Pine Springs Visitor Center — Attraction in Carlsbad

In July 2024, we took our Trail Life USA troop from San Angelo to the mountains for an adventure we'd been planning for a while. Our destination was the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, a place renowned for its stunning landscapes and challenging hikes. The park's rangers at the visitor center were incredibly helpful, providing us with detailed information and permits.

Our primary goal was to climb to the top of Texas and summit Guadalupe Peak. The Trail Life scouts as they prepared for this significant achievement. In addition to Guadalupe Peak, we aimed to visit three other peaks located in the park. The scouts were determined to climb the five tallest peaks in Texas this year, and this trip was a tough one. We did'nt come close to hitting all of them. We do have plans to come back and climb them in the fall.

Another hike on our to-do list was Devils Hall. The anticipation of exploring this unique trail added to the overall excitement of our trip. The store at the visitor center, though a bit pricey, had a variety of souvenir options for the boys. Many of them found pins and t-shirts to take home as mementos of their adventure.

Theresa, the Visitor Services Manager, played a pivotal role in making our trip a success. She took the time to address our concerns and ensured that the scouts were equipped to handle the mountain expedition. Her dedication and support were greatly appreciated.

Other services used at the park included the restrooms, which were clean and well-maintained. Having nice, clean restrooms made tent camping much more comfortable. The park itself was impeccably clean, with neat and uncrowded campsites. The registration process was smooth and easy, adding to the overall positive experience.

This trip to Guadalupe Mountains National Park was a resounding success. The park's natural beauty, combined with the excellent facilities and helpful staff, made it an unforgettable adventure for our Trail Life USA troop. We look forward to returning and exploring even more of what this incredible park...

Visiting from 2,000 miles away and was completely ignored by the two Rangers working the front desk. It is required to obtain a pass to park in the park. We stood staring at them for almost 10 minutes, at the desk, attempting to purchase our pass while they both chose to continue a conversation with the only other two people in the building. It was exceptionally apparent that the other visitors were somehow affiliated with either the Park Service or similar background. It was severely frustrating to stand and stand and continue to be ignored while this couple was given a tour behind the counter, behind closed doors, where the public is not allowed. It was obvious that the female ranger doing her best to impress the visitors by opening up everything and allowing them places we wouldn't be allowed to go. Meanwhile we still are unable to purchase our pass and enjoy the park. It took me opening my mouth and saying loudly that I was going to complain for us to be greeted for the FIRST time. This entire time we had been within 4 feet of each other, yet somehow we didn't exist at all.

Furthermore it's a shame that there are several typos on the exhibits. For example, the Ringtail Cat they have displayed doesn't correctly provide the common name of the animal. There are words missing on several displays. Missing as in never there and not proofread. The display explaining how to reach the Pratt Lodge is also wrong. It states you arrive at the Lodge after crossing one stream. Surprise, it's four crossings. Great way to get tourists lost in the...

First went here around noon on Good Friday. There's a water refill station right behind the ranger's desk at the visitor center which proved useful to me throughout the weekend. Friday afternoon was very very windy, so not lot of people there, easy to find parking both here and at the trailhead. Saturday morning was great weather, so when I got there around 8:30am (Mountain time = local time), it was already too late. The road to the trailhead had been closed off, and when I circled back to the visitor center parking lot, it too had nothing left. A very helpful elderly ranger pointed me to a spot along the incoming road where I could park on the dirt. By the time I started hiking away, even the 5-6 spots there were all taken. On a good weather day, you have to get there by 8-8:15am I'd say to get parking, which is tough since there's no lodging nearby. They could definitely use bigger parking lots, especially since the three main hikes - Devil's Hall, Guadalupe Peak, and the Bowl all share the same trailhead, and I guess people bringing RVs to the...