Guadalupe Mountains National Park Camping
in May
🏕️ 46 campsites🚗 7 hr from Austin📅 Book in December
Booking Guadalupe Mountains National Park in May
Texas state parks open reservations exactly 5 months in advance at 8 a.m. Central — so for a May trip, the booking window opens in December. Popular weekends can disappear within minutes of the window opening. If your dates are already full, set a Camp.land alert and we’ll email you the moment a cancellation opens.
What to Expect in May
Warming up, with Memorial Day weekend selling out fast. Weekdays stay calmer.
Park Highlights
- ✓Guadalupe Peak — highest point in Texas (8,749 ft)
- ✓McKittrick Canyon fall foliage (October-November)
- ✓Ancient Permian reef fossils
- ✓80+ miles of hiking trails
- ✓Dark sky stargazing
- ✓Dramatic desert-to-mountain elevation changes
Tips
- →Start the Guadalupe Peak hike before dawn to summit by noon and avoid afternoon thunderstorms
- →Visit McKittrick Canyon in late October for the best fall color in Texas
- →No hookups, no showers, no firewood — come prepared for primitive camping
- →Wind is constant and often fierce — bring strong tent stakes and low-profile tent