In addition to park fire regulations:
. Smoking limited to inside a vehicle.
· No open fires (this includes wood, charcoal and/or gas fire pits) are permitted anywhere in the park.
· Use of gas canister stoves for cooking are still allowed at this time
U.S. Highway 62/180 runs through the park near the Pine Springs Visitor Center
NPS photo
No roads pass through the heart of Guadalupe Mountains National Park. However, a series of roads lead to, and provide access within the park.
U.S. Highway 62/180 provides the primary access to the park, with a number of spur roads leading into the park. From the south, Texas State Highway 54 leads directly to the Guadalupes from Van Horn, Texas. The Dell City Agricultural Loop consisting of FM 1437 and 1576 connect to the Williams Road and access to the Salt Basin Dunes. New Mexico State Road 137 and the Dark Canyon Road (CR 408) provide access to Dog Canyon from U.S. Highway 62/180 in New Mexico.
If you have a high-clearance, four wheel drive vehicle, the primitive dirt road to Williams Ranch provides a unique opportunity to get off the beaten path and get close to the remote and imposing western escarpment of the Guadalupe Mountains. The Williams Ranch Road is currently CLOSED.
This viewpoint, located just to the southeast of the park boundary alongside U.S. Highway 62/180 provides an excellent view to the summit of Guadalupe Peak.
On the climb up Guadalupe Pass on U.S. Highway 62/180 just a few miles west of the Pine Springs area, this roadside pull-off provides an unparalleled view to the summit of El Capitan.
Dog Canyon, the park's remote north district, is only seven miles as the crow files, but a full two hour drive [one-way] from Pine Springs through a panoramic Chihuahuan Desert and mountain landscape.
Located line of sight to Dog Canyon, the Five Points Vista is a scenic overlook near the end of the Guadalupe Rim Road in the Lincoln National Forest's Guadalupe Ranger District. This viewpoint offers spectacular views of the 'Rim' and the Guadalupe Mountains.
From the south, Texas State Highway 54 leads directly to the Guadalupes from Van Horn, Texas. Running between the Delaware Mountains to the east and Sierra Diablo on the west, the highway provides a dramatic approach to the Guadalupe Mountains, and on a clear day, you can see the mountains ahead of you for forty miles.
Every visitor to Guadalupe Mountains National Park travels U.S Highway 62/180. Connecting El Paso, Texas to Carlsbad, New Mexico, the highway provides breath-taking views of the park from the north, south, and west. The highway enters the park for five miles and a series of access roads provide access to park features.
The white gypsum sands of the Salt Basin Dunes rise 100 feet from the desert floor and provide a brilliant contrast to the dark, towering cliffs of the Guadalupe Mountains. This is a lesser used area of the park; a drive to the dunes provides excellent views of El Capitan and the western escarpment of the Guadalupe Mountains.
