21 The Bowl
A long day hike or an overnight trip to the thickest forest in the Guadalupe Mountains and tremendous views.
See map 19 Devils Hall.
Distance: 10.5-mile loop
Approximate hiking time: 7 to 9 hours
Elevation: 5,820 to 8,368 feet
Trail surface: Dirt and gravel path
Best season: Year-round
Water availability: Trailhead (at the restroom)
Land status: National park
Nearest town: Carlsbad, New Mexico
Fees and permits: Park entrance fee; permit required for camping
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: From the main park visitor center just off US 62–180, drive up the paved road to the Pine Springs Campground, about 0.5 mile northwest. Park in front of the large trailhead sign at the far side of the RV camping area.
The Hike
The Bowl contains the largest fragment of the Guadalupe Mountains’ relict forest of ponderosa pine, southwestern white pine, and Douglas fir. The mountains have become hotter and drier since the last ice age, forcing the forest to retreat higher and higher. The forest may still be slowly receding, since the climate now provides barely enough moisture for such trees to survive. Large firs and pines still grow in the gently sloping basin of the Bowl, lying just below 8,000 feet. Fires in 1990 and 1994 burned some of the lush forest, greatly reducing the fuel load without irreparable harm.
The trail starts at the large sign at the back side of the RV camping area. Follow the signs for the Tejas Trail and the Bowl. Go right at the junction just down the way and follow the Tejas Trail across the broad dry wash of Pine Canyon. The trail forks again on the other side of the wash. The right fork will be the return leg of the loop. Go left, following the Tejas Trail.
The first mile or so of the trail climbs at a fairly easy grade, but the next 3 miles steepen somewhat as the trail climbs up the north wall of Pine Spring Canyon. Overall, the rocky trail climbs at a fairly steady, moderate grade. In summer the climb is hot, with little shade on the dry, south-facing slope. Finally, at the canyon rim you will be relieved to find cool pine forests and an easy trail grade.
The trail splits three ways at the rim. If you plan to camp, the Pine Top campsite lies to the left about 0.25 mile along the Bush Mountain Trail. Be sure to get a camping permit ahead of time. The Tejas Trail continues straight ahead to the north. Go right toward the Bowl and Hunter Peak. The trail follows the canyon rim east for about 0.5 mile before forking again. The shortest route to the Bowl goes left, but I recommend going straight for about 0.5 mile, to the top of Hunter Peak. The trail gains several hundred feet of elevation to reach the summit. Along the way, another fork to the left leads to Bear Canyon and also to the Bowl. Go right and you will quickly reach the summit.
The view from Hunter Peak is one of the best in Texas. If you are camping overnight, be sure to watch the sunset or sunrise from the summit. Backtrack the last 0.5 mile to the first turnoff to the Bowl (mentioned earlier) and follow the path north into the lush woods of the Bowl. Partway down the trail you’ll come to the edge of the forest fire site. Although many trees burned, a surprising number survived. Grasses and other vegetation carpet the ground, although there were heavy topsoil losses in places. Slowly a few pine and fir seedlings are appearing, in addition to oak and juniper.
The trail reaches a junction in the center of the Bowl about 0.9 mile from the previous junction. Go right. An old dirt stock tank lies a short distance downstream from where the trail begins to climb out of the Bowl. If water is in the tank, you may be fortunate enough to see some elk, especially early in the morning or late in the evening. In fall the bull elks bugle, an eerie sound that echoes across the mountaintops. In about 0.8 mile the trail reaches another junction on the rim of Bear Canyon. The right-hand fork is the alternate Bowl route from Hunter Peak. Go left, down Bear Canyon and back to the valley. Take your last whiff of pine-scented air before starting the knee-straining descent down Bear Canyon. The rocky trail drops about 2,000 feet in about 2.0 miles. Go right at the junction with the Frijole Trail at the bottom, and hike about 1.5 miles back to the trailhead. Along the way, go right at the junction with the Foothills Trail and left at the junction with the Tejas trail.
The loop can be done in reverse, but the climb up Bear Canyon is tough, especially with a backpack. If time allows, camp a night or two up on top. Many possible side trips or extensions are possible from the basic loop. Unfortunately, as with other high-country Guadalupe hikes, there is no reliable water source. Plan to carry all that you need—no easy task for anything more than a two- or three-day trip.
Be aware of the threat of lightning, especially on late-summer afternoons. In spring, winds can blow in the Guadalupes unlike anything else you have ever experienced. Winds have been measured here at over 135 miles per hour. The mountains get only occasional snowstorms in winter, but check the forecast before you hike and go prepared for that time of year. A friend and I backpacked up to the Bowl one beautiful sunny January day to be awakened in the morning to 60-mile-per-hour north winds, plummeting temperatures, and dark clouds shrouding the peaks just above us. Did we persevere? Heck no. We retreated down the mountain as fast as our legs (or the wind) could carry us.
Miles and Directions
0.0Start at the trailhead at Pine Springs Campground. Go right at the junction only about 100 feet down the trail. Go left on the Tejas Trail at the next junction just across the big dry wash of Pine Spring Canyon.
3.8Three-way junction at the rim of Pine Spring Canyon. Go right toward the Bowl.
4.3Trail junction. Go right toward Hunter Peak.
4.7Trail junction. Go right to the summit of Hunter Peak.
4.8Hunter Peak. Retrace route back down.
4.9Trail junction. Go left and continue to retrace your route.
5.3Trail junction. Go right, toward the Bowl.
6.2Trail junction in center of the Bowl. Go right.
7.0Trail junction above Bear Canyon. Go left, down Bear Canyon.
8.8Trail junction. Go right on Frijole Trail.
10.3Trail junction at end of loop. Go left on Tejas Trail and return to trailhead, ignoring the right fork to Guadalupe Peak just before the trailhead.
10.5Arrive back at the trailhead.