Devil’s Hall Trail is in Guadalupe Mountains National Park located in West Texas. The hardest part of this trail is getting there. Not because of dirt roads, but because the park is in a desolate area and 50 miles from the closest gas station. Fortunately, there are many signs that warn drivers to fill up!
Getting To Devil’s Hall Trail
You can fill up in Carlsbad, New Mexico 50 miles north of the trailhead or 63 miles south of the trailhead parking in Van Horn, Texas. In a jam, you can get gas in Whites City which is at the entrance of Carlsbad Caverns National Park. But being the only gas station along with an RV park, motel, and small store for grocery provisions, the price is much higher. If you are flying in, El Paso is the closest airport, 110 miles away. If you are driving from Houston, Austin, or San Antonio, Fort Stockton is a good resting point.
Once in the general area of Guadalupe Mountains National Park go to the Pine Springs entrance. This entrance includes a Visitors Center, a basic campground, bathrooms, and a small parking area for Devil’s Hall Trail.
This parking lot also serves Guadalupe Mountain, the highest peak in Texas, as well as other hiking paths, so it is best to arrive early to get a spot. Not to mention, you will beat the heat if you are hiking in late spring, summer, or fall.
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Go to the Visitor Center
I arrived at Guadalupe Mountains National Park on an early Tuesday morning in April. While the campground was full, the trail parking was mostly empty. I had my annual parks pass to hang on my rearview mirror, so I didn’t stop into the Visitor Center. This was a mistake! If geology interests you in the slightest, I highly recommend popping into the Visitor Center before hiking.
Guadalupe Mountains National Park is the largest exposed reef system in the world! Having been underwater millions of years ago, this park features countless fossils of which many types are on display at the Visitor Center.
Stop in the Visitor Center before hiking!
I didn’t know this while I hiked and the two questions that kept popping into my head as I scanned the terrain were:
- Why is this a national park? Let’s face it, despite it being super cool, many National Parks have jaw dropping scenery.
- Are all these pressed together rocks that look like blocks of broken cement, fossils? Yes, they are, and the Guadelupe Mountains were turned into a National Park to preserve them.
Had I stopped into the Visitor Center before the hike, I would have learned all this and been on a fossil hunt (not to take) while enjoying the scenery.
The Hike to Devil’s Hall
- Length: 3.8 miles roundtrip
- Beginning Elevation: 5,837 ft
- Elevation Gain: 600 ft
- Difficulty: Moderate due to periodic scrambles over boulders, otherwise easy
- No Dogs Allowed
- Paid Entry
As mentioned, the hike on Devil’s Hall Trail begins at the Pine Springs entrance. For the exact location, use AllTrails. Be sure to download the trail in the app as cell service is limited, so it needs to be stored on your phone to be accessible.
The hike begins at the trailhead next to the sign boards and payment box at the far end of the parking lot. This is also the starting location for El Capitan and Guadalupe Peak. The rocky path travels 0.1 mile before it reaches a well-marked trail junction.
To hike to Devil’s Hall, take the split to the right and head in a northwesterly direction. The track gently ascends through a southwestern landscape dotted with junipers, mesquite, and a variety of cacti. If you need some mistletoe for your next New Year’s Eve party, you will find it taking over the few trees that provide little shade.
After traveling approximately a mile, you will drop into a wash. Instead of the typical sandy washes you might find while hiking in Canyonlands National Park, you will come across large rocks and boulders. Until you reach the hikers staircase, you will be stepping around and periodically be scrambling through the boulders. Keep an eye out for fossils in this area.
For any experienced hiker, maneuvering through the boulders is not hard. Just look for the route that suits you best as there is not a designated trail. I’m always favoring my surgery laden right knee and my unhealed avulsion fracture in my left ankle, and thus take careful steps accordingly. The wash is shaded by surrounding canyon, oak, and maples that turn beautiful colors in the fall.
The Hikers Staircase
At about 1.5 miles into the hike, the trail makes a U-shaped bend into what is known as the hikers staircase. The hikers staircase is a three-tiered, natural stone staircase. The first tier of stairs is very worn on the righthand side where most hikers climb over the rock strata. At the top of these stairs, you will find a small reflection pool. I loved the surprise of seeing the sunlit peaks reflecting in the water, even if it was a little stagnant.
Devil’s Hall
Just above the staircase, the wash enters Devil’s Hall, a 200-foot long corridor between two 100-foot sheer, cliffs standing 15 feet apart. Take a moment to admire the striations in the surrounding limestone before heading out the other side. At the end of Devil’s Hall, the wash opens back up and continues, though this is considered the end of the trail.
Enjoy a snack and some water on the nearby boulders and appreciate the shade in Devil’s Hall before retracing your steps to the parking area. The roundtrip hike is 3.8 miles and gains only 600 feet, which makes Devil’s Hall Trail one of the easiest hikes in Guadalupe Mountains National Park with many hikes being significantly longer and steeper.
That said, the trek is rated moderate on AllTrails due to periodically having to scramble over the boulders. Additionally, descending the staircase can be slick from erosion. I skirted the edge on the right when I returned.
Hiking Essentials
Be sure to pack water and snacks and keep an eye on the weather. The wind can be ferocious, the sun hot, and well, you are in a wash so watch out when it rains! I also recommend a long sleeved, light hiking shirt and pants to protect your arms and legs from the cacti, many of which begin blooming in April.
Most of all enjoy the beauty of mother nature. With the mixed terrain, you can’t go wrong with Devil’s Hall Trail. ETB
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Great rock features in there! Maggie
This was a really cool hike. Wish the features lasted longer, but it was worth it
Love the staircase of rocks! Looks like a good place for a hike 🙂
Cool hike!