Hitting your peak

A Slice of the Rockies in Texas? Exploring Guadalupe Mountains National Park

The Guadalupe Mountains represent the southernmost extent of the RockyMountains, harboring rugged canyons, lowland desert, and high elevation forest.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
Devil’s Hall, a unique slot canyon, will get hikers off the beaten path.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
Several peaks in the Guadalupe Mountains reach over 8,000 feet, including BushMountain. My brother and I are taking a break near the summit during a four-daybackpacking trip.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
The backcountry in the Guadalupe Mountains offers endless solitude andphotographic opportunities.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
Dog Canyon, near the New Mexico state line, is a little visited area of the parkwith broad views and pinyon-juniper woodland.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
There are several primitive campsites located along the major trails throughoutthe wilderness area. (Just in case there is any confusion - yes, my brother isplaying a clarinet we packed in addition to the ramen.)
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
Weather conditions can be rough. Here, a January storm covered trees inhoarfrost and the mountains in snow.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
More than 80 miles of maintained trails wind through the national park, offeringaccess to the mountains. Here, the switchbacks of a trail are visible in theforeground and salt flats in the background.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
Animals abound, like this snake. It may look like a rattler, but is actually aharmless bull snake. The backcountry is also home to mountain lions, blackbears, and a plethora of birds.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz

It was day three of an unplanned four-day experiment. How long would five pounds of cooked, unrefrigerated ramen noodles remain palatable in the west Texas summer weather?

The result? A three-pound slimy mass that did not smell very good, much less appear edible. I dumped the goo in the vicinity of Lost Peak, the ninth highest summit in Texas.

Although littering is frowned upon in a national park, I reasoned it was not really littering — since the bears were going to get it. I guess feeding wildlife is also frowned upon, but ramen is kind of natural, right?

I quickly turned away, my stomach growling, but we had several more miles to go, and the packs were not getting any lighter.

Why carry cooked noodles stuffed into a plastic bag for rations on a backpacking trip? Are we idiots? Nah. I would say we were hardcore.

Fueling for 40 (miles)

My brother and I had arrived in Guadalupe Mountains National Park two days before, in hopes of traversing the range and back on a 40-mile backpacking trip.

Checking on conditions, we found that, due to extreme drought and heat, any open fires had been banned in the backcountry. Which meant no roasting marshmallows, no stoves, and no cigarettes. I was even too worried to turn on my flashlight.

Not easily discouraged, we huddled around our food supply. Since the park’s remote location is not conducive to a quick run to the store, we spent two hours cooking 14 packages of ramen, methodically draining the water and dumping the finished product into a bag, all in the safety of the developed campground.

After zippering away the little flavor packets, we deemed ourselves prepared for the trip. Additional fare included oatmeal, powdered milk, and granola bars.

These measly rations turned out to provide enough energy to power us up, over, and down the mountains. Twice.

Far, far from home

The Guadalupe Mountains National Park sits in a remote corner of the state, abutting the New Mexico border, with the closest major city being El Paso. Its little visited 86,000 acres protect pristine desert, scorching salt flats, rugged peaks and lush canyons.

Just getting there is half a road trip. From Houston, it is a straight shot west for about 10 soporific hours. But you must take care not to fall asleep passing through San Antonio — the highways are just weird there.

The tiny, dusty town of Van Horn marks the turn north onto Highway 54, and the last chance for restaurants and an actual bed. I find Van Horn’s aesthetic value and interest factor to be zero.

After another hour of driving, the dramatic prow of El Capitan — a cliff face rising to more than 8,000 feet — becomes visible.

For fans of geology, these mountains were formed as a reef beneath an ancient inland sea, before uplifting formed jagged summits flanked by vertical cliffs. The exposed peaks and escarpments are now recognized as some of the most well-preserved fossil reefs in the world.

Gaming the Guadalupe

The best way to truly appreciate the mountains is to camp and hike for a couple of days. The park has a little more than a mile of paved road, but more than 80 miles of maintained trails.

My brother and I backpacked for four days into the heart of the wilderness area. The most direct route into the high country follows Pine Spring Canyon on the Tejas Trail. With heavy packs, we slogged uphill for three miles before reaching the cool woodlands of the Bowl.

