Guadalupe Peak, also known as Signal Peak, is the highest natural point in
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
, with an elevation of above
sea level
Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardised g ...
.
[ It is located in ]Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Guadalupe Mountains National Park is an American national park in the Guadalupe Mountains, east of El Paso, Texas. The mountain range includes Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas at , and El Capitan used as a landmark by travelers on the ro ...
, and is part of the Guadalupe Mountains range in southeastern New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...
and West Texas
West Texas is a loosely defined region in the U.S. state of Texas, generally encompassing the arid and semiarid lands west of a line drawn between the cities of Wichita Falls, Abilene, and Del Rio.
No consensus exists on the boundary betwee ...
. The mountain is about east of El Paso
El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the seat of El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the 23rd-largest city in the U.S., the s ...
and about southwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico
Carlsbad ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Eddy County, New Mexico, Eddy County, New Mexico, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the city population was 32,238. Carlsbad is centered at the intersection of U.S. R ...
. The peak rises more than above the arid floor of the Chihuahuan Desert
The Chihuahuan Desert ( es, Desierto de Chihuahua, ) is a desert ecoregion designation covering parts of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. It occupies much of far West Texas, the middle to lower Rio Grande Valley and the lower P ...
.
Trail and summit
The peak can be climbed by a maintained stony trail ( each way) with a 3,000 feet elevation gain at any time of the year.hiking trail
A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. The ...
s in the surrounding national park.
A stainless steel pyramid marks the summit. It was erected by American Airlines
American Airlines is a major airlines of the United States, major US-based airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the world when measured ...
in 1958 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Butterfield Overland Mail, a stagecoach
A stagecoach is a four-wheeled public transport coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. It is strongly sprung and generally drawn by four horses although some versions are draw ...
route that passed south of the mountain. One side of the pyramid has the American Airlines logo. The second side displays a U.S. Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U. ...
tribute to the Pony Express Riders of the Butterfield Stage. The third side displays a compass with the logo of the Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America (BSA, colloquially the Boy Scouts) is one of the largest scouting organizations and one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with about 1.2 million youth participants. The BSA was founded i ...
.
Gallery
File:ViewWestFromTopOfGuadalupePeakTexas.JPG, View west from top of peak.
File:ViewWestFromGuadalupePeak13October2012.JPG, Salt Flats from summit.
File:GuadalupeMountainsInEveningLight13October2012.JPG, Guadalupe Mountains in sunset.
File:GuadalupePeakTexasHikingTrail13October2012.JPG, Hiking trail up the peak.
File:GuadalupePeakCampground13October2012.JPG, High elevation (8100 ft) campground near summit.
File:RuralCulbersonCountyTexasFromGuadalupePeak13October2012.JPG, Culberson County, Texas, from the summit.
File:GuadalupePeakTexasOctober2012.JPG, The pyramid at the summit.
See also
* List of mountain peaks of North America
** List of mountain peaks of the United States
***List of U.S. states by elevation
This list includes the topographic elevations of each of the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories.
The elevation of a geographic area may be stated in several ways. These include:
#The maximum elevation of the a ...
References
External links
*
*
*
*
{{Mountains of Texas
Mountains of Texas
Highest points of United States national parks
Landforms of Culberson County, Texas
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Highest points of U.S. states
North American 2000 m summits