After this initial departure, as the trail continues on and the resident peaks of Guadalupe begin to converge around the trail, it becomes more apparent that a rare and mesmerizing environment exists here. Please exit McKittrick Canyon before the posted closing time. Hiking or trekking poles are highly recommended. Saw many families with young children enjoying the shallow stream crossings. McKittrick Canyon is located within the Guadalupe Mountains, separated from the national park and operated as a "day use" area with limited hours. It is apparent here that McKittrick Canyon hosts a rich environment, bordered by increasingly striking mountain peaks on the horizon. The backdrop of this frontier cabin is just as impressive as the Pratt Cabin! The trail becomes quite steep near the end, so ending your trek in McKittrick Canyon is never a bad idea. Hiking the McKittrick Canyon Trail to the Notch and the other detours along the way is one of the most popular hikes in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. How far is is from McKittrick Canyon to the next ecosphere that can support cold water fish such as the cutthroat? Se puede acampar? The one trail exception is the short Pinery Nature Trail located at the Visitor Center. Fall Foliage - Texas Monthly A Native Texas Trout - Texasliving If you wanted to just hike to the Grotto and Hunter Line Shack, it would only be about 7 mi. Past the Grotto Spur Trail, the character of the trail changes. The Next Frontier of Science is in your Backyard (with you and your smartphone), Biotechnologies for Conservation & Their Intended Consequences, History of UT Herpetology, Part 3: Eric Pianka, the "Lizard Man". GET SNEAK PEAKS | BEHIND THE SCENES | EXCLUSIVE CONTENT! Judging by the smell, we also snuck up on a skunk. JDK-8141210 : Very slow loading of JavaScript file with recent JDK 6 miles round trip). Content of this site copyright Texas Parks and Wildlife Department unless otherwise noted. 5h 12m Easy 4.3 (131) McKittrick Canyon Nature Loop Trail Guadalupe Mountains National Park Length: 1.0 mi Est. This National Park can be found in far west Texas, about an hour from New Mexico's southwestern town of Carlsbad and its 8 . Most people begin their journey at the McKittrick Canyon Trailhead. (Texass official state fish, by the way, is the Guadalupe bass.). The canyon is one of the few spots within hundreds of miles with maple trees, so at this time of year the scenery is spectacular. If the cabin is open, you can take a look inside. People can also fish in the river, which is full of trout of different kinds. From Pratt Cabin, it is just under a 1.5 mile walk to get to the next optional (but worthwhile!) Rip & Go: McKittrick Canyon - Backpacker There are picnic tables here. Even though the trail is ranked as easy to moderate, that depends on a few personal variables. It is worth noting that while not on the main trail, the short spur trail that leads to the Grotto also leads just past the Grotto formation to a historic cabin, the Hunter Line Cabin, that will push your total roundtrip just slightly closer to an even 7 miles roundtrip. So we headed to next choice which was McKittrick Canyon. Different Types of Hiking: Which Type Are You? As a solo traveler I felt safe. Built in 1928 by Jesse Hunter as a hunting retreat, this establishment is but a second amazing testament to the ingenuity and resourcefulness of those who made Guadalupe Mountains their early homes. Based on the recommendation from another hiker we started toward the Notch. Another part that was cool, both figuratively and temperature wise, was hiking in the shadows of the canyon. Welcome to Guadalupe Mountains National Park 79847. For a hike this long, pack a picnic lunch. To get started on your day hike in McKittrick Canyon, access the trailhead just behind the McKittrick Canyon Visitors Center. Each year, the good folks at TPWD stock hundreds of fishing spots around the state with hundreds of thousands of ready-to-catch rainbow trout. 7 Canyons In Texas You Probably Never Knew Existed The trail feels more sheltered and its a little easier to walk, now that you arent hiking on loose gravel. You have the option to go farther or turn around and hike back to the parking lot. Unlike most of our experience in the Chihuahuan desert, McKittrick had wide diversity of plants and animals. Voicemail messages are responded to within five business days. Trail that combines desert scrub with mountain vistas, trout streams and vintage backcountry cabins . This is the steepest, narrowest, and rockiest part of the trail. Tim saw just 2 other people on his hike, and that was right before he got back to the trailhead. Not only is it visually appealing, but it provides a glimpse of early Texas life in this wild and rugged region. Abundant water was a part of this and one of the things that made this hike so interesting. McKittrick Canyon: Lower Section to the Grotto and Pratt Lodge The Visitor Center is open daily except Christmas Day. Time to mix a little art in with the fly fishing. It remains flat after Pratt Lodge, but it narrows to a singletrack trail. Cellular Service. