Parking
Park at McKittrick Canyon Visitor Center; the trailhead is on the far side of the building from the lot. Flush restrooms, potable water, a bottle-filling station and picnic tables are listed at the trailhead.
Overview
About McKittrick Canyon Nature Trail
Why go
- A short loop combines an intermittent seep, an arroyo slope and a canyon-mouth view.
- Interpretive displays cover local plants, wildland fire and Permian Reef geology.
Heads up
- Loose or hardened rock and a moderate climb make it more than a flat nature walk.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Guadalupe Mountains map
Full mapElevation5,014–5,242 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
1 active Guadalupe Mountains alert
- CautionDevil’s Hall wash hazardous when wetDevil’s Hall is a strenuous hike; do not enter the wash when it is wet or water is present. - The wash requires rock scrambling, and its loose gravel and rocks may be unstable.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Guadalupe Mountains Tour Guide
Your drive to McKittrick Canyon Nature Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Guadalupe Mountains National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
McKittrick Canyon: A Walk to Pratt Cabin0:00 / 0:27
“McKittrick Canyon's trailhead is coming up. I'd choose the walk to Pratt Cabin, a stone summer home with a porch for a break. It's four point eight miles round trip, taking two to four hours on rocky ground.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Guadalupe Mountains Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Madrone’s Peeling Trunk
- Trout in a Desert Canyon
- Pratt's Ship on the Desert
- A Shell from the Permian Sea
- 22 audio storiesacross Guadalupe Mountains’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Aoudad, Mule Deer, Wild Turkey, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 32 trails, 34 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking McKittrick Canyon Nature Trail
A short interpretive loopMcKittrick Canyon Nature Trail is a 0.
McKittrick Canyon Nature Trail is a 0.9-mile round-trip loop, followed clockwise from McKittrick Canyon Trailhead. Allow about one hour for the moderate climb, which gains about 216 feet. It is a quick high-ground walk beside the visitor area, distinct from the longer canyon-bottom hike toward Pratt Cabin, the Grotto or The Notch.
Follow it clockwiseThe first stretch passes an intermittent seep tucked among junipers, then climbs the sunny…
The first stretch passes an intermittent seep tucked among junipers, then climbs the sunny southwest slope beside an arroyo. Expect loose or hardened rock underfoot; the tread varies from two to six feet wide. The seep is not dependable standing water, so the climb and interpretation matter more than a promised pool.
The view and the geologyAt the top, look down toward the mouth of McKittrick Canyon; the displays introduce the Permian…
At the top, look down toward the mouth of McKittrick Canyon; the displays introduce the Permian Reef. Frame some of the ridge with the opening below to keep the view’s depth in the picture. The northeast return gets less sun and is a little lusher. Along the loop, other displays point out common plants and wildland fire.
Trailhead and footingPark at McKittrick Canyon Visitor Center.
Park at McKittrick Canyon Visitor Center. The trailhead is on the far side of the building from the lot; flush restrooms, drinking water, a bottle-filling station and picnic tables are listed there. The canyon is day-use only, so leave before its gate closes. Pets are not allowed on park trails, and park entrance fees apply.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Guadalupe Mountains
33 sightingsAoudadMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
163 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
11 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
34 sightingsCollared PeccaryMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
39 sightingsDiamondback RattlesnakeMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
43 sightingsBlack-tailed RattlesnakeMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Guadalupe Mountains. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
