Frijole Horse Corral Campground
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
- This site is designed for stock use. If your party does not need access to a horse campsite, please consider selecting a campsite at the Pine Springs Campground located one mile west of Frijole Horse Corral Campground.
- Frijole Horse Corral Campground is located one mile east of Pine Springs Visitor Center, just off U.S. 62/180 and at an elevation of 5,400 feet.
- This campground has a large gravel parking area that is used as trailhead parking to access the Foothills and Frijole trails. It provides additional parking for horse trailers.
- The Frijole Horse Corral campground is located 1 mile from the Pine Springs area and Visitor Center. It is 100 miles or a 2 hour drive from the Dog Canyon horse corrals by road.
- The campground is open year-round and is busiest, March-May and September-November.
- High winds with over 50 mph gusts are common, especially during winter and spring
- The Frijole Horse Corral Campsite is approximately 100 yards from the very busy U.S. 62/180 highway, expect traffic noise, including large trucks, 24 hours a day.
- No open fires (this includes portable propane fire rings and charcoal) are permitted anywhere in the park. Only cooking stoves or lanterns using containerized fuel are permitted.
- This site has the following amenities to accommodate for stock users: (4 corrals, hitching posts, extra trailer parking (not level), water troughs, stock watering tanks). Please be aware that recreating near horse campgrounds can provide a different experience to non-stock users. Please be courteous and select non-horse sites at Pine Springs Campground.
- This area may be shared with other stock users for day use purpose. Reserving the campsite does not guarantee you will have the area to yourself.
- Frijole Horse Corral Campsite has a large gravel parking area that is used for trailhead parking to access the Foothills and Frijole trails. It provides additional parking for horse trailers. The area is not level.
- Campsite occupancy allows 1 – 12 persons.
- The site has two tent pads (one is raised for accessibility) and two RV parking spaces (one site is paved for accessibility).
- This site offers a picnic table and drinking fountain.
- The Park does not have shower facilities, hookups or a dump station. Remember to fill your holding tanks prior to arrival.
- The Park is remote. Fuel your vehicle and purchase supplies before heading to the park. The visitor center bookstore carries limited camping and hiking supplies.
- Cell phone service may be available in the Frijole Ranch and Pine Springs area , depending on your service provider. Free Wi-Fi may be available in front of the Pine Springs Visitor Center.
- Overnight backcountry permits are required for wilderness camping. Permits may be obtained in person at the Pine Springs Visitor Center (open 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM) 24 hours before the start of your trip.
Need to Know
No open fires (this includes charcoal) are permitted anywhere in the park. Only stoves or lanterns using containerized fuel are permitted.
A maximum of 3 vehicles is allowed. The parking pad has a maximum length of 35' (10.5 m). Trailers may need to be disconnected from the tow vehicle to avoid blocking the road.
Groups larger than 19. Groups larger than 19 people must have applied for a Special Use Permit before arrival in the park.
Entrance fee. A separate park entrance fee of $10 per person (16 and older) is required for all visitors not covered by an Interagency annual or lifetime pass (check your pass for details). Pay the entrnace fee upon arrival or purchase in advance.
An additional $15 per night corral fee will be charged for stock users. This fee can be paid when making your reservation, or upon arrival at the corrals using your mobile device. Download the Recreation.gov app to your device prior to arrival. Upon arrival, scan the QR code at the campground to pay the fee.
Equipment. The Frijole Corral Group Campground has two tent pads (one is raised for accessibility) and two RV parking spaces (one site is paved for accessibility). The tent pads measure 11x9 and 18x18. Camp within designated sites and place tents on provided tent pad only.
A stock use permit is required for all use of stock animals. The overnight use or the overnight keeping of stock animals in the wilderness is prohibited. Such animals may be kept overnight in the park only at the visitor corrals at Frijole and Dog Canyon. Stock animals are limited to ten (10) such animals per group and to one group per trail at any point in time.
Pack Animals. Only horses, mules, burros, and llamas (alpacas) are designated as stock animals.
Stock excrement. You must pick up manure if deposited in the immediate vicinity of the visitor corrals at Frijole and Dog Canyon. Place them either in a trash container or remove them from the park. You must clean the corrals after each use of the corral as specified above.
