NationalParkEntry

TX · Southwest

Guadalupe Mountains National Park entry requirements

No timed-entry or vehicle reservation is needed to enter Guadalupe Mountains in 2026. An entrance fee applies. Check any visit date against the official 2026 rules.

The 2026 season at Guadalupe Mountains

This is what applies across the published season. Use the date checker below for a specific day.

No reservation is required to enter Guadalupe Mountains National Park in 2026.

An entrance fee or accepted pass is required on every visit, separately from anything below.

  1. Park entrance

    Required

    You must pay the park entrance fee or show an accepted pass.

    • Per person on foot or bicycle: $10.
    • An America the Beautiful pass covers this entrance fee. It does not cover any reservation or permit below.
    • Guadalupe Mountains charges PER PERSON, not per vehicle — a carload of four adults pays $40, not $10. Children under 16 are free. The pass permits 1-7 consecutive days. The Guadalupe Mountains annual pass is $35 and is valid one year from the month of purchase.

  2. Timed entry

    Not applicable

    Guadalupe Mountains National Park has no timed-entry system.

  3. Vehicle, road, or corridor

    Not required

    Nothing here is required in 2026.

    • No parking reservation exists — small lots fill first-come, first-served. RVs, trailers, and commercial vehicles are prohibited in the Pinery parking area. Overflow parking and RV parking for the Guadalupe Peak trailhead is at the Pine Springs Visitor Center lot; when car spaces there fill, cars may park in the RV spots.
    • McKittrick Canyon is day-use only behind a gate open 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Mountain Time. The gate on US Highway 62/180 is locked each evening — visitors must be out of the canyon before closing time. No permit or reservation is available; the gate hours are the only control.
    • Fall colors season — McKittrick Canyon and Pine Springs reach capacity in October and November. Much of the year McKittrick Canyon is lightly used; the exceptions are fall colors season in October and November and spring weekends.

  4. Shuttle

    Not applicable

    Guadalupe Mountains National Park has no shuttle system.

  5. Your campground or lodging

    Not applicable

    Guadalupe Mountains National Park has no in-park stay that changes what you need to enter.

  6. Selected activity

    Not applicable

    Guadalupe Mountains National Park has no headline activity permit that visitors confuse with entry.

Fees and passes

Per person, on foot or bicycle$10
Valid for7 days
Park annual pass$35

Guadalupe Mountains charges PER PERSON, not per vehicle — a carload of four adults pays $40, not $10. Children under 16 are free. The pass permits 1-7 consecutive days. The Guadalupe Mountains annual pass is $35 and is valid one year from the month of purchase.

An America the Beautiful pass is accepted here. It covers the entrance fee only. It does not cover a timed-entry permit, a vehicle reservation, a parking tag, a shuttle ticket, or an activity permit.

The America the Beautiful pass is accepted and covers the per-person entrance fee for the holder and accompanying occupants. It does not reserve a parking space, which is the real constraint at this park on busy weekends.

Fee-free days

  • Feb 16, 2026
  • May 25, 2026
  • Jun 14, 2026
  • Jul 3, 2026
  • Jul 4, 2026
  • Jul 5, 2026
  • Aug 25, 2026
  • Sep 17, 2026
  • Oct 27, 2026
  • Nov 11, 2026

From 2026 a fee-free day waives the entrance fee for U.S. residents. Other visitors still pay it. A fee-free day never waives a reservation, a permit, or a booking fee unless the park says so.

What a campground or lodging booking does and does not cover

  • Entrance fee — $10 per person aged 16 and over, valid up to 7 consecutive daysNot covered by an in-park booking. Campground fees at Pine Springs and Dog Canyon are separate from the entrance fee. There is no in-park lodging.

Quick answers

Do I need a reservation for Guadalupe Mountains?
No. Guadalupe Mountains National Park does not require a timed-entry or vehicle reservation to enter in 2026. You still pay the entrance fee or show an accepted pass.
Is there an entrance fee at Guadalupe Mountains?
Yes. An America the Beautiful pass is accepted for the entrance fee, and does not cover any reservation or permit.

Official links, coverage, and sources

When reservations are released

  • Guadalupe Mountains entrance fee

Official booking and park information

What this does not cover

  • Road, weather, and fire closures that change day to day. Check the park’s alerts page.
  • Backcountry and wilderness permits beyond the headline permits listed above.
  • Commercial use authorizations, filming permits, and group-size rules.
  • Availability. We tell you what is required, not whether anything is left.

Effective dates and sources

  • Fees and passesNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Park entrance"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." "Children under the age of 16 don't need an entrance pass."
  • Fees & Passes - Guadalupe Mountains National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Guadalupe Mountains entrance fee"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."
  • Parking - Guadalupe Mountains National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to No parking reservation exists"Holidays and weekends in the fall and spring often mean that all available parking at Pine Springs fills to capacity." "In the fall and spring, have a backup plan for a trail from another location." Lot counts on the same page: Pine Springs Trailhead 44, Visitor Center 47, McKittrick Canyon 40.
  • McKittrick Canyon - Guadalupe Mountains National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-08-05 · applies to McKittrick Canyon is day-use only behind"McKittrick Canyon is designated as day-use only, with daily visiting hours from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time." "The entrance gate on U.S.Highway 62/180 is locked each evening." Page last updated November 6, 2022; re-verified unchanged 2026-08-05.
  • Parking - Guadalupe Mountains National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Fall colors seasonMcKittrick Canyon (40 spaces): "Much of the year McKittrick Canyon is lightly used. Exceptions are the fall colors season in October and November as well as spring weekends."

Something wrong here?

Park rules change, sometimes at short notice. If a line on this page does not match what the park publishes, tell us and we will fix it and re-check the source.

corrections@nationalparkentry.com· Last factual change 2026-08-05 · Sources last reviewed 2026-08-05

Nearest other national parks

Chosen by distance from Guadalupe Mountains, not by editorial preference.