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McKittrick Canyon
This steep canyon is located within the Guadalupe Mountain Range and the Chihuahuan Desert, although parts of it also extend into the Lincoln Forest National Park.
Guide Sections
Use McKittrick Canyon's guide sections to understand how this stop fits into the larger park plan.
McKittrick Canyon Details
Difficulty
Low
Distance
N/A
Estimated time
N/A
Region
N/A
This steep canyon is located within the Guadalupe Mountain Range and the Chihuahuan Desert, although parts of it also extend into the Lincoln Forest National Park. It covers over 5,600 acres and has a depth of 3,200-feet which is blanketed by rich vegetation of yucca trees, agave plants, and desert-like cacti. Due to the unique diversity of the region, the canyon was home to numerous Native American tribes and even European settlers, one of which was Captain Felix McKittrick, a rancher who moved to the canyon for the wealth of hunting and trapping opportunities. Parts of the land were bought in 1921 by a geologist by the name of Wallace E. Pratt, who donated the land to the state to be used by the public.