| Texas Hikes |
| Guadalupe Mountain National Park |
| Don and I visited Guadalupe Mountain National Park in March 1996. We drove north from Van Horne on highway # 54. We could see El Capitan from a long distance away. El Capitan (8078 ft.) made a dramatic milestone and guidepost for the early travellers and settlers to the area with its sheercliffs. It hid the higher summit of Guadalupe Peak (8749 ft.) Guadalupe Mountain is the highest point in Texas. We stayed at Pine Springs Campground. We had to wait three days before we were allowed to hike up Guadalupe because of the windy conditions. The trail to the summit is 4.2 miles long and took us a little over four hours to reach the top. At the top there is a register where hikers can sign their names and a small monument erected by the American Airlines in 1958, on the 100th anniversary of the completion of the first transcontinental mail route, which went through Guadalupe Pass. The view from the summit is spectacular, high peaks to the north and the vast Chihuahuan desert to the west, south and east. On our way up we were able to look down on the top of El Capitan. As we approached the top we passed another couple on their way down and the lady said to us, “We are so pleased to be able to do this hike as I am 63 and my husband 68.” I replied, “That we were the same age and it happens to be our anniversary! (What a way to spend an anniversary!!!!!) We returned to our campsite in about three hours, easier walking down hill. Now we can say we stood on the highest point in Texas. |
| Photos on the following page.. |
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