Desert spring surrounded by cottonwood trees and wetland habitat that provides a rare oasis for wildlife amid the rugged mountain landscape.
Accessible during park operating hours
Daylight visits are recommended for wildlife viewing and photography
Individual Entrance Pass (7 days): $5
Children age 15 and under: Free
America the Beautiful Pass accepted
How to Get There
From Carlsbad, NM (55 mi): Take US-62/180 south toward Guadalupe Mountains National Park, continue to the Pine Springs Visitor Center area, then follow signs to the Manzanita Spring parking area and short interpretive trail.
Overview
Manzanita Spring is one of the easiest walks in Guadalupe Mountains National Park — a short, flat trail from the Pine Springs area to a rare desert oasis where groundwater surfaces to support cottonwoods, shrubs, and wetland plants beneath the mountains. The reliable water has drawn travelers, ranchers, and wildlife for generations, and interpretive exhibits along the way explain how the spring shapes life in this arid landscape. It's an easy add-on to any visit to the Pine Springs area, especially scenic at sunrise and sunset.
This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles and official tourism pages for the https://www.nps.gov/gumo/index.htm, which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.
