How to Hike Lost Peak in Texas

If a remote location and solitude are qualities you seek in a hike, then Lost Peak might be the place for you. Lost Peak is located in the Guadalupe Mountains, straddling the border of Texas and New Mexico. In fact, this hike is easier to get to from New Mexico. Bigtooth maples provide brilliant colors in the fall, but they attract far fewer crowds than nearby McKittrick Canyon.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Comfortable hiking boots
• Food and water
• Loose, layered seasonal clothing

1. Take US 285 northwest from Carlsbad about 12 miles to the NM 137 junction. Turn left on NM 137 about 45 miles to Dog Canyon and go left at the fork, following signs to the national park.
2. Find the trailhead at the Dog Canyon ranger station. Take the left fork soon after the start and stay on the Tejas Trail, continuing through the main canyon toward Dog Spring.
3. Pass the old miner's cabin on the way up the ridge, and avoid entering the old mining tunnels. The trail begins a long steady climb up the ridge at this point.
4. Get to the summit, just off the trail to the right, at the rim of West Dog Canyon. Here you'll see wide spectacular views that stretch from the Sacramento and Capitan peaks far north, to the Guadalupes in the south.
5. Extend the hike if you wish by continuing the Tejas Trail into the Guadalupe high country, Bush Mountain and the Bowl.

Tips & Warnings

• Camping at Mescalero campsite is available with a permit.
• Carry all the water you need and more, as there's no reliable water source in the Guadalupes.