Guadalupe Mountains National Park in West Texas features thriving meadows and dramatic mountain tops. In a park with the four tallest peaks in Texas, you’re really on top of the Lone Star State. But where to stay near Guadalupe Mountains National Park for the best experience?
Carlsbad, in the east, and Van Horn, in the south, are the best places to stay near Guadalupe Mountains National Park. In addition, El Paso is another option for where to stay when visiting Guadalupe Mountains.
This travel site can exist thanks to compensation from advertising and affiliate links. Find out more here.
Best places to stay near Guadalupe Mountains
Do you want to cut to the chase? These are top places to stay at Guadalupe Mountains.
- Hyatt House – This comfy Carlsbad hotel gives you two in one, offering good access to both Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Carlsbad Caverns, home to North America’s biggest cave chamber.
- Hotel El Capitan – A unique Guadalupe Mountains hotel full of history, Van Horn’s Hotel El Capitan in is by itself a West Texas attraction.
Which is the best town for Guadalupe Mountains?
Because Guadalupe Mountains National Park is located in such an isolated Texas area, the hunt for the best places to stay is pretty straightforward. You have three main options for where to stay at Guadalupe Mountains: east, south or west.
Carlsbad, in the east, is the most all-round target for Guadalupe Mountains lodging. It’s an easy hour from the park, has all the Guadalupe hotels you need and — as a sweet bonus — effortlessly lets you tick off Carlsbad Caverns National Park too.
Much smaller, but with another kind of charm, Van Horn is location wise an as good option for where to stay at Guadalupe Mountains. And in fact, the historic Hotel El Capitan in Van Horn is an attraction on its own.
For most visitors, El Paso just simply is too far away from the park to be considered. But if you drive from west to east, it makes sense to spend a night in El Paso before you head to the jaw-dropping Guadalupe Mountains.
Carlsbad, NM – The best place to stay near Guadalupe Mountains National Park in the east
Carlsbad is the eastern option for where to stay near Guadalupe Mountains National Park. From Carlsbad, it’s 55 miles (89 km) to Pine Springs Visitor Center within the Texas park.
In just under an hour, you get from Guadalupe Mountains National Park hotels in Carlsbad to the top of Texas. So without too much effort, you can go from your Guadalupe Mountains lodging to the tall peaks in the park.
Carlsbad is not a huge city, but it has all the Guadalupe Mountains National Park lodging and restaurants that you need for a comfortable Guadalupe stay. Many of the big hotel chains offer Guadalupe Mountains accommodations in Carlsbad.
As a bonus, Carlsbad also gives you great access to another area highlight. When you drive from Carlsbad to Guadalupe Mountains National Park, you pass by Carlsbad Caverns National Park. So the city is the perfect base for not only one but two national parks.
In short, Carlsbad offers both convenient park access and a good selection of Guadalupe Mountains lodging. The city provides the best hotels near Guadalupe Mountains National Park in the east. As a bonus, Carlsbad also makes it easy to combine two great American national parks.
- Distance: 55 mi / 89 km
- Driving time: ≈ 1 h
- Pick Carlsbad for: The best lodging near Guadalupe Mountains National Park in the east.
Favorite location. In a remote Texas and New Mexico area, Carlsbad is a very welcome option for where to stay near Guadalupe Mountains National Park. From the city with a good selection of Guadalupe lodging, it’s not more than an hour to the park.
Recommended Guadalupe Mountains National Park hotels in Carlsbad
Hyatt House Carlsbad – A convenient and modern place to stay near Guadalupe Mountains
Hyatt House in Carlsbad is conveniently located just off U.S. Highway 62. Its location minimizes the distance to the beautiful Guadalupe Mountains National Park. On top of this, it’s a modern Guadalupe Mountains hotel with a swimming pool that is very appreciated, especially after a long and hot day in the park.
Van Horn, TX – The best place to stay near Guadalupe Mountains National Park in the south
Van Horn is the southern option for where to stay near Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The driving distance is at 64 miles (103 km) just slightly longer from Guadalupe Mountains lodging in Van Horn than from Carlsbad.
If you travel from the Big Bend area, the hotels near Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Van Horn are right on the way. Coming from the south, Van Horn is the last town area before you reach Guadalupe Mountains National Park.
Yet keep in mind that Van Horn is a very small town near Guadalupe Mountains National Park. So Van Horn doesn’t offer the biggest selection when it comes to Guadalupe Mountains accommodations and restaurants.
