Smith Spring Trail (Guadalupe Mountains National Park)

Last updated on December 20, 2023.

Smith Spring Trail is a loop trail at Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas. The trailhead is located at Frijole Ranch.

Smith Spring Trail is rated easy to moderate and has a round-trip distance of 2.3 miles. It should take about 90 minutes to complete.

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Manzanita Spring

We took the trail mid-morning and decided to go in a counterclockwise direction from Frijole Ranch. The first section of the trail allowed us to take in some spectacular scenery, with a conical shaped hill near the ranch and El Capitan, the 10th tallest peak in Texas, to the west.

After about a ¼ mile walking on a paved path, we arrived at Manzanita Spring, which is one of a handful of natural springs in the area. It’s a wide pool surrounded by vegetation that provides excellent birdwatching opportunities.

Heading Up

Next, the trail turned towards the mountains. Down at trail level, there was sparse vegetation with the occasional tree, shrub, or cactus, but up in the mountains, we were able to spot a patch of trees with brilliantly colored leaves changing for the fall season.

As we gradually climbed the 400 feet up towards Smith Spring, the desert plain to the east and south started to come into view. The path was loose rock, so we had to watch our step at times.

Smith Spring

A little over a half hour into the walk, we reached Smith Spring. The temperature immediately dropped as we walked under the shade created by the trees surrounding the spring. Normally there’s a small waterfall but it was quite dry so the cascade wasn’t as pronounced.

Smith Spring historically provided water to Native Americans, the US Cavalry, and Frijole Ranch. Today, it’s the only pure source of water for wildlife in the area. It’s a true desert oasis.

Walking Down

After Smith Spring, the trail turned back towards Frijole Ranch and gradually descended. We walked along a gentle slope, often looking back towards the mountains behind us.