McKittrick Canyon
McKittrick Canyon is one of the only year-round water sources in the park.
Plan Around McKittrick Canyon
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McKittrick Canyon Details
McKittrick Canyon is one of the only year-round water sources in the park. The canyon gets its name Felix McKittrick, the rancher who moved to the region in 1869 and built a house at the canyon's mouth. In the 1920s, a geologist named William Pratt visited the area and was struck by the quiet, lush beauty of the canyon's riparian woodlands. He began buying up as much of the canyon as he could, in order to protect it. He built a cabin at the intersection of North McKittrick Canyon and South McKittrick Canyon, which became a vacation home for him and his family. In 1957, Pratt donated over 5,500 acres of his sanctuary to the U.S. government, and it became the core of what we know today as Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Due to its reliable water supply and relative shade, McKittrick Canyon is home to a surprising variety of plants and wildlife, including oak, maple and Texas Madrone trees. At the head of McKittric Canyon, the MicKittrick Canyon Visitor Center has a parking lot, restrooms, picnic area and informational material. You can get here via a service road off of Highway 180/62, several miles northeast of the main park entrance. The canyon is a day-use only area, so the gate opens at 8:00 am and closes at 4:30 pm in the winter, and at 6:00 pm in the summer.
Difficulty
Low
Distance
N/A
Estimated time
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Region
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Nearby Parks Around McKittrick Canyon
Compare nearby parks around McKittrick Canyon when deciding whether to expand the route after this stop.
Nearby Points of Interest Around McKittrick Canyon
Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond McKittrick Canyon while the map context is still fresh.
0.0 mi away
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.
0.2 mi away
Permian Reef Trail
This strenuous trail is perfect for those interested in history and geology.
0.2 mi away
McKittrick Canyon Trail
The canyon is one of the only year-round water sources in the area.
0.2 mi away
McKittrick Canyon Nature Trail
This trail travels through the desert and riparian ecosystems, with several interpretive stops
1.5 mi away
Pratt Cabin
The Pratt Cabin gets its name from William Pratt, the geologist and founding conservationist who had it built in the early 1900s.