Above 6,000 feet, the desert and grassland give way to forest of ponderosa pine, gambel oak, and Douglas-fir - survivors from an epoch when the area experienced a cooler climate. Here, flora and fauna more typical of the Rocky Mountains further north can be found.

After crossing Bush Mountain, the second highest peak in Texas, we camped for the night amidst old growth of pine and oak.

Not a soul as far as the eye can see

The next day, we descended to Dog Canyon into juniper woodland. Close to the New Mexico border, Dog Canyon has a ranger station and developed campground where we were able to refill our dwindling water supply, since no water is available in the higher parts of the park.

Over the last two days of the trip, we followed another trail back across the mountains. We finished the trek coming down the arduous Bear Canyon, which shaved a couple of years off my knees.

We didn’t see a single person on the trails during the entire four days.

Sometimes, ramen doesn't cut it

In addition to backpacking, there are plenty of day hikes in the park. Peak-skill baggers can tackle the nine and a half miles round-trip up Guadalupe Peak, which, at 8,749 feet, is the highest point in Texas.

One sun bleached spring day, I scrambled to its rocky summit, after four hours of stoic back and forth along endless switchbacks. I settled, exhausted, on the first flat-ish rock I gazed at, the desert and salt flats nearly 5,000 feet below.

Two hikers popped onto the summit and exclaimed in slightly higher than conversational tone of how surprised they were that it only took one hour to reach the top.

Maybe I did need better nutrition.

Are we still in Texas, Toto?

A short drive north from the main visitor center at Pine Springs, McKittrick Canyon offers a welcome reprieve from the desert. Here, a year-round stream, flowing clear and cool across smooth slabs of gray rock, supports rich woodlands of oak and aspen.

The trail following the canyon eventually becomes nearly vertical. However, the first few miles are pretty flat, and lead past a historic lodge and fern-lined grottoes.

A day hike to Devil’s Hall, a near-perfect rectangular box canyon no more then 20 feet wide, will get you off the beaten track. The path starts at the main trail head at Pine Spring Canyon, but soon turns into a bit of a scramble down a dry creek bed, eventually ending near a formation called the Devil's Staircase.

Hitting this spot, you may be scratching your head profusely, asking yourself, "Is this really Texas?"

Many areas in the Guadalupe Mountains National Park make it hard to believe that you're still in Texas. But then again, it's pretty neat to not have to cheat on your state to have a small dose of those Rocky Mountains.

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Hill Country wineries beckon + 9 more Texas travel ideas for June

Photo courtesy of Texas Hill Country Wineries

The Barrels & Bites pass offers Hill Country wine lovers upscale tasting experiences or curated food and wine pairings.

School's out, summer has arrived, and with it comes a bounty of weekend getaway inspiration for Houston travelers.

Travelers on the hunt for the ultimate summer adventure outside of H-Town can head down Austin for a Father's Day barbecue showdown, leap to the coast for a restaurant takeover at a Galveston hotel, or say hello to Maisie the Highland cow at a new farm retreat in Jewett, Texas.

Here are CultureMap's top picks for a June vacation around Texas.

Around Texas

As summer arrives and gas prices remain high, fuel-conscious Texas travelers can book their next road trip with transportation startup Shutto, which recently launched new routes connecting major cities like Dallas, Austin, Houston Galleria, and The Woodlands. Each route includes a pit stop at Buc-ee's — a quintessential road trip moment — and travelers can also book private, customizable trips beyond the scheduled routes. Fares start at $87 per person to Austin and $97 per person to Houston, and trips can be booked online.

Central Texas and the Hill Country

The historic Faust Hotel in New Braunfels has finally completed its thoughtful restoration and reopened its doors for Hill Country travelers. All 45 guest rooms and 15 deluxe suites have been updated with king beds, custom vanities, 55-inch streaming televisions, retro Frigidaire mini-fridges, and much more. The hotel's new signature restaurant, Wilhelm & Werner, mixes Texas and European culinary influences with dishes like an "apple strudel" of foie gras and pork, saffron tagliatelle with Gulf shrimp, and poulet rôti with a savory bread pudding. Nightly rates at the Faust Hotel begin at $215 in June.

