Guadalupe Mountains

Guadalupe Mountains Guadalupe Mountains National Park Texas National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior ©LAURENCE PARENT Magnificent desolation: A view of El Capitan (right) and Guadalupe peaks Capitan Reef Today The Guadalupe M o u n tains are part of one of the finest examples of an ancient marine fossil reef on Earth. Geologists visit f r o m around the w o r l d t o marvel at this extraordinary natural phenomenon, which formed Guadalupe Mountains National Park preserves the rugged spirit and remote wilderness of the American West. Here, in the ancient Guadalupe Mountains that tower so majestically into the Texas sky, you can delight in grand views, diverse landscapes, and small pleasures. 260-270 million years ago. During this time a vast tropical ocean covered portions of Texas and New Mexico. Over millions of years, calcareous sponges, algae, and other limesecreting marine organisms, along w i t h lime precipitated from the seawater, built up t o f o r m the 400-milelong, horseshoe-shaped Capitan Reef. Eventually the sea evaporated. As the reef subsided, it was buried in a thick blanket of sedi- ments and mineral salts. The reef was ent o m b e d for millions of years until a mountain building uplift exposed part of it. This ancient reef complex n o w t o w ers above the Texas desert in the Guadalupe Mountains. Other parts of the reef are exposed in the Apache Mountains and the Glass Mountains (see map at left). Brachiopod fossil of the Guadalupe Mountains SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM Guadalupe Peoples the Desert Nde (Mescalero Apaches), westward-bound pioneers, explorers, stagecoach drivers, U.S. Army troops, ranchers, and conservationists are all part of the colorful history of the Guadalupe Mountains. Until the mid-1800s these remote highlands were the exclusive domain of Nde, w h o hunted and camped here. Later came explorers and pioneers, w h o welcomed the imposing sight of the Guadalupe peaks rising boldly out The bloom of a cactus flower.. . the thunderand-light show of a summer storm . . . the howl of a coyote at dusk . . . a lizard basking in the warm morning sun . . . . Williams Ranch of the Texas desert not only as an important landmark but also for the water and shelter the mountains provided. But cultures conflicted and the Nde did not welcome the intrusion of new people into their domain. In 1849 the U.S. Army began a campaign against them that was t o last three decades. The Guadalupes became the only sanctuary from The Butterfield Stage, detail from Overland Mail Company, Britton & Rey, 1860. DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY, WESTERN HISTORY DEPARTMENT Nde (Mescalero Apache) MUSEUM OF NEW MEXICO the soldiers and a staging ground for their o w n attacks. By 1880 the last of the Nde had been driven out of the Guadalupes. The Canyons Surrounding the Guadalupe Mountains are the sparsely populated plains of the Chihuahuan Desert. This vast arid realm extends south for hundreds of miles into Mexico. The Chihuahuan Desert receives between 10 and 20 inches of rain a year; in the summer, temperatures rise t o 90°F The solitude of a mountaintop pine-fir forest... the bugle of a bull elk in autumn ... sweeping views from rocky 8,000-foot-high peaks . . . tracks that tell of a mountain lion's passing . . . . Fall colors brighten McKittrick Canyon. Maple, walnut, ash, oak, and chokecherry trees grow here and in other shaded canyons of the park where moisture is plentiful. Amidst this conflict, Butterfield stagecoaches began carrying mail through the Guadalupes on the nation's first transcontinental mail route. In the years that followed, ranches developed around the Guadalupes. Wallace Pratt, a petroleum geologist charmed by the beauty and geology of the Guadalupes, purchased land in McKittrick Canyon in the 1930s. In 1959 Pratt donated his land to the National Park Service to be protected and enjoyed by others. Additional land was purchased from J.C. Hunter, and in 1972 Guadalupe Mountains National Park was created by an act of Congress. The reflection of tall trees in a sparkling pool... rugged walls of rock sheltering a streamside woodland... a mule deer