Stock feed. All feed brought into the park for stock animals must be certified “weed free.” It is the intent of the NPS to apply only those conditions required to protect visitors and park resources. Visitors may be required to provide proof of weed free certification. Livestock should be fed weed free feed for one week prior to arrival in the park. This requirement will limit the spread of invasive plant species and protect sensitive endemic or rare vegetation.
Trails designated for stock use are as follows: El Capitan Trail, Salt Basin Overlook Trail, Foothills Trail, Frijole Trail, Tejas Trail, Bush Mountain Trail from Tejas Junction at Pine Top to hitching racks at Bush Mountain, Bush Mountain Trail from Dog Canyon to Marcus Junction and the Marcus Trail, Blue Ridge Trail from Marcus Junction to Tejas Trail, McKittrick Canyon Trail from Tejas Trail to McKittrick Ridge Campground hitching racks
Roads designated for stock use are as follows: Dog Canyon Road & designated old roads in the west side escarpment area. Note that not all the old roads within the park are open for stock use. These roads are open to stock use to allow access to designated trails and because there are no alternative trails or routes.
Tie-downs prohibited. The use of weight-bearing hammocks, slacklines, tarps or similar devices tied to natural and/or manmade features is prohibited.
Pets. Pets are permitted in the campground and along the park roads. Leashes 6 ft. in length are required. Pets may not be left unattended or inside vehicles. Pets causing a disturbance may be asked to leave, no refunds of fees. All trails are closed to pets, except the Pinery trail, a paved nature trail next to the visitor center.
Non-Transferable. Campsite reservations are non-transferable.
Time Zone. Guadalupe Mountains National Park is in Mountain Time Zone. Due to proximity to Central Time Zone, cell phones or other devices my switch frequently between the two time zones. To reduce confusion: we suggest setting your phone to Mountain Time Zone and turn off the automatic setting or set a World Clock for El Paso, TX then refer to the World Clock during your visit.
Natural Features
- The Frijole Corral Campground is in an area with small, scattered trees, shrubs, and grasses. Trees include gray oaks and redberry junipers. Higher elevations include Douglas fir and hop-hornbeam. Shrubs include whitethorn acacia, Mexican orange, Apache plume, sumacs, and algerita. Desert-adapted plants also occur in this area, and include prickly pear cactus, New Mexico agave, sotols, and soaptree yuccas.
- Hunter Peak, El Capitan and Guadalupe Peak are visible from the campground. Riding up either side of Pine Springs canyon offers excellent views of the surrounding desert.
- Birds commonly seen and/or heard around the campground can include Canyon towhees, turkey vultures, white-winged doves, common ravens, chipping sparrows, Say’s phoebes, common poorwills, and Woodhouse’s scrub jays depending on the season.
- Night sky visibility is excellent and nearly pristine. Nearby high ridges and peaks are situated to north.
Nearby Attractions
- Carlsbad Caverns National Park: In addition to a variety of cave tours, the national park also offers hiking trails and a scenic drive. Rattlesnake Springs and Slaughter Canyon, part of Carlsbad Caverns are nearer attractions for day use activities. Birding is excellent at Rattlesnake Springs.
- Lincoln National Forest: The Guadalupe District of the Lincoln National Forest is located just over the state line, north of the national park. Road access is through New Mexico, north of White’s City, via Dark Canyon Road to NM SR 137 through Queen (also the way to the national park’s Dog Canyon). The forest provides for various camping, hiking, caving, hunting, and picnicking opportunities. Sitting Bull Falls is a nice waterfall and picnic area in the Lincoln National Forest. Five Point Vista is a glorious ridge road ride of the area, closer to Dog Canyon.
- Fort Davis National Historic Site and State Park: Fort Davis is one of the best surviving examples of an Indian Wars' frontier military post in the Southwest. From 1854 to 1891, Fort Davis was strategically located to protect emigrants, mail coaches, and freight wagons on the Trans-Pecos portion of the San Antonio-El Paso Road and on the Chihuahua Trail. This is located about 2.5 hours south of the park. A state park is located nearby with camping and a scenic drive. Also located in Fort Davis is McDonald Observatory with several programs available.