Faust Hotel New Braunfels The revamped Faust Hotel blends the property's historic bones with new furnishings. Photo by Jason Risner

A Gonzales County wellness retreat is celebrating its one-year anniversary with a roster of new services, events, workshops , and more to come later this year. Ottine Mineral Springs is now offering private Watsu experiences, a massage performed in the mineral pools by licensed therapists before the general public arrives. The oasis will soon offer poolside cabana rentals, and open a climate-controlled indoor lounge and soaking space. Guests can book day passes (starting at $65), events, and spa services online. Reservations are required.

Limestone Fields, a new farm retreat on Lake Limestone in Jewett, is now accepting reservations for stays on its 16-acre property that sits along Lake Limestone. Guests are welcome to explore the expansive area, which also includes a working farm with chickens, ducks, and two Scottish Highland cows. Limestone Fields hosts 10 furnished cabins with front decks that overlook a pond and back decks that open to the lake. Stays start at $200 a night and usually have a two-night minimum. Prices vary with seasonality.

Maisie the Scottish Highland cow at Limestone Fields Maisie is a miniature Highland cow that lives on the farm.Photo by Ashley Estave

Texas trade organization Texas Hill Country Wineries is offering a new way to experience its participating wineries' vintages with a new Barrels & Bites weekend event pass running from June 12-14. During the weekend, passholders can visit up to four wineries each day for winemaker-led experiences including elevated tastings or curated food and wine pairings. New this year is the Grand Tasting event at Ron Yates in Johnson City on Friday night from 5-7 pm, where passholders and single-ticket holders can try samples from 21 different wineries. Individual passes are $175, couples passes are $300, and single tickets for the Grand Tasting are $35 per person.

Austin

Adventurers can take their barbecue-loving dads for a smoke-filled weekend at Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin for Father's Day weekend from June 19-20. The resort will host its second annual barbecue festival, Smoke: A Celebration of Fire and Flavor, bringing together the most prolific pitmasters and acclaimed restaurants for two days of live-fire cooking and live entertainment. The weekend kicks off with a VIP dinner experience on Friday featuring a multicourse meal of elevated barbecue dishes from chefs, and the barbecue showdown will commence Saturday with an open-air tasting event, live music, and a fireworks finale. Weekend bundle passes are $479 per person, with single admission tickets available for each day of the festival.

San Antonio

Magik Theatre, a beloved San Antonio children's performing arts center, is getting ready to for its grand reopening after months of renovations with a celebration party and a performance of The Very Hungry Caterpillar starting Saturday, June 13. The reopening party will feature a ribbon-cutting at Hemisfair Park, plus children's activities, a live DJ, and more. The Party in the Park is free to the public. Tickets for The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which will run until August 2, range from $26.50-$33.50 per person.

On the Gulf Coast

Galveston's seaside refuge Hotel Lucine is hosting the third annual Bludorn by The Sea dining series from June 12-13. Acclaimed Houston chef Aaron Bludorn will stage a two-night takeover of the hotel's on-site restaurant, The Fancy, with a raw bar pop-up from 4-7 pm, and elaborate four-course dinners planned each night. A Courtyard Party will precede Saturday's dinner from 12-3 pm with a yakitori-style grill-out and live music. Dinner reservations for Friday and Saturday ($95 per person) can be booked via OpenTable, and visitors are encouraged to book a stay at the hotel for the weekend.

Dallas-Fort Worth

June brings the arrival of World Cup season, and one Dallas-Fort Worth hotel is making its debut just in time to welcome FIFA fans from all over the world. The retro Caravan Court Hotel in Arlington will open at 205 N. Collins St. on June 1, less than a mile away from AT&T Stadium. The hotel offers 143 luxuriously appointed guest rooms, an in-house restaurant, martini bar, and a rooftop lounge. Room rates begin at $109 per night in June.

Photo courtesy of Texas Hill Country Wineries

The Barrels & Bites pass offers Hill Country wine lovers upscale tasting experiences or curated food and wine pairings.

Hotel Vin in Grapevine has launched a new "Route 66 Pit Stop" package in celebration of the iconic roadway's 100th anniversary. The package includes an Americana snack basket, Texas wine flight, disposable camera for capturing the journey, and grab-and-go breakfast for the road. Guests can also visit “The Vin Pit Stop" Lounge at WineYard Grille + Bar, the hotel's al fresco dining concept, for light bites, road trip-inspired specialty cocktail flights and Texas wine. Nightly rates for the "Route 66 Pit Stop" package start at $419.

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