Guadalupe Mountains Wilderness
Approximately 260 million years ago, a 350-mile reef formed along the edge of the great sea that covered this area. With time, the sea receded and the reef died, only to be buried by sediment. Eons later an uplift created the arid Guadalupe Mountains, and erosion wore down the sediment, eventually revealing what is now the most extensive exposed fossil reef on the earth. The most outstanding stretch of exposed reef is within Guadalupe Mountains National Park, 55 miles southwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico. More than half of the park is Wilderness, the largest and oldest in the state and the only one in western Texas. Rugged mountainous terrain here reaches 8,749 feet on Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
| State | Texas |
| Size | 46,850 acres |
| Designated | 1978, by Congress |
| Center point | 31.94° N, 104.86° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 22) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary and 4 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
1 named Forest Service trail enters this wilderness, 2 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Camp Wilderness Ridge | 1.8 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 0.1 miPratt, Wallace, Lodge ↗Gaudalupe Mountain National Park, TX
- 0.6 miPinery Station ↗Gaudalupe Mountain National Park, TX
- 0.7 miGuadalupe Ranch ↗Salt Flat, TX
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Texas
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Guadalupe Mountains Wilderness?
46,850 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Guadalupe Mountains Wilderness?
The National Park Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Guadalupe Mountains Wilderness in?
Texas.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Guadalupe Mountains Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1978.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Guadalupe Mountains Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Guadalupe Mountains Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 31.945° N, 104.856° W. Guadalupe Mountains National Park is adjacent. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Which national parks are near Guadalupe Mountains Wilderness?
Guadalupe Mountains National Park (adjacent) and Carlsbad Caverns National Park (15 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Guadalupe Mountains Wilderness?
The National Register has 3 listings within 15 miles, including Pratt, Wallace, Lodge and Pinery Station.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.