Wilderness Camping Tips

In association with Hikercentral.com

Don't leave any of these items at home when you go to the wilderness.

CATCH ANIMALS WITH A ROLLING SNARE

Pick a spot where animals have an easy time passing by surrounded by natural obstacles where they would have a hard time passing through and where there is a small tree.

Find a piece of wood about an inch in diameter and a few inches long, cut a notch in it.

Find another piece of wood also about an inch in diameter but about a foot long. Cut a notch in this piece of wood too close to one end. Sharpen the other end of this stick, the notches on the two pieces should be such that they fit in each other and can take a good amount of pull along their axis but let go easily if the smaller stick is pushed sideways.

Make a lasso type knot on the string you will use and tie the string to the shorter stick in such a way that the lasso reaches the stick when open.
Bang the sharp end of the longer stick into the ground with a rock.

Tie the rope to the tree at an appropriate height and with an appropriate length of string. You may need to adjust this later to get it right.
Hook the notch of the short stick to the notch of the long stick.

Suspend the loop in the air with a couple of small twigs. That's it, all done.

Check your snares often since an animal may be able to escape, if you want you can attach some type of noise maker that goes off when an animal gets pulled up in the air. It's very important that you beat the animal to death before you take it out of the snare since they will bite you if they get a chance.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Salt Flat, TX

Rising from the desert, this mountain mass contains portions of the world's most extensive and significant Permian limestone fossil reef. Also featured are a tremendous earth fault, lofty peaks, unusual flora and fauna, and a colorful record of the past. Guadalupe Peak, highest point in Texas at 8,749 feet; El Capitan, a massive limestone formation; McKittrick Canyon, with its unique flora and fauna; and the "Bowl", located in a high country conifer forest, are significant park features. Established: September 30, 1972.

CONTACTS

Email - GUMO_Superintendent@nps.gov

Fax- 915-828-3269

Write to
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
HC 60 Box 400
Salt Flat, TX 79847-9400

Phone
Headquarters - (915) 828-3251

TRAVEL BASICS

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 mid-October through mid-November.

Getting There
PLANE - Airline service to El Paso.

CAR - 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.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - No public transportation available.

Weather & Climate
Hot summers, mild winters. Sudden and extreme weather changes are common. Frequent high winds, winter through spring. Cool nights, even in summer. Loose, comfortable clothing, sturdy walking shoes, hat, sunscreen, and plenty of drinking water.

Accessibility
Headquarters Visitor Center is fully accessible; accessible rest rooms;.75 mile round trip Pinery Trail from visitor center to Butterfield Stage Ruins is accessible. Wheelchair available. McKittrick Canyon Visitor Center is accessible.

Getting Around
Access roads to trailheads only.

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.

FEES/PERMITS

Permits
BACKCOUNTRY CAMPING
Free!

CAMPING

Backcountry
Open All Year
Ten back-country campgrounds require a free permit that may be obtained in person at the Headquarters Visitor Center or the Dog Canyon Ranger Station. No fires (including charcoal) allowed in park. Water available at trailheads. There is no water in park's backcountry.

Dog Canyon
Open All Year
$8.00 a night;group sites $2.50 per person, minimum $25.00. Reservations accepted for front country groups of ten or more. Tent and RV sites available, water and rest rooms, but no showers or hookups. No fires (including charcoal) allowed in park.

Pine Springs
Open All Year
$8.00 per night, group sites $2.50 per person, minimum $25.00. Reservations accepted for front country groups of ten or more.tent and RV sites available, water and rest rooms, but no showers or hookups. No fires (including charcoal) allowed in park.

FACILITIES

MCKITTRICK CONTACT STATION
Exhibits - Features outdoor exhibits and slide program on the history, geology and natural history of the canyon.
Available Facilities - McKittrick Canyon Contact Station is accessible.

Museums
HISTORIC FRIJOLE RANCH MUSEUM
Open All Year
Exhibits - Features exhibits on local history.

Visitor Centers
HEADQUARTERS - PINE SPRINGS
Open All Year 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Location - Visitor Center at Pine Springs accessed via U.S. highway 62/180 between Carlsbad, NM and El Paso
Special Programs - Bi-lingual and sign language park ranger on staff. Visitor Center slide program captioned in English and Spanish.
Exhibits - Natural history exhibits; frequent slide program and geology video showings in Visitor Center daily.
Available Facilities - Headquarters Visitor Center is fully accessible; accessible rest rooms. Bookstores, located in both parks' visitor centers, focus on educational materials and literature such as field guides, maps and history books.

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