West Texas & Guadalupe NP

After the magical morning and afternoon at Carlsbad Caverns we decided to make the short drive back into Texas to visit Guadalupe National Park. This is a smaller park that does not get a lot of attention compared to many of the bigger and well known parks. However, this magical place tucked in the far western part of Texas is a joy to behold. Soaring mountains, endless trails, and peace and quiet all around you. If you are heading west on I-10 it is definitely worth the short detour to explore this park.

This park is home to the highest point in Texas at 8,751 feet. Guadalupe Peak, or sometimes called Signal Peak, offers amazing views to anyone who is willing to attempt the climb. This is only one of the many trails you can hike. As a matter of fact there are over 80 miles of hiking trails available at this park.

With all of that being said there is only one trail you can hike with a dog. There is a lot of wild animals and hazardous areas for a dog, so for their safety and their owners all other trails are off limits to our four legged friends. Since we had Frodo with us we had to settle for hiking the one trail. We made the best of it and had a great time. As usual Frodo was happy to pose for the camera.

Of course we had to snap a few pictures of the surrounding area as well. It can’t always be about Frodo (I mean, it CAN, but I’m pretty sure not everyone is as enthralled by him as I am 😉)

Despite being “off the beaten path”, Guadalupe National Park IS worth the visit if you are in the area. You’ll find yourself getting lost in the beautiful scenery even if you stay on the trail!