Even though the entrance to Guadalupe Mountains National Park is just off a busy highway, the park is still fairly isolated and there is no available in-park lodging. There are, however, three developed campgrounds open year-round for tent/RV camping.
The nearest source of brick-and-mortar respite after a day in the park may be found to the south in Van Horn, Texas, to the north in Whites City and Carlsbad, New Mexico, and to the southwest, in Dell City, Texas. Airbnb and Vrbo might offer lodging suggestions, as well. And, don’t forget to read any reviews of where ever you consider staying. Tripadvisor is a great place to start for reviews.
Guadalupe Mountains has three developed campgrounds open year-round for tent or RV camping, one of which can only be used by groups with horses. All campsites in the Pine Springs and Dog Canyon Campgrounds are reservable up to six months in advance through recreation.gov.
Here’s a quick rundown of the park campgrounds. For more detailed information, click on each campground name.
A site at Pine Springs Campground, Guadalupe Mountains National Park / NPS file
Pine Springs Campground offers 35 sites (20 tent only; 13 RV only), including one tent/RV ADA accessible site. Each site is $20 per night. Senior/Access passholders receive a 50 percent discount. Tent sites are walk-in only (38 ft – 277 ft from parking). Maximum RV/trailer length is 50 feet (15 m). Drinking water and toilets are available. There are no hook-ups, dump stations, or showers. Only cooking stoves are permitted; charcoal, wood fires, and propane firepits are prohibited.
Two group sites accommodating 10-20 people are available for $60 per night. No discounts are available for the group sites. Reservations for both individual and group campsites may be made through recreation.gov.
Pine Springs Campground is located near the Pine Springs Visitor Center and shares a busy, popular trailhead that access four major trails. This area is often congested with foot traffic and vehicles searching for a parking space.
A wheelchair-accessible site at Dog Canyon Campground, Guadalupe Mountains National Park / NPS file
Dog Canyon Campground offers 15 sites (9 tent only; 4 RV only), including one wheelchair-accessible site, for $20 per site per night. Maximum RV length is 23 feet. There are no hook-ups, dump stations, or showers. Only cooking stoves are permitted; charcoal, wood fires, and propane firepits are prohibited.
One group site accommodating 10-20 people is available for $60 per night. And there are 4 horse corrals for an extra $15 per night in addition to the nightly campsite fee.
Reservations for both individual and group campsites and sites with a horse corral may be made through recreation.gov. All riders must obtain a free Wilderness Use Permit at the Pine Springs Visitor Center to document your planned route, the number of riders, and the number of stock.
Frijole Horse Corral Campground offers a single group site accommodating 1 – 12 people and one horse corral with a capacity of 10 animals. Reservations may be made up to 6 months in advance through recreation.gov for a cost of $60 per night. This campground has a large gravel parking area that is used as trailhead parking to access the Foothills and Frijole trails. It provides additional parking for horse trailers. The Frijole Horse Corral Campsite is approximately 100 yards from the very busy U.S. 62/180 highway, so expect traffic noise, including large trucks, 24 hours a day.