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Download the official NPS app before your next visit. I did not know trout could be native to Texas, that is so cool. and cookie statement. VISIT THE US NATIONAL PARKS: Looking for your next big adventure? A drawing of the fish was accompanied by the description: "yellowish brown above, spotted with black; a red band on each side of the chin." As the trail heads deeper into McKittrick Canyon, it crosses a dry wash several times and there will be one to two creek crossings (the creek may be dry depending on recent rainfall). Texas Farm and Ranch Land Conservation Program. McKittrick Canyon 119 Reviews #2 of 15 things to do in Guadalupe Mountains National Park Nature & Parks, Canyons Guadalupe Mountains National Park, TX Save Stephen S Richardson, Texas 28 27 Only Hiked to Pratt Lodge Review of McKittrick Canyon Reviewed June 14, 2016 The views from the trail and the detours to the cabin and Grotto are just OKnothing all that spectacularwhich had me wondering why was this hike so popular? Cheers, Julie, Your email address will not be published. The bigger, the better :-). McKittrick Canyon and its entrance are about seven miles northeast of the primary Visitor Center, also off US-62/180. Bulletin of the U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, Lakewood, Colorado); therefore, his trout identification skills were likely sufficient to recognize the species in question. It included; National Park Services Fred Armstrong & Jeremy Markuson, Texas Parks and Wildlifes Mukhtar Farooqui, Gary Garrett, Mandy Scott, Charles Cruz & John Ingle, Trout Unlimiteds Chris Wood, Jack Williams, Bryan Moore, Mick McCorcle & Jeff Schmitt, US Fish and Wildlifes Jim Brooks and retired New Mexico Fish and Games David Propst. As the park time had only recently change, we did happen on 5 unsuspecting deer in the creek bottom. The McKittrick Canyon Trail is located in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. And You Thought Feral Hogs Were Bad. Tripadvisor checks reviews for fraud. If you are part of a large group, be prepared to wait awhile. H-E-Bs True Texas BBQ Restaurant Is Slipping, West Texans Are Learning What It Means to Live in Bear Country. It took us about an hour each way to hike the 2.4 miles to Pratt Cabin, and we enjoyed the fairly small elevation change and chance to enjoy the variety of trees and colors. However, this particular post will not cover hiking past the Grotto and Hunter Line Cabin. Another surgeon who traveled in western Texas and New Mexico during the Civil War period wrote in Forest and Stream (also in 1878) about catching "S. fontinalis" in Texas in the Devils River at Fort Hudson, as well as in Limpia Creek. So, is the McKittrick Canyon Trail worth it? *Interested in Visiting BOTH National Parks in Texas on the Same Road Trip? Per the NPS web site (which I apparently can't link to in this answer but should be findable with a quick search), all trails in Guadalupe Mountains National Park are currently open, but if you are planning a trip you should probably visit the site to confirm. Quick Facts on the McKittrick Canyon Trail, Overnight Backpacking Length: 14.8 miles roundtrip. The Notch Out-and-Back hike takes hikers through McKittrick Canyon, past a couple cabins to some pretty stunning views of the canyon. To hike to Pratt Cabin, it is a 2.4-mile hike one-way. The Guadalupe Mountains rise into the flatness of West Texas along the Texas New Mexico border. Eggs are laid in shallow nests dug out by the female in gravel riffles. I felt like this hike allowed a good overview of Guadalupe Mountains National Park. RT) midweek in early November. The trail is a moderate .9 mile round trip and takes less than one hour to complete. A: Welcome to Texas, Mr. Cleland. Trail very pretty and peaceful. Between []. However, they lock you in at 6:00 and it is a federal felony if you get stuck per the McKittrick VC. Still the experience and the wildlife was everything I wanted for this hike. Difficulty:moderate. The trail features vegetation typical of the Chihuahuan Desert - that is, until you get farther up and start to see oak, ash, and maple trees. In this fly fishers humble opinion, the possibility of catching a native Texan trout while wearing a cowboy hat is something that needs to happen. The Lower Laguna Madre awaits. One Yucca we photographed is easily 40 feet tall. I like trout fishing! Once you get to the 2-mile point of the hike, keep an eye out for the detour to Pratt Cabin. The Permian Reef Trail heads off to the right and the McKittrick Nature Trail heads off to the left. After handling freight to pay for his travel, nineteen-year-old Abel Head Pierce, a native of Little Compton, Rhode Island, landed at the Texas port of Indianola five months after leaving home. At the top of the trail you can look down at the mouth of McKittrick Canyon and read about Permian Reef geology. The deep canyon offers breathtaking views and provides visitors with many hiking opportunities suitable for every level. But what we may lack in trout, we make up in the diversity of our catchable piscifauna, including gargantuan bass, the freshwater fish for which Texas is probably best known. Day hikers typically walk to Pratt Cabin, for a 4.8-mile round trip, or to the Grotto, for a 6.8-mile round trip. Alas, as West Texas warmed and dried over the millennia, only relict populations of cutthroat remained. By the time we reached the summit we were down to t-shirts and sweating! The McKittrick Canyon Trail is located in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. From there it is only 4.8 miles round trip to Pratt Lodge and 6.8 miles round trip to the Grotto. For a day hike, you should prepare with the following: Day hiking in McKittrick Canyon was long on my bucket list of hikes, after having witnessed the surprising depth and diversity of other portions of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, including its state high point hike at Guadalupe Peak! