our stop in September 2021 was a bit early for the fall colors. The visitor center has a ranger office/information desk and there are picnic tables nearby. The restrooms with flush toilets were open. There are several interpretive signs and a video interview of Wallace E. Pratt who in 1957 donated over 5,000 acres of land in McKittrick Canyon for the creation of the park. The park was authorized by Congress in 1966 but wasn't established until 1972 when most of the land and mineral rights had been purchased.

As this part of the park closed and the gates are locked at 4:30 PM, we didn't have time to hike during our short one afternoon visit to the park. However, this park of the park is unique and we wanted our daughter to have some idea of what was here for her next visit whenever that may be.

View from the 200-foot corridor (notice the fence posts) into New Mexico

McKittrick Canyon Visitor Center

View of McKittrick (7064') from the trail

View of McKittrick Canyon from the trail

Camp Wildernesss Ridge and McKittrick (7064')

Sun setting behind an unnamed peak

Lonesome Ridge in Lincoln National Forest, New Mexico

A last look at McKittrick Canyon

An entry fee of $10 per person is valid for seven consecutive days at Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Fees may be paid with cash or card at the visitor center or they may be paid with cash at the trailhead by using the green envelopes provided. Other fee payment options include the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands passes including the Annual Pass ($80), Senior Pass ($80 for a lifetime), Access Pass (free with a documented disability), and Military Annual Pass (free for active-duty personnel). A pass holder can bring up to three additional adults (age 16 or older) with no additional fee. Also available is a Guadalupe Mountains National Park Annual Park Pass for $35.

The Guadalupe Mountains National Park website is https://www.nps.gov/gumo/index.htm.