West Texas Trail Walkers
HIKE WITH AN ALTITUDE
Celebrating over 40 years of hiking our West Texas favorites!
Our Next Event:
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
October 9-11, 2026
Updated July 1, 2026
Hike with an Altitude! Join the West Texas Trail Walkers for a hiking adventure in the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, which features the highest mountain peaks in Texas. Participants are encouraged to hike the three classic trails: McKittrick Canyon, Guadalupe or El Capitan peaks, and Devil’s Hall. For those seeking less strenuous hikes, the West Texas Trail Walkers will be offering four Guadalupe Mountains “Shorties” that are lower in altitude, shorter in distance, and feature easier trail surfaces: Pinery trail, Manzanita Spring, Smith Spring, and the Indian Nature trail. During the fall season, the mountain canyons display spectacular colors, and the weather is cooler when starting hikes early. Climbing Guadalupe Peak provides beautiful views across miles of the desert.
We are also pleased to offer easy Fun Shorties in and around Carlsbad, New Mexico. Carlsbad offers many attractions, including the Historical Downtown, the Pecos River Trail in the heart of the city, and the Ocotillo Trail, which begins on the campus of Southeast New Mexico University. Do not miss the fun shorty at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, where you will find plants, animals, and ecosystems from the Chihuahuan Desert. Another option is the Carlsbad Cavern hike, an online, year-round walk sponsored by the Midland AVA club.
Participants are encouraged to personalize their walking schedule. All five hikes/walks are sanctioned from October 7-12, 2026, allowing for individuals to walk the trails any day. For your safety, it is recommended to hike McKittrick Canyon on Friday, October 9, Guadalupe Peak or El Capitan on Saturday, October 10, and Devil’s Hall on Sunday, October 11. Designated start/end points and checkpoints will be in place on these days, with a suggested start time between 7:30 and 8:30 am to avoid the heat and crowds.
Following the hike on Friday, October 9, attendees are invited to attend the "Happy Hour" at Guadalupe Mountain Brewery from 5:00 pm to ? On Saturday, October 10, at 7:00 pm, the annual
Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Autumn
dinner and awards ceremony will be held at P J and B’s Cafe in Carlsbad, NM, along the Pecos River. A fajita buffet with chicken, beef, and vegetarian options will be served.
The Quality Inn in Carlsbad, NM, serves as our designated host hotel and offers a negotiated rate of $149 (exclusive of taxes) for the period of October 6-12. Please contact the Quality Inn at 575-689-8782 before September 15 to make your reservations, and be sure to mention your affiliation with the West Texas Trail Walkers. While you may discover a more affordable option at White’s City Cavern Inn 575-361-2687, located outside Carlsbad Caverns, we encourage you to make your reservation promptly, as availability may be limited. Numerous major hotel chains provide lodging accommodations in Carlsbad. It is important to note that Carlsbad experiences higher accommodation costs due to the presence of nearby oil and gas operations.
We cordially invite you to join us for an extended weekend or to prolong your stay in order to partake in all five sanctioned walks and the Carlsbad Caverns YRE. The brochure and registration forms are accessible on the Guadalupe Mts page.
Susan Noonan
President, West Texas Trail Walkers
Volunteers Needed!
As you know, it takes a core group of volunteers to organize a hiking event of this magnitude. We always need volunteers to serve as hiking directors and assistant hiking directors for each day, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. These volunteers set up the hikes, determine the check points and trail markings, create a map and directions, coordinate the worker's walks and recruit several volunteers to help out on the day of the hike. Since our hikes use established state park trails and maps, the walk directors don't need to do much background preparation.
If you prefer to volunteer for more specific tasks, we have several volunteer opportunities. These activities are "nice to have" but not "mission essential." If we don't have volunteers, most likely they will be dropped. Here are the volunteer activities:
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Designing and purchasing the annual Patch
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Selecting and negotiating a special hotel rate
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Selecting the location and coordinating the Friday night happy hour
Lastly, we always need people to serve on the board. We have one position open in October 2023. Also Susan Noonan is serving as acting President and Secretary. She is willing to serve in one of these officer positions, but needs someone to volunteer for either President or Secretary.
Thank you to all our volunteers. Without this active core, our organization would fold.
Devil's Hall in GMNP
El Capitan in GMNP
New Photo Gallery!
The West Texas Trail Walkers has a new photo gallery. The Gallery is hosted on a separate web site.
Check our news page for details.