NPS · Guadalupe Mountains National Park · Salt Flat, TX

Frijole Horse Corral Campground

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.

More like this: reservable in Texas · pets allowed in Texas · group sites in Texas

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Entry sign to the Frijole Ranch area with view of the mountains in the background and the Frijole Horse Corral campground.Frijole Horse Corral Campsite with RV parking spaces in the foreground, tent pads, picnic table and restroom are shown.Foothills trail leading away form the Frijole Horse Corral Campground. El Capitan mountain is visible in the background.Gravel road leading to the Frijole Ranch area. Guadalupe Mountains are visible in the background.
Photos courtesy of NPS Photo · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Group sites1
This site is booked as a single unit on Recreation.gov. The booking page shows which dates are open and how far ahead they release. How the booking window works

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 30 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadeWater / sewerPeople / vehiclesFiresAccessibleRating
Group SiteBack-in35GravelNoneNo / –12 / 3NoYesBasic

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 12:01 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length35 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
FeesGuadalupe Mountains National Park group campsite fees are $20.00 per night. Frijole Horse Corral Campsite allows a minimum of 1 person and is limited to a maximum of 12 persons in the site. An additional fee of $15 per night is required to be paid if using the corrals.
AccessibilitySite Group Site is listed accessible
  • 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.
  • The use of weight-bearing hammocks, slacklines, tarps or similar devices tied to natural and/or manmade features is prohibited. This regulation is intended to protect the landscape and environment in the park, as these devices may cause damage to trees and other features and encourage camping out of bounds and off designated camping pads. Incidental and temporary lines for clothes drying or Wilder

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Frijole Horse Corral Campground40°50°60°70°80°January: 0.63 inches of precipitation, 0.7 inches of snowFebruary: 0.70 inches of precipitation, 0.4 inches of snowMarch: 0.54 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowApril: 0.50 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowMay: 0.85 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 1.52 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 2.78 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 3.11 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 2.29 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 1.34 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowNovember: 0.96 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowDecember: 0.77 inches of precipitation, 1.4 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 42.7°F averageFebruary: 45.1°F averageMarch: 51.5°F averageApril: 58.2°F averageMay: 67.0°F averageJune: 75.7°F averageJuly: 75.6°F averageAugust: 73.2°F averageSeptember: 69.1°F averageOctober: 60.8°F averageNovember: 50.1°F averageDecember: 43.5°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Pine Springs, 1 mile from the campground at 5,591 feet, station USC00417044 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 16 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 3 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

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.

Nearest townSalt Flat, Texas
Coordinates31.8994° N, 104.7997° W · Directions ↗

Charges and 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.

Supplies & services

RV sales & serviceCarlsbad RV Center ↗46.2 mi
Outdoor gearJoe's Boot Shop ↗48.8 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Worth a stop

  • 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. Sitt
  • 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 th
  • 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 tha
  • 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.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Guadalupe Mountains Wilderness.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

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 soaptre
  • 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.

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 hik
  • 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).

Guidebooks for Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Texas

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Hiking Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks
    Bill Schneider, 2023
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best Easy Day Hikes Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks
    Stewart M. Green, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best Tent Camping: Texas
    Wendel Withrow, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Frijole Horse Corral Campground?

Sites at Frijole Horse Corral Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Frijole Horse Corral Campground?

Guadalupe Mountains National Park group campsite fees are $20.00 per night. Frijole Horse Corral Campsite allows a minimum of 1 person and is limited to a maximum of 12 persons in the site. An additional fee of $15 per night is required to be paid if using the corrals.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Frijole Horse Corral Campground?

Check-in 12:01 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

What does it cost to cancel a reservation at Frijole Horse Corral Campground?

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.

Source: Charges and cancellations

How many sites does Frijole Horse Corral Campground have?

1 site, including 1 group site.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Frijole Horse Corral Campground?

The longest site here provides 35 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are there showers or a dump station at Frijole Horse Corral Campground?

The Park does not have shower facilities, hookups or a dump station. Remember to fill your holding tanks prior to arrival.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Frijole Horse Corral Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Frijole Horse Corral Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there accessible sites at Frijole Horse Corral Campground?

Site Group Site is listed accessible on Recreation.gov. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is there cell service at Frijole Horse Corral Campground?

FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE and T-Mobile 4G LTE at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Frijole Horse Corral Campground?

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 bo

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Frijole Horse Corral Campground?

Salt Flat, Texas. 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 Rattlesn

Source: Getting there