Fishing in Guadalupe Mountains National Park
- National Park
- Open 24 hours
- Lakes
- 2
- Rivers
- 2
- Access
- 0
- Boat Ramps
- 0
- Shops
- 0
- Species
- 13
Guadalupe Mountains National Park sits in far west Texas near the New Mexico border, rising more than 5,000 feet above the surrounding Chihuahuan Desert. It is not fishing country in any conventional sense.
The park's water is scarce, and what exists is protected. McKittrick Creek is the one water anglers will have heard about.
It holds the only self-sustaining population of trout in Texas — rainbow trout descended from a stocking program carried out in the early twentieth century. That fact alone makes it remarkable. But fishing McKittrick Creek is prohibited.
The creek runs through the park, and the park closes it entirely to angling. It is worth knowing this before you go, because the creek's reputation travels further than the regulation.
There are no other fishable waters inside Guadalupe Mountains National Park identified in available sources.
The park's character is desert and high-elevation wilderness — trails, backcountry camps, limestone peaks — not lakes or accessible streams open to rod and line.
If trout fishing in the region is the goal, the Guadalupe River in the Texas Hill Country — no geographic relation to these mountains — is where anglers actually go. That fishery runs below Canyon Lake dam near New Braunfels, well over 400 miles southeast.
It requires a valid Texas fishing license. Come to Guadalupe Mountains for the wilderness, the elevation, the geology.
Come knowing that McKittrick Creek's trout are there, visible in cold clear water, and that watching them is the only interaction the park allows.
Top waters to fish near Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Species & education
Learn what type of fish are in Guadalupe Mountains National Park and what's needed to catch them.
Find which waters have the species you want to catch
Black Bullhead
Ameiurus melas
Bluegill
Lepomis macrochirus
Bluegill Sunfish
Lepomis macrochirus
Channel Catfish
Ictalurus punctatus
Common Carp
Cyprinus carpio
Gray Redhorse
Moxostoma congestum
Green Sunfish
Lepomis cyanellus
Largemouth Bass
Micropterus salmoides salmoides (Northern Largemouth Bass), M. s. floridanus (Florida Largemouth Bass)
Longear Sunfish
Lepomis megalotis
Longnose Gar
Lepisosteus osseus
River Carpsucker
Carpiodes carpio
Spotted Bass
Micropterus punctulatus
Warmouth Sunfish
Lepomis gulosus
Water and weather conditions (10 day forecast)
See the best times to fish Guadalupe Mountains National Park and check the forecast before you go.
No forecast data available.
Park alerts & road status
Closures and conditions Guadalupe Mountains National Park has posted, from the National Park Service.
Checking the park's alerts…
Hours & fees
When Guadalupe Mountains National Park is open and what it costs to get in, from the National Park Service.
Hours
Open 24 hoursThe Pine Springs area, including the campground, visitor center, trailhead, and associated parking areas are open and accessible all of the time during normal operations. Camping is permitted in designated campsites only.
Entrance fees
- Entrance - Per Person$10
- An entrance fee of $10 per person (16 years of age and older) is required; entrance fees/passes permit 1-7 consecutive days of use in this national park. Holders of the Annual, Senior, Military, 4th grade and Access Pass can bring in 3 adults free of charge under their pass. Any pass must be displayed in a vehicle while in the national park.
- Entrance - Education/Academic GroupsFree
- Entrance fee waivers are available to groups when the purpose of their visit is educational rather than recreational. Completed applications along with required documentation must be submitted via email. Fee waiver requests must be submitted at least six weeks before a scheduled visit to allow for consideration.
Parking & getting around
Where to leave the car in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Lots fill early on busy days, so plan where you will park before you head for the water.
Dog Canyon Trailhead
Accessibility: The nearest accessible parking to the trailhead is located at the Dog Canyon Campground and Ranger Station.
Frijole Ranch
This is trailhead parking for the Smith Springs, Frijole, and Foothills trails as well as access to the historic Frijole Ranch museum. There are a total of 16 car parking spaces, plus 2 accessible spaces. Large vehicle parking is along the outside edge of the parking lot. The road and parking lot are gravel and accessible by all vehicles.
McKittrick Canyon Visitor Center and Trailhead
This parking area serves the visitor center and trailhead at McKittrick Canyon.
Pine Springs Trailhead
This is trailhead parking is for Guadalupe Peak, Devil's Hall, Bowl, and El Capitan Trails. Trailhead parking are the non-numbered spaces. There are a total of 44 car parking spaces, plus 2 accessible spaces. Overflow parking and parking for RV's can be found at the Pine Springs Visitor Center Parking Lot. A short trail from the visitor center through the campground connects the two locations.
Accessibility: Accessible parking is located near the trailhead restrooms.
Pine Springs Visitor Center
This is parking for the Pine Springs Visitor Center and the Pinery Nature Trail. This is also overflow parking for the Pine Springs Trailhead Parking. Parking for RV's can be found here. Note: when parking for cars becomes full, cars are allowed to started parking in the RV spots.
Pinery Parking Area
Immediately adjacent to U.S. Highway 62/180 is the Pinery parking area. This parking area is a dirt area with parking for less than 15 vehicles. RVs, trailers and commercial vehicles are prohibited in this parking area. The Pinery parking lot has a trail that connects to the Pine Springs Visitor Center, a quarter of a mile away.
Salt Basin Dunes Trailhead
The surface of the access road is clay. During rainy weather, the road becomes dangerously slippery; it is unsafe to travel when wet. The speed limit is 25 miles per hour. Watch for livestock on the roadway.
Getting around
Guadalupe Mountains National Park is located on the north side of US Hwy 62/180. If you are traveling east from El Paso, TX, we are 110 miles East of the city. Follow US Hwy 62/180 North to the Pine Springs Visitor Center. If you are traveling from Van Horn, TX, you will travel north on US 54 and make a right-hand turn at the junction of US 62/180 to arrive at the park. If you are traveling west from Carlsbad, NM, you will travel on US Hwy 62/180 South and cross into Texas. Follow signs to the park.
Directions on nps.govFish smarter with real-time insights
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Fishing near Guadalupe Mountains National Park
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Gateway towns
Where to base yourself for fishing in Guadalupe Mountains National Park.
- CarlsbadNM
Closest town to the park with hotels, restaurants, and services; NPS lists it as the nearest lodging option to the north.
- Van HornTX
Nearest Texas town with lodging and services, listed by NPS as the closest option to the south of the park.
Small town to the southwest noted by NPS as a nearby lodging and services option for park visitors.
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