We are in the Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Be honest: did you know we had a Guadalupe Mountains National Park?
Last year, while traveling east through Texas we stopped at an enormous visitor information center just inside the Texas border. We asked about the Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The people at the desk looked at each other, stranding in this ocean of about 1000 tourist brochures, and said "We've never heard of it."
It is right under New Mexico, close to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, which I bet you have heard of. It is one of the smaller national parks.
It is not a park chosen for being able to easily view its scenic beauty. It is, instead, a wilderness park. There is no road through it, for example. Many people who go there are actually heading to Carlsbad Caverns, see there is another national park close by, and stop in to see what it is all about. They go to the visitor's center, discover that to see this park is one where visitors have to hike in to experience it, and leave. (We found this from someone who was in the know). The other type of visitor is a hiker. And it would appear from the main parking lot that most of this group is from El Paso, an hour and a half down the road.
There are a few tent camping sites, and NO camping sites for RVs. Instead, for RVs there is a parking lot.
When I asked at the visitor's center if there were plans to create real campsites for RVs the response seemed to indicate that they thought that what I was referring to was a place with hookups. What I was actually trying to inquire about was places to camp with an RV that were similar to those in every other campground we had ever seen in National Parks, National Forests, etc. A place to hang out in nature with some privacy.
I guess the answer is no.
The parking lot is also the main trailhead parking lot, so it is busy during the day. Also during the day you get to hear the wonderful and soothing hum of generators, exactly what most people are seeking from experiences in nature. There is water and flush toilets (which we'd gladly give up for some privacy), but no dump station (also unusual).
So another group of people who "camp" there do so for one night--just a place to stay for a night. I suspect many go to Carlsbad Caverns, but since there is no camping there, camp instead in the parking lot here.
In short, the camping is disappointing for a National Park. And, of course, like for all campgrounds, people violate the rules for dogs. Even in a parking lot, people find ways of allowing their dogs to run free (which we observed) and poop on the few square yards of grass which exist.
We put up with it because the hiking was so spectacular. We stayed four nights and got to take three hikes, two of which were among the tops of hikes we have taken. And there are more we can take at another visit.
This park is one the least visited of any National Parks. The camping is a disappointment, but it is beautiful, and given what it is, a hiker will really love it.
See Vicky?
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