Guadalupe Mountains National Park

In West Texas, about two hours east of El Paso, a mountain range rises out of the desert that used to be an ocean. The Guadalupe Mountains are a 260 million year old fossil reef, one of the best preserved on Earth, lifted from a Permian sea into limestone peaks. El Capitan's 1,000 foot cliff face is the landmark drivers see from the highway, and the trail up Guadalupe Peak climbs to the highest point in Texas. Spring and fall are the seasons for the trails, and McKittrick Canyon glows with maple color in late October.