Hikers climb out of Dog Canyon onto the north slopes of Lost Peak.
16 Lost Peak
A day hike to the summit of a remote Guadalupe Mountains peak with dramatic views and colorful maples in fall.
Distance: 6.5 miles out and back
Approximate hiking time: 4 to 5 hours
Elevation: 6,290 to 7,830 feet
Trail surface: Dirt and gravel path
Best season: Year-round
Water availability: Trailhead; possible at Dog Spring (See text.)
Land status: National park
Nearest town: Carlsbad, New Mexico
Fees and permits: Park entrance fee
Maps: USGS Guadalupe Peak; Trails Illustrated Guadalupe Mountains National Park; National Park Service brochure
Trail contacts: Guadalupe Mountains National Park, 400 Pine Canyon Road, Salt Flat 79847; (915) 828-3251
Finding the trailhead: The trailhead is most easily approached from New Mexico. Drive about 12 miles northwest of Carlsbad on US 285 to the New Mexico 137 junction. Turn left (southwest) and follow paved NM 137 up into the mountains. At about 45 miles the road drops abruptly down to the big valley of Dog Canyon. In the bottom of the valley, the road forks after passing through the short canyon known as El Paso Gap. Go left, following signs to the national park. At about 6 miles the road crosses into Texas and the park; the pavement becomes a good gravel surface. Just beyond, at the end of the road, lie the Dog Canyon Ranger Station, campground, and trailhead. A long, dusty alternate route is possible via Dell City, Texas.
The Hike
Guadalupe Mountains National Park does not receive heavy tourist traffic, but because of its remote location, Dog Canyon receives much less visitation than the rest of the park. The large valley of Dog Canyon narrows abruptly at the state line and forms a well-defined canyon at the trailhead. Although still steep walled, the canyon does not have the towering cliffs of the eastern canyons such as McKittrick and Pine Spring. Alligator junipers shade the small, grassy developed campground at the trailhead, creating a beautiful place to spend the night before or after your hike.
The Bush Mountain Trail forks to the right just after the start of the hike. Stay left on the Tejas Trail and continue up the main canyon through patchy woods of juniper, piñon pine, velvet ash, bigtooth maple, and scattered ponderosa pine. The maples turn brilliant gold and scarlet in the fall. Dog Canyon is a good place to see the color without fighting the crowds at McKittrick Canyon. A 1994 forest fire burned some of the trees in this area.
At roughly 1.5 miles the trail leaves the canyon bottom and begins climbing in earnest. Dog Spring lies just up the canyon from where the trail begins its climb out. Check at the ranger station about its status before depending on the spring for water. As the spring is so close to the trailhead, it’s easier to fill up there and not have to worry about collecting and purifying the springwater.
Hikers climb out of Dog Canyon onto the north slopes of Lost Peak.
The trail passes an old mining area on the right partway up the ridge. Scattered on the ridge lie several small copper mines. The long-abandoned mines were unsuccessful, not surprising in the poorly mineralized Guadalupes. Don’t try to enter the hazardous, gated tunnels or disturb any of the ruins.
The last part of the hike is a long, steady climb up the ridgetop to the peak. The trail passes through scattered patches of stunted ponderosa pine and Douglas fir. The summit is just off the trail to the right when you reach the rim of West Dog Canyon. The spectacular view stretches from the tallest peaks of the Guadalupes to the south to the much higher Sacramento and Capitan Mountains far to the north in New Mexico.
The Tejas Trail continues far into the Guadalupe high country and can be easily extended to connect with other area trails. A beautiful 15.0-mile loop, probably the least traveled in the park, can be created by continuing along the Tejas Trail, turning right on the Blue Ridge Trail, turning right again on the Bush Mountain Trail, and following it back to the fork near the trailhead. If you can arrange a car shuttle or ride, the full length of the Tejas Trail—from Dog Canyon to Pine Springs—makes a classic 12.0-mile day hike or backpack.
To camp on this hike, you must continue another 1.5 miles to the Mescalero campsite. Be sure to pick up a permit ahead of time. As with all high-country hikes in the Guadalupes, there are no water sources; you must carry all that you need. You are very unlikely to see the few black bears that live in the mountains, but take proper precautions anyway. The upper part of the hike is exposed to lightning, especially on late-summer afternoons. Check weather forecasts in winter before you hike. Snowstorms aren’t common, but they can be sudden and powerful.
Miles and Directions
0.0Start at the Dog Canyon trailhead.
0.1Junction with the Bush Mountain Trail. Go left on the Tejas Trail.
1.5Trail passes near Dog Spring.
3.25Reach the rim of West Dog Canyon and Lost Peak. Retrace your steps.
6.5Arrive back at the trailhead.