Best Time to Visit Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Pick a month. Best months are in bold.

The best months to visit Guadalupe Mountains National Park are May, August and September — computed from official NPS visitation (2021–2025 average), NOAA weather normals and daylight. March is the crowd peak (35,185 monthly visits); August is quietest at 28% of peak.

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Best months for fewer crowds

The quietest months at Guadalupe Mountains, leaving out harsh weather and months when main access is typically closed.

Monthly crowd curve

Average monthly recreation visits, 2021–2025 (NPS Visitor Use Statistics). Amber bar = current month.

Guadalupe Mountains month by month

Crowds: NPS Visitor Use Statistics, mean of 2021–2025 (2020 excluded as a COVID-19 anomaly). Weather: NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals, station PINE SPRINGS, TX US (4 mi from park coordinates). Daylight: computed for the 15th of each month at the park's location. Methodology.

How many people visit Guadalupe Mountains each year

Guadalupe Mountains National Park had 206,423 recreation visits in 2025, 9% fewer than 2024 (NPS Visitor Use Statistics). The busiest year since 2015 was 2021, with 243,291. Over 2021–2025 it averaged 224,635 visits a year, which makes it the 12th least-visited of the 63 national parks.

Calendar-year recreation visits as published by NPS Visitor Use Statistics. 2020 is shown here but left out of the monthly averages above, because the COVID-19 pandemic makes it unrepresentative. See how every park compares: all 63 parks ranked by visits.

What to pack for Guadalupe Mountains in May

Computed from May's weather normals — Guadalupe Mountains's best month above. Visiting another month? Each month page has its own weather-computed list.

• Sturdy broken-in footwear, navigation and a basic first-aid kit — every park, every month

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Common questions

Guadalupe Mountains month by month: notes from the park service

• January: January is one of Guadalupe Mountains' two coldest months: the park service says snow and freezing fog are common in December and January, and snow and ice linger at high elevations all season. It is also deep in the windy season (November through March), when winds over 30 mph are frequent and gusts can hit 50 to 80 mph on exposed ridges.
• February: February at Guadalupe Mountains is still windy season, which the park service puts at November through March: gusts above 30 mph are frequent, and on exposed ridges they can reach 50 to 80 mph. Snow and ice can hang on at the high elevations all winter even after the coldest months, December and January, have passed.
• March: March closes out Guadalupe Mountains' windy season, which the park service runs from November through March, so expect days with winds above 30 mph and occasional gusts of 50 to 80 mph. Higher trails can still carry snow and ice.
• June: June is one of the hottest months in the Guadalupe Mountains, averaging about 87°F in the afternoon at Pine Springs, nearly 5,700 feet up, and the park asks visitors to know heat safety and avoid midday activity. Lower areas like the Salt Basin Dunes and Williams Ranch Road run about 10 degrees hotter.
• August: August is the wettest month in the Guadalupe Mountains, averaging about 3 inches of rain at Pine Springs, and the rainy season can bring locally heavy thunderstorms and some flash flooding. The park notes that afternoon and evening showers often cool things down, making it a pleasant time to visit.
• September: September ends the Guadalupe Mountains' rainy season, with about 2.3 inches of rain and afternoon highs near 80°F at Pine Springs. Fall is one of the park's busiest seasons, along with spring, thanks to warm, pleasant weather.
• October: Late October is peak fall color at Guadalupe Mountains: the park service puts the best viewing in the last week of October and the first week of November, and Upper Dog Canyon on the north side often turns a week or two before McKittrick Canyon. McKittrick is day-use only with limited parking, it often fills on color weekends, and access closes at 5 p.m.
• November: Early November is the tail of Guadalupe Mountains' fall color: the park service puts the best viewing in the last week of October and the first week of November, with Upper Dog Canyon on the north side turning a week or two before McKittrick Canyon. McKittrick is day-use only, its parking is limited and it often fills on color weekends, and access closes at 5 p.m.
• December: December at Guadalupe Mountains is mostly sunny and mild down low, but the park service warns that November through March is the windy season, with winds often over 30 mph and gusts of 50 to 80 mph, and that snow and freezing fog are common in December and January at higher elevations. The color crowds at McKittrick Canyon are gone by now, so parking is easier.

Each month page carries the full note and the NPS page it comes from.

Dive into a month

Comparing parks for the same trip? See how Guadalupe Mountains ranks against all 63 parks in May, August and September.

Last verified 2026-09-24 · all parks