Texas · National Park
Guadalupe Mountains: tour or DIY?
Checked Oct 26, 2026 · Source: NPS
Guadalupe Mountains charges $10 per person aged 16 and over, and the National Park Service lists no per-vehicle fee (checked Oct 26, 2026). Because the fee is per person, bigger groups get no entrance discount. March is busiest, with 15% of 2025 recreation visits. Use the calculator to compare a real tour quote with your own costs.
No group discount at the gate
The $10 fee is charged per adult, so DIY entry cost grows with the size of your party. Compare it with a tour that includes entry.
We do not print tour prices here because we do not have a live, licensed feed for them. Enter a real quote in the calculator and we prefill this park’s fee.
| Party | Entrance total | Per person |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $10 | $10 |
| 2 people | $20 | $10 |
| 4 people | $40 | $10 |
| 6 people | $60 | $10 |
Arithmetic on the NPS fee of $10. Per-person fees apply to ages 16 and over; younger visitors are generally free.
Entrance fees
| Fee | Cost | Notes from NPS |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance - Per Person | $10 | An entrance fee of $10 per person (16 years of age and older) is required; entrance fees/passes permit 1-7 consecutive days of use in this national park. Holders of the Annual, Senior, Military, 4th grade and Access Pass can bring in 3 adults free of charge under their pass. |
| Entrance - Education/Academic Groups | $0 | Entrance fee waivers are available to groups when the purpose of their visit is educational rather than recreational. Completed applications along with required documentation must be submitted via email. |
Source: nps.gov fees and passes for Guadalupe Mountains via the NPS API, checked Oct 26, 2026. Fees change; confirm before you go.
Pass math
- At $10 per adult, the $80 America the Beautiful pass equals about 8 adult entries in total.
- Seniors 62+ pay $20 for an annual pass or $80 for lifetime.
- Guadalupe Mountains also sells its own pass: Annual Entrance - Park, $35.
When it is busiest
NPS recreation visits by month, 2025. March had 15% of the year; January was the quietest month, with about 29% of the busiest month’s visits.
Show the numbers
| Month | Recreation visits |
|---|---|
| January | 8,692 |
| February | 16,664 |
| March | 30,339 |
| April | 28,735 |
| May | 17,702 |
| June | 12,543 |
| July | 11,328 |
| August | 8,714 |
| September | 12,459 |
| October | 17,288 |
| November | 15,228 |
| December | 26,731 |
Source: NPS IRMA Stats, recreation visitors, 2025, pulled Oct 26, 2026.
Alerts right now
2 active NPS alerts when we checked on Oct 26, 2026. Showing the most serious first.
Caution Devil's Hall is a Strenuous Hike
The hike to Devil's Hall is rated as strenuous. The portion of the route in the wash requires rock scrambling and is dangerous when wet or if water is present. The wash surface is loose gravel and rocks and may be unstable. Details on nps.gov
Information Park Store To Go Cashless
Starting August 14th, 2025 the park store will go cashless. All major credit cards, debit cards and mobile electronic payments will be accepted. Details on nps.gov
Source: NPS API alerts, checked Oct 26, 2026. Conditions change by the hour; check the park page before you drive.
Hours and access
The Pine Springs area, including the campground, visitor center, trailhead, and associated parking areas are open and accessible all of the time during normal operations. Camping is permitted in designated campsites only.
Source: NPS API operating hours, checked Oct 26, 2026.
What NPS lists to do here
- Auto Off-Roading
- Auto and ATV
- Backcountry Camping
- Backcountry Hiking
- Birdwatching
- Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Front-Country Hiking
- Group Camping
- Guided Tours
- Hiking
- Horse Camping (see also Horse/Stock Use)
- Horse Camping (see also camping)
- Horse Trekking
- Horseback Riding
- Junior Ranger Program
- Museum Exhibits
- RV Camping
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Wildlife Watching
Source: NPS API activity tags, checked Oct 26, 2026.
Got a tour quote for Guadalupe Mountains?
Put it next to your own costs and see the break-even.
Open the calculator for Guadalupe MountainsQuestions
How much does it cost to enter Guadalupe Mountains?
The NPS lists $10 per person aged 16 and over (checked Oct 26, 2026). Under-16s are generally free; confirm on the park page.
When is Guadalupe Mountains busiest?
March had the most recreation visits in 2025 (15% of the year). January had the fewest, so March drew about 3.5 times as many visits. Source: NPS IRMA Stats.
More parks in Texas
TourOrDIY is independent and not affiliated with the National Park Service. Numbers are copied from NPS public data on Oct 26, 2026 and may have changed. See the accuracy disclaimer and our method.