In conclusion, Van Horn is a great option for where to stay when visiting Guadalupe Mountains. The tiny town is the best place to stay near Guadalupe Mountains in the south. But for a bigger selection of hotels near Guadalupe Mountains, you need to look towards Carlsbad or El Paso.
- Distance: 64 mi / 103 km
- Driving time: ≈ 1 h
- Pick Van Horn for: The best lodging near Guadalupe Mountains National Park in the south.
Recommended Guadalupe Mountains National Park hotels in Van Horn
Hotel El Capitan – Historic Guadalupe Mountains lodging
As soon as you see Hotel El Capitan, you can feel the nostalgia. The hotel’s rich history and original details add a dimension to your Guadalupe Mountains stay. If you want a historic place to stay near Guadalupe Mountains, you don’t need to look further.
El Paso, TX – Further away but the best lodging near Guadalupe Mountains in the west
El Paso is the western option for where to stay near Guadalupe Mountains National Park. But it’s as much as 114 miles (183 km) from Guadalupe Mountains lodging in El Paso to the tall Texas park. This makes El Paso the Guadalupe Mountains lodging alternative furthest from the park.
Still the city is located right on the way to the park if you travel from the west and areas like Los Angeles and Phoenix. So El Paso is a convenient base on a bigger trip.
El Paso is also a popular choice as it’s the bigger city in the West Texas region. With that comes more Guadalupe Mountains hotels, places to grab a bite and things to do.
To sum up, El Paso offers the best lodging near Guadalupe Mountains in the west. But in a remote Texas area, it’s about 2 hours from the city to the park. So if you want the best park access, you should look towards Guadalupe Mountains National Park hotels in Carlsbad or Van Horn.
- Distance: 114 mi / 183 km
- Driving time: ≈ 2 h
- Pick El Paso for: The best lodging near Guadalupe Mountains National Park in the west.
Final words about where to stay at Guadalupe Mountains
Sure, it’s roughly an hour by car from the best places to stay near Guadalupe Mountains National Park to the park’s entrance. Still the jaw-dropping peaks and winding trails of Guadalupe Mountains easily motivate every single mile.
Check in at a Guadalupe Mountains hotel in Carlsbad, New Mexico, for an eastern well-serviced town. Here the comfy Hyatt House stands out with top amenities, including a cooling swimming pool.
Or, if you prefer a southern perspective, bed down at Guadalupe accommodations in the tiny Van Horn, Texas. Boasting nostalgia, Hotel El Capitan is the best place to stay at Guadalupe Mountains for history buffs.
Where to stay near Guadalupe Mountains National Park FAQ
Here you find the answers to some frequently asked questions about where to stay near Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas.
Carlsbad offers a complete base with Guadalupe Mountains National Park lodging an hour east of the park. South of the park in Van Horn and west of the park in El Paso, you find more hotels near Guadalupe Mountains.
Carlsbad is the well-serviced town closest to Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The tiny Van Horn south of the park and the major El Paso west of the park are other cities in the Guadalupe Mountains area.
There are no hotels in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. But you find Guadalupe Mountains National Park accommodation in the surrounding cities Carlsbad, Van Horn and El Paso.
It’s 55 miles (89 km) from the eastern gateway town Carlsbad to Guadalupe Mountains National Park. In under 1 hour, you get from Carlsbad to Guadalupe Mountains.
From Van Horn in the south it’s 64 miles (103 km) to Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Driving the distance from Van Horn to Guadalupe Mountains takes roughly 1 hour.
Although El Paso is the biggest city in the region, it’s also the option for where to stay near Guadalupe Mountains National Park that’s located furthest away. From Guadalupe Mountains hotels in El Paso, it’s 114 miles (183 km) and about 2 hours by car to the impressive Texas park.
Destinations near Guadalupe Mountains
The Chihuahuan Desert is huge, North America’s biggest, isolated, inhospitable and — so beautiful. Discover the other three US national parks in this unique area too.
- Carlsbad Caverns, NM – The depths of the closest national park, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, are less than an hour away. This New Mexico wonder is like a Grand Canyon with a roof.
- White Sands, NM – Are you up for some sand sledding? Sugar-like White Sands National Park is as fun and family friendly as it is jaw-dropping.
- Big Bend, TX – Where West Texas and Mexico shake hands, Big Bend National Park is the perfect adventure for anyone who want to get away from it all. Hike along Rio Grande and enjoy scorching vistas.
Make the most of every trip with our newsletter delivered to your inbox.
