Texas/New Mexico 2019

Guadalupe National Park, Texas

Friday, November 8 through Monday, November 11

We drove from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Carlsbad, New Mexico, where we stayed for three nights. Each of the two weekend days, we "commuted" to Guadalupe National Park, across the border in west Texas. We hiked the Devil's Hall Trail on Saturday, and the McKittrick Canyon Trail on Sunday. We returned to Oklahoma in a rather major wind storm on Monday.

I tracked the trip (mostly) with a Bad Elf GPS Pro+ GPSr (GPS receiver). The problems:

The Bad Elf failed once, between Hobbs, and Carlsbad, New Mexico, on the first day.
The substitute Bad Elf didn't track that segment, either, because I forgot to turn on tracking (fortunately, a good track was available from the car's navigation system).

NOTE: the downloadable GPX tracks are the full GPX files, while those shown on the provided "view map" links are simplified (with minimal effect on geographic accuracy) for much faster viewing.

Original GPX tracks are unedited, unless otherwise noted. If you wish to poke around in the subfolders, you can find all the GPX files I collected during the trip from the three sources noted above. If they are not in the "ForDisplay" folder, they have not been edited, and may have significant holes, errors, etc.

Businesses are named below for reference only. No endorsement should be inferred.

Topographic maps (1:24,000) are planned for the two hikes, but not available yet.

Overview

All tracks are from the Bad Elf GPS Pro+ unless otherwise noted.

Overview map—This is a composite map of all the GPS tracks on a blank US/Canada map.
All GPS tracks / view map—The whole trip, including walking, driving, etc.

Friday, November 8

GPX / view map—Driving from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Hobbs, New Mexico. We stopped in Clinton, Oklahoma for lunch, Shamrock, Texas for gas, and Hobbs, New Mexico for dinner.
GPX / view map—Driving the rest of the way to Carlsbad, New Mexico, where we stayed overnight (for three nights).

Saturday, November 9

GPX / view map—Driving from the hotel in Carlsbad, New Mexico to Guadalupe National Park, Texas. We stopped at two (!) gas stations near the hotel to get gas (the first had a couple of non-functioning pumps, and no others available). We were met at the entrance to the park by a park ranger, who informed us that the (overnight?) hiking parking area was already full, but there was one (!) spot available at the visitor center. After verifying that it was okay (according to the information desk at the visitor center), we left our car there, and started our (day) hike.
GPX / view map—Hiking the Devil's Hall Trail at Guadalupe N. P. We started by visiting the Visitor Center, then returned to the car for hiking items, then set out. We stopped at the "staircase", partly because of a lack of time, and partly because the entrance to that part of the trail seemed dangerous (considering the photographic gear and other items we were hauling with us). (Topo)
GPX / view map—Driving from Guadalupe N. P. to dinner in Carlsbad.
GPX / view map—Driving from the dinner location to our hotel in Carlsbad.

Sunday, November 10

GPX / view map—Driving from the hotel to the parking area for the McKittrick Canyon Trail at Guadalupe N. P.
GPX / view map—Hiking the McKittrick Canyon Trail, to The Grotto and Hunter Cabin (end of that spur of the trail). We hiked this trail exactly seven years ago (on November 10, 2012), but that time we went only to The Grotto. Also different this time: the Pratt Lodge was open to visitors. (Topo)
GPX / view map—Driving back to Carlsbad and a restaurant for dinner.
GPX / view map—Driving from the restaurant to the hotel.

Monday, November 11

GPX / view map—Driving from Carlsbad, New Mexico to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. A strong cold front had just passed through Carlsbad before we left, and we bucked a ferocious (and cold!) north to northeast wind all the way to Oklahoma City. After two days of very comfortable temperatures (highs around 20 to 25 °C), the approximately 0 °C with much lower wind chill, seemed very unpleasant. We stopped in Brownfield, Texas and Clinton, Oklahoma for gas, and in Lubbock, Texas for lunch. Dinner was after the end of the trip in Oklahoma City.