browsing quietly at the edge of a patch of woods .. . brightly colored autumn leaves rustling in the wind.... Claret-cup cactus ©I.GRAC and above. Although it can look barren at first glance, the desert is full of life. Many of the Chihuahuan Desert's most common plants and animals are f o u n d in the park. Agaves, prickly pear cacti, walking-stick chollas, yuccas, and sotol are abundant, and lizards, snakes, coyotes, and mule deer are seen frequently. Adaptation t o this demanding environment is the key to survival. Like many other reptiles, the collared lizard escapes the midday heat by concentrating most of its daily activities in the cooler morning and evening hours. Snakes and many mammals move about more frequently at night. The Highlands On a hike through the twisting gorge of McKittrick Canyon you can see the transition from desert to forest. OR C EATON The deep, sheer-sided canyons of the Guadalupe Mountains shelter an impressive diversity of plants and animals. This variety of life is displayed in its greatest splendor in McKittrick Canyon, which has been described as "the most beautiful spot in Texas." Lying as it does between the desert below and the highlands above, McKittrick, like other canyons, has a mix of life that is part desert, part canyon w o o d l a n d , and part highland forest. Prickly pear cacti, agaves, w i l l o w s , terns, Texas madrones, Texas walnuts, alligator junipers, and ponderosa pines all g r o w in the canyon. Wildlife includes jackrabbits, coyotes, porcupines, grey foxes, mule deer, mountain lions, and elk. Among the trees found in the canyons is the rare and picturesque Texas madrone. It is easily identified by its smooth reddish bark and evergreen leaves. Clusters of white flowers appear in early spring. In autumn, brilliant red berry-like fruit ripen, providing food for birds. In the mountain highcountry of the Guadalupes thrives a dense forest of ponderosa pine, southwestern w h i t e pine, Douglas fir, and aspen. This conifer forest is a relict of about 15,000 years ago w h e n the prevailing climate t h r o u g h o u t Texas was cooler and moisten As the climate w a r m e d , fragments of this forest survived in the higher elevations of mountains such as the Guadalupes. The forest is especially lush in the Bowl, a t w o mile-wide depression atop the Guadalupe M o u n tains. Throughout this highland wilderness roam elk, mule deer, raccoons, w i l d turkeys, vultures, mountain lions, black bears, golden eagles, and peregrine falcons. ©LEN RUE IR Elk range throughout the highcountry and down into the canyons and lower slopes of the Guadalupes. An estimated 50 to 70 elk inhabit the park. The herd grew from groups of animals brought from Wyoming and South Dakota in the 1920s. The original population, which probably was never very large, was hunted to extinction in the early 1900s. © M MAYER Moderate temperatures and protection from the sun and w i n d provided by the high cliffs nurture this canyon community. McKittrick Canyon's unique, spring-fed stream is bordered by gray oak, velvet ash, and bigtooth maple. Mule deer drink f r o m its pools. In late October and early November the foliage turns to brilliant reds, yellows, and oranges, creating a scene reminiscent of more northern woods. McKittrick Canyon exudes a lushness that is rare in this part of Texas. ©8RENT WALLER Mountain Lion Mule deer ©HIRAM L PARENT S?FRANCOtSGOHIER Exploring Guadalupe Mountains Planning Your Visit The park is located in west Texas on U.S. 62/180, 110 miles east of El Paso and 55 miles southwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico. The nearest f o o d , lodging, and gasoline services are 35 miles northeast on U.S. 62/180 at White's City. The Headquarters Visitor Center at Pine Springs, open daily except December 25, has restrooms, drinking water, brochures, books, trail guides, maps, exhibits, a slide program, and activity schedules. Information, restrooms, and d r i n k i n g w a t e r are also available at Dog Canyon and McKittrick Canyon. Activities Backpacking There are 10 backcountry campgrounds; a free permit is required, available at t h e Headquarters Visitor Center or Dog Canyon. No water is available in t h e