Park Details
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Park Details
Location Information
Location:
Pine Springs, Texas. Located 110 miles east of El Paso, TX
on U.S. Highway 62/180; 55 miles southwest of Carlsbad, NM on
U.S. highway 62/180; 65 miles north of Van Horn, TX on Texas
highway 54.
Address:
HC 60 Box 400
Salt Flat, Texas 79847
Telephone:
(915) 828-3251
(915) 828-3269 (FAX)
Transportation:
To Park: Headquarters Visitor Center at Pine Springs
accessed via U.S. highway 62/180 between Carlsbad, NM and El
Paso, TX. Dog Canyon, on the park's north side, is accessed via New
Mexico state road 137.
In Park: Access roads to trailheads only.
Operating Hours/Seasons
Park is open year-round.
Visitor Center hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., slightly longer in summer. Visitor Center closed on Christmas Day.
Gate to McKittrick Canyon day-use area is locked at night. McKittrick Canyon fall colors season runs from approximately early-October through mid-November.
Reservations/Permits/Fees
Fees:
Pine Springs and Dog Canyon campgrounds are $7.00 a
night; group sites $2.00 per person, minimum $20.00.
Free backcountry camping permits available at visitor center.
Holders of Golden Access or Golden Age Passports receive a 50% discount.
Reservations/Permits:
No individual camping reservations accepted. Reservations
accepted for front country groups of ten or more.
Free backcountry camping permits required; horseback riding (bring your own stock) and free corral use (permits required.)
All permits must be obtained in person at the Headquarters Visitor Center or Dog Canyon Ranger Station on the day of or the day before they are to be used.
Climate, Recommended Clothing
Hot summers, mild winters.
Sudden and extreme weather changes are common.
Frequent high winds, especially in spring and early summer.
Cool nights, even in summer.
Loose, comfortable clothing, sturdy walking shoes, hat, sunscreen, and plenty of drinking water.
Facilities and Opportunities
Visitor Center/Exhibits:
Headquarters Visitor Center at Pine Springs has natural history
exhibits and auditorium slide program.
Historic Frijole Ranch Museum features exhibits on local history.
McKittrick Contact Station features outdoor exhibits and slide program on the history, geology and natural history of the canyon.
Trails/Roads:
Eighty-plus miles of trails, ranging in difficulty from easy
to strenuous.
Trails are rocky and often steep and rugged. Trails lead to Guadalupe Peak, around the base of El Capitan, up into the high country and across the top of the escarpment, and into McKittrick Canyon.
Self-guided nature trails are located at McKittrick Canyon, Pinery trail at Pine Springs and Indian Meadow Trail at Dog Canyon.
Programs/Activities:
Summer evening programs in campground amphitheater, frequent
slide program and geology video showings in Visitor Center
daily.
Lodging and camping facilities:
No lodging facilities in or near park. Closest is 35 miles
northeast in White's City, NM.
Two frontcountry campgrounds have tent and RV sites, water and rest rooms, but no showers or hookups.
Ten backcountry campgrounds. A free permit is required and may be obtained in person at the Headquarters Visitor Center or at the Dog Canyon Ranger Station.
No fires (including charcoal) allowed in park.
Food/supplies:
No gas, food, ice or supplies available in park. Closest
facilities are 35 miles northeast in White's City, NM. Water
available at trailheads. There is no water in park's
backcountry.
Other Concessions/NPS-Managed Visitor Facilities and
Opportunities:
No concessions in park.
The Carlsbad Caverns -Guadalupe Mountains Association operates a large bookstore in the Headquarters Visitor Center.
Accessibility:
Headquarters Visitor Center is fully accessible.
Accessible
rest rooms.
Three-quarters mile round trip Pinery Trail from visitor center
to Butterfield Stage Ruins is accessible.
Wheelchairs available.
McKittrick Canyon Visitor Center is accessible.
Special Needs:
Bilingual and sign language park ranger on staff. Visitor Center slide program captioned
in English and Spanish.
Recommended Activities/Park Use
Hiking, camping, bird watching, desert wildflowers, wildlife observations, horseback riding-day use only (bring your own stock). Stock may not be kept in the backcountry overnight but corrals are available for visitor use at Frijole Ranch and Dog Canyon.
Basic Visit Recommendations:
Bring everything you will need during your visit.
No
concessions or supplies available in the park.
Dress
appropriately; be prepared for sudden weather changes; take
adequate water into the backcountry (one gallon per person per
day).
Visitation
223,485 in 1996.
Adjacent Visitor Attractions
Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
Living Desert State Park in
Carlsbad, NM.
Carlsbad Museum and Art Gallery in Carlsbad, NM.
Brantley Dam State Park
north of Carlsbad, NM.
Hueco Tanks State Park east of El Paso, TX.
Pecos River Beach and
picnic area in Carlsbad, NM.
Additional Information
Restrictions:
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