Devil's Hall, TX
Location: Guadalupe Mountains National Park, far western Texas
Distance: 4.2 miles (6.8 km) round trip
Elevation Gain: ~500 ft (150 m)
Date: November 5, 2011
The Devil's Hall trail is a 2.1 mile long trail in Pine Spring Canyon of Guadalupe Mountains National Park in west Texas. The park is an exposed limestone reef with unique ecological features in the middle of the Chihuahuan Desert, and its best known feature is Guadalupe Peak. I also hiked this trail on November 2, 2012.
The trail departs the Pine Springs trailhead, where water is available and must be carried in. The first mile of the trail is fairly flat and traverses the lower and fairly wide section of Pine Spring Canyon. Then the canyon narrows and the trail begins to follow the streambed, which more than likely will be dry no matter when you visit. As you move up the canyon you will begin to see trees such as bigtooth maple and gray oak that you will not see anywhere else in the region except for these canyons.
Nearly two miles into the hike you reach a short narrow section called the Hiker's Stairway where the streambed becomes exposed bedrock and forms a series of steps. A short distance after the Hiker's Stairway you will reach the Devil's Hall. This is where the streambed becomes a very narrow canyon with steep walls for about 100 feet. The trail ends on the upstream end of Devil's Hall.
While any time of year is suitable for hiking this trail, the time of my visit in early November was probably the best because the trees in the canyon were at the peak of their fall colors. The colors of the few trees in the canyon were unreal when viewed up close against the brown backdrop of the rest of the park.
© Copyright 2017 Matthew Pintar. All rights reserved.
Distance: 4.2 miles (6.8 km) round trip
Elevation Gain: ~500 ft (150 m)
Date: November 5, 2011
 |
| The trail through Pine Spring Canyon |
The Devil's Hall trail is a 2.1 mile long trail in Pine Spring Canyon of Guadalupe Mountains National Park in west Texas. The park is an exposed limestone reef with unique ecological features in the middle of the Chihuahuan Desert, and its best known feature is Guadalupe Peak. I also hiked this trail on November 2, 2012.
 |
| Pine Spring Canyon from the Hiker's Stairway |
The trail departs the Pine Springs trailhead, where water is available and must be carried in. The first mile of the trail is fairly flat and traverses the lower and fairly wide section of Pine Spring Canyon. Then the canyon narrows and the trail begins to follow the streambed, which more than likely will be dry no matter when you visit. As you move up the canyon you will begin to see trees such as bigtooth maple and gray oak that you will not see anywhere else in the region except for these canyons.
 |
| The lower section of Pine Spring Canyon |
Nearly two miles into the hike you reach a short narrow section called the Hiker's Stairway where the streambed becomes exposed bedrock and forms a series of steps. A short distance after the Hiker's Stairway you will reach the Devil's Hall. This is where the streambed becomes a very narrow canyon with steep walls for about 100 feet. The trail ends on the upstream end of Devil's Hall.
 |
| Devil's Hall |
 |
| Pine Spring Canyon |
While any time of year is suitable for hiking this trail, the time of my visit in early November was probably the best because the trees in the canyon were at the peak of their fall colors. The colors of the few trees in the canyon were unreal when viewed up close against the brown backdrop of the rest of the park.
 |
| Pine Spring Canyon |
© Copyright 2017 Matthew Pintar. All rights reserved.
Comments
Post a Comment