backcountry. Cooking is allowed only on campstoves. Pets are p r o h i b i t e d . Camping Camping is available year-round, firstcome, first-served, at Pine Springs and Dog Cany o n campgrounds. Both have water, fully accessible restrooms, tables, and sites f o r tents and recreational vehicles (no d u m p station or electric h o o k - u p ) . Fee. Frijole Ranch History Museum Learn a b o u t t h e people w h o have lived in and a r o u n d t h e Guadalupe M o u n t a i n s . The site includes a springhouse, milkhouse, schoolhouse, bunkhouse, and barn. Free of charge; o p e n i n t e r m i t t e n t l y . The Pinery Here are t h e ruins of a stagecoach station, one of many a l o n g t h e B u t t e r f i e l d overland mail r o u t e in t h e mid-1800s. Ruins may be reached directly o f f U.S. 62/180, or by paved t r a i l f r o m t h e Headquarters Visitor Center; t h e 0.7-mile r o u n d - t r i p trail is wheelchair accessible. Williams Ranch The 7-mile road t o historic Williams Ranch is o p e n only t o 4-wheel-drive vehicles. The road partially f o l l o w s t h e historic B u t t e r f i e l d r o u t e and leads t o a remote ranch site in t h e shadow of t h e mountain's western escarpment. To visit, b o r r o w a key t o t h e entrance gates at t h e Headquarters Visitor Center. Park Trails The park's 85 miles of trails offer a w i d e range of o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r e x p l o r i n g . Hikers and horseback riders are w e l c o m e ; 60 percent of t h e park trails are o p e n t o horse use. Trails vary greatly in length and difficulty. Trails leading t o t h e h i g h country are steep and r o u g h ; t h e ascent may be as much as 3,000 feet. Desert and canyon trails are less strenuous. Pets and bikes are p r o h i b i t e d o n trails or in t h e backcountry. McKittrick Canyon Hike this trail f o r its variety of plant and animal life, t h e g r a n d e u r of its landscape, and t h e peace of its shady creek. Historic Pratt Cabin lies 2.3 miles into t h e canyon. Stay on t h e trail and o u t of t h e f r a g i l e stream. The gate t o t h e area is locked at n i g h t . Smith and Manzanita Springs These t w o oases attract birds a n d o t h e r w i l d l i f e . The 2.3-mile Smith Spring Trail starts at t h e Frijole Ranch museum. The 0.25-mile section o f t h e t r a i l t o M a n z a n i t a Springs is wheelchair accessible. Guadalupe Peak Spectacular views r e w a r d those w h o reach t h e s u m m i t of 8,749-foot Guadalupe Peak, t h e highest in Texas. The trail is 8.4 miles r o u n d - t r i p f r o m t h e Pine Springs t r a i l h e a d . The Bowl This is a highcountry forest of pine and Douglas fir 2,500 feet above t h e s u r r o u n d i n g desert. The shortest trail is 9 miles r o u n d - t r i p . More Information Guadalupe M o u n t a i n s National Park, HC 60, Box 400, Salt Flat, TX 79847-9400; 915-828-3251; fax 915-828-3269; e-mail g u m o _ s u p e r i n t e n d e n t ©nps.gov; w w w . n p s . g o v / g u m o . Guadalupe M o u n t a i n s National Park is one of more t h a n 380 parks in t h e National Park System. Visit w w w . n p s . g o v t o learn more a b o u t parks and National Park Service programs in America's communities. A fossil cephalopod is among the many marine plant and animal fossils found in the Guadalupes. Geologists use fossils to piece together the history of the ancient Capita n Reef. NPS Safety and Regulations Sudden weather changes are common. High winds are prevalent in the spring. Thunderstorms w i t h lightning are frequent in the summer. Avoid exposed open areas during storms. • Hikers should carry one gallon of water per person per day. Stay on trails. • Climbing cliffs is dangerous; the rock is unstable. A permit is required for all technical climbing. • Watch for cacti, rattlesnakes, scorpions, and desert centipedes. • All park features are protected by law. Do not deface or remove natural or historic objects. Do not pick wildflowers or other plants or feed or molest wildlife. • Wood and charcoal fires are prohibited. Campstoves are allowed. • Pets must be leashed at all times and are not allowed on trails. *GPO:2005—310-394/00263 Reprint 2005 Printed on recycled paper.