We had wanted to hike to the top of Guadalupe Peak, the tallest mountain in Texas, but the weather wouldn't have been good. On our second morning in New Mexico, we drove back into west Texas to the nearby Guadalupe Mountains National Park. It was cold and windy on the ground, but on the peak, 40 mph winds brought the wind chill to 3F! Not good for climbing.
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| Guadalupe Mountains National Park |
Instead, we decided to take some hikes around the base of the mountain. We hiked the Smith Spring Trail, which took us a moderate rise for a few miles to a crystal clear waterfall.
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| me at the park |
We also hiked to Frijole Ranch, an old settlement built along one of the natural springs. Now it's a museum dedicated to the people who used to live out in the mountains. In the past, it was an important stagecoach stop on the way to California.
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| a volcano, I think |
Though we didn't climb the mountain, I enjoyed the scenery! I love the wild desert landscapes of west Texas and New Mexico. Maybe it's because I live in Bangkok, and spend most of my time in the city or in forests and jungle landscapes.
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| El Capitan and Guadalupe Peak shrouded in cloud |
The desert is just something that is so different from what I'm used to. I really love the American Southwest, and enjoy visiting this region of the country whenever I'm back home.
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| the mountains |
We spent several hours hiking out at the park. It's a nice way to end the year. It had been a long time since we had taken a family vacation!
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| there was snow on the ground |
This is the last post of the year! It's been a good one. Stay tuned next week for my annual Year-in-Review post! Here's to 2020! I hope it's a great year for everyone. Don't forget to explore!
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| a message left by earlier hikers |
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