Massive limestone peak rising prominently above the desert landscape, renowned for its sheer cliffs, rugged beauty, and status as an iconic mountain landmark.
Best viewed during daylight hours
Photography is especially popular at sunrise and sunset
Individual Entrance Pass (7 days): $5
Children age 15 and under: Free
America the Beautiful Pass accepted
How to Get There
From Carlsbad, NM (35 mi): Take US-62/180 south toward Guadalupe Mountains National Park, continue to the Pine Springs Visitor Center area, and use the nearby overlooks and trailheads along the highway for excellent views of El Capitan.
Overview
El Capitan is the most recognizable landmark in Guadalupe Mountains National Park — a sheer limestone face marking the southern end of the Guadalupe escarpment, visible for miles across West Texas and southeastern New Mexico. It's the eroded edge of an ancient Permian-age reef, and for centuries travelers crossing the desert used it as a natural navigation marker. There's no maintained trail to the summit, so the draw is simply admiring it from below: the cliffs glow gold, orange, and red at sunrise and sunset, best seen from the overlooks and trailheads near the Pine Springs Visitor Center.
This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles and official tourism pages for the El Capitan, which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.