- White Sands National Park: Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert, creating the world's largest gypsum dunefield. White Sands National Park preserves a major portion of this unique dunefield, along with the plants and animals that live here.
- Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site: Hueco Tanks State Park is located on the east side of El Paso, about an hour and a half from the Guadalupes. At Hueco Tanks, you can hike, rock climb, bird watch, study nature and history, picnic and stargaze. Visitors can take guided and self-guided tours to view rock imagery.
Recreation
Stock users may access trails in the Pine Springs area after obtaining a free stock use permit at the Pine Springs Visitor Center (8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) the day of their trip or up to 24 hours in advance. Trails that allow stock use are indicated on the park map and on maps for sale at the park bookstore.
Riders must start their trip from the Frijole corral using the Foothills trail or Frijole trail.
The use of horses or pack animals is allowed on the following trails, routes or areas:
Trails designated for stock use are as follows:
- El Capitan Trail, Salt Basin Overlook Trail, Foothills Trail, Frijole Trail, Tejas Trail, Bush Mountain Trail from Tejas Junction at Pine Top to hitching racks at Bush Mountain, Bush Mountain Trail from Dog Canyon to Marcus Junction and the Marcus Trail, Blue Ridge Trail from Marcus Junction to Tejas Trail, McKittrick Canyon Trail from Tejas Trail to McKittrick Ridge Campground hitching racks
Roads designated for stock use are as follows:
- Dog Canyon Road & designated old roads in the west side escarpment area. Note that not all the old roads within the park are open for stock use.
- These roads are open to stock use to allow access to designated trails and because there are no alternative trails or routes.
Hikers will find many opportunities as well:
- The nearby Pine Springs Trailhead includes access to many different types of hikes. Hikes to Guadalupe Peak or the Bowl are strenuous, 8-9 miles, and have 2500-3000 feet of elevation gain. Another strenuous hike is the Devil’s Hall Trail (4.2 miles round-trip, 500 feet elevation gain, ½ of the trail in a rocky, uneven wash which includes route-finding and boldering skills). For a more moderate hike consider the the Frijole/Foothills Trail. The El Capitan Trail is a strenuous trail that offers excellent open views of the surrounding desert and close approaches to the cliff face of El Capitan. Because of its distance, lack of shade, some primitive route travel, and numerous elevation changes, this trail is best saved for cooler times of year and for people with experience in route-finding.
- The ruins of a Butterfield stage station, called the Pinery are next to the highway, and a short, paved nature trail connects the visitor center and the historic site.
- The Frijole Ranch & History Museum is .25 miles away. The grounds are always open, but the museum is staffed intermittently.
- Six miles to the east on Hwy 62/180 is McKittrick Canyon. This area offers three trails, the McKittrick Canyon Nature Trail (0.9 miles loop), McKittrick Canyon Trail (4.8 miles round-trip to Pratt Cabin or 6.8 miles round-trip to the Grotto) and the Permian Reef Trail (8.4 miles round-trip, for serious geology buffs).
Changes & Cancellations
- Group Site: Customers who cancel a group overnight reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee & forfeit the first night's use fee.
- If you need to cancel or modify your reservation you must do so through Recreation.gov.
Contact Information
Mailing
Guadalupe Mountains National Park 400 Pine Canyon Drive Salt Flat TX 79847
Phone Number
For campground inquiries, please call: 915-828-3251
Rental Options
Learn more about gear rental options for your trip
Driving Directions
The Frijole Horse Corral Campground is one mile east of The Pine Springs area of Guadalupe Mountains National Park is located on the north side of US Hwy 62/180 near Mile Post 131.
- From Interstate 10, take the Van Horn, Texas exit. Follow TX Hwy 54 (56 miles) north to the intersection of US Hwy 62/180. Turn east on 62/180 and travel (9 miles) to the park.
- From El Paso, TX, follow US Hwy 62/180 east for (110 miles) to the park.
- From Carlsbad, NM, take US Hwy 62/180 west for (55 miles) to the park.
Available Campsites
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