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. *Insider Tip: if basing your trip to McKittrick Canyon out of Carlsbad, New Mexico, know that the time zone is the same in both Carlsbad and Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The group convened at Van Horn, Texas, the closest town to our destination on the Texas side of the GMNP. Julie Last updated: May 5, 2022 United States 4 Comments. McKittrick Creek, Guadalupe Mountains. Step into the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, and you are stepping into Texas mountain time zone. As we drove up 54 and merged with 62, the mountain range loomed large. . He also told us that the gates at the Contact Station are closed/locked and if you miss the deadline thats a problem. Some from TPWD mentioned that McKittrick Canyon was on their bucket list, or even at the top of their bucket list. The fact no one had been there added something to the excitement and just like a backpacking trip along a new trail, it also leveled the field and heightened anticipation. This short spur trail will take you to the Grotto formation, carved into a cliff wall along the right side of the spur trail. PDF '2 35ri TS texas &d McKittrick Canyon Trail Hiking Trail, Pine Springs, Texas McKittrick Canyon Trail Intermediate/Difficult 4.5 (12) Areas TX West Texas Guadalupe Mountains National Park Plan with onX Backcountry " A long and semi-technical canyon ascent that has some of the best views in west Texas! National Parks List in the US: Explore America's Natural Treasures RVers will enter the park via NM-137. Rusty speaking goes with the rest of the rust. I managed to finagle a spot as the official photographer, and it probably helped that I am a member of TU and GRTU. My husband went as far as Pratt cabin, sat in a rocking chair there, and promptly fell asleep. . Check out the 100 mile backpacking trek that connects the Caverns with Guadalupe Mountains National Park! Required fields are marked *. The native range of the Rio Grande Cutthroat suspiciously cuts off right at the Texas border. BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK: Check out our Big Bend National Park Travel Guide for important travel information, sample itineraries, and how to plan your visit. If you are lucky enough, View Post Complete Guide to the Humphreys Peak Hike: Highest Point in ArizonaContinue, There is a common misconception floating around out there that the state of Texas is all just flat and, View Post The Lost Mine Trail at Big Bend: Hiking to the Top of a National ParkContinue, What makes hiking so enjoyable, is that no matter the person, there are all different types of hiking, so, View Post Different Types of Hiking: Which Type Are You?Continue, I will always remember the day my husband and I bought our tour packages to run the Great Wall, View Post Guide to Planning a Trip to China: The Great Wall Marathon RuncationContinue, Your email address will not be published. Disclosure: Below are some affiliate links-these are all products I highly recommend. Hike unlike anything around. David Courtney, a.k.a. This 3,000 ft. deep canyon hides a riparian oasis below its big walls supporting some wildlife found in no other place on earth. It slowly climbs uphill, but the ascent is so gradual that you may not even notice that you are walking uphill. As a standard for mythical tall tales and legends, it comes as no surprise that Texas holds the national corner on stories of lost treasure. . Guadalupe Mountains National Park epitomizes the diversity of this region: it has mountains, forests, deserts, and canyons, all intricately and seamlessly blended together! Two other scientists, Jim Brooks of the US Fish & Wildlife Service and Dave Propst from New Mexico, also part of the expedition, were staying in Carlsbad, New Mexico, which is just about the same distance from our rendezvous point. Hours are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Mountain Standard . Dogs are not allowed on trails in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Considered by some to be the most beautiful fish in the world, it embodies everything that makes fly fishing great. I love seeing those trout. There are even tales of some stocked trout surviving well into spring and even through the summer on that stretch of the Guadalupe, which is likely the origin of the story that brought you to the Texanist in the first place. Today Rio Grande Chub persists (barely) in Texas, but Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout didnt quite make it into modern times. Wallace Pratt donated 5,632 acres of his beloved canyon to the National Park Service in 1957 opening up the way for the creation of Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Wow! This unassuming brook is home to the only self-sustaining population of trout in Texas, a remarkable remnant of a rainbow trout stocking program from way back in the early part of the last century. How to Day Hike The McKittrick Canyon Trail in the Guadalupe Mountains This information, though, comes with an asterisk. Your guide to Fall Colors in the Guadalupe Mountains For this part of the hike, you have wide open views of McKittrick Canyon and Wilderness Ridge. From the Grotto, retrace your steps back to the McKittrick Canyon Trail and turn left to continue to the Notch. This part of the trail looks a lot different than the first section of the hike. This is the easiest part of the hike to the Notch. Carp Diem! All this brain power was focused on the potential of supplanting a non-native population of rainbow trout with nearby Rio Grande cutthroat trout. Baughman (1950. I wish trout could handle our climate. Explore this 21.1-mile out-and-back trail near Salt Flat, Texas. The McKittrick Canyon trailhead is a 10-mile drive north from the park's Pine Springs headquarters.