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Guadalupe National Park Facts

Guadalupe National Park Facts
Guadalupe National Park is an 86,367 acre park located in West Texas' Guadalupe Mountains. Archaeological evidence suggests that humans have been living in the Guadalupe Mountains region for at least 10,000 years. The Spanish arrived in the 1500s, but did not stay. The Mescalero Apaches lived in the area until the 1800s when the American Civil War ended and a transportation route interrupted their way of life. The Natives were forced onto reserves. In 1966 Congress authorized the creation of the park. Donations of land by Wallace E. Pratt (a celebrated exploration geologist) in 1960 made it possible to begin creating the park when he donated McKittrick Canyon's area. Additional land was purchased to expand the park's size. It wasn't until 1972 that Guadalupe National Park was formerly established.
Interesting Guadalupe National Park Facts:
Evidence of early human life in the Guadalupe Mountain region dates back 10,000 years, with the discovery of rock art, baskets, pottery, and other objects found in the caves and in the region by archaeologists.
The highest point in Texas is also the highest point of the Guadalupe Mountains. This is Guadalupe Peak, sitting at 8,751 feet.
Wildlife that can be found in Guadalupe National Park includes gray foxes, black bears, mountain lions, mule deer, badgers, skunks, bobcats, coyotes, and elk.
There are 16 different species of bats found in Guadalupe National Park.
A variety of bird species can be found in Guadalupe National Park, including peregrine falcons, wrens, grosbeaks, golden eagles, hummingbirds, roadrunners, turkey vultures, barn owls, great horned owls, and woodpeckers.
Reptiles found within Guadalupe National Park include 5 rattlesnake species, bullsnakes, coachwhips, mountain short-horned lizards, collard lizards, and western box turtles.
There are over 80 miles of trails in Guadalupe National Park that visitors can explore. Some of the trails in the park include Devil's Hall Trail, McKittrick Canyon Trail, Guadalupe Peak Trail, the Bowl Trail, and Smith Spring Trail.
The hottest recorded temperature in Guadalupe National Park was 105 degrees Fahrenheit, in 1994.
When Guadalupe National Park opened in 1971 there were just over 27,000 visitors. In 2012 there were 159,360 visitors to the park.
Activities that visitors to Guadalupe National Park can enjoy include camping, backpacking, hiking, horseback riding, off-roading, day visits, bird watching, and wildlife viewing.
Trees that can be found at different elevations within Guadalupe National Park include maple, ash, oak, ponderosa pine, white pine, aspen, and Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir.
McKittrick Canyon is named after Felix McKittrick, a European who chose the canyons to settle and work cattle in the 1800s.
The Frijole Ranch House located in Guadalupe National Park was the first permanent ranch house in the area. It was built in 1876 and can be viewed in the park today.
Williams Ranch House is another attraction in Guadalupe National Park. It was built in 1908.
Wallace Pratt, who donated land to create Guadalupe National Park, originally bought the land to build two houses. Until 1960, when he donated 6000 acres, the houses were used as summer houses for his family to enjoy.


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