Guadalupe, Shumard, Bartlett, Bush Loop in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, TX

Hike Guadalupe, Shumard, Bartlett, Bush Loop Guadalupe Mountains National Park, TX

Class 2 14.8 miles 5900 gain 7-10 hrs Loop Feb 22, 2018
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Guadalupe, Shumard, Bartlett, Bush Loop GPX Track

I need to offset my substantial website costs somehow! You can download a hike/drive GPX to assist you here. Before sharing my GPX tracks with others, please remember my site is otherwise a free resource.

The Guadalupe Mountains have always felt like an awesome place to hike, likely because of my love for lush and interesting desert mountain ranges, and this traverse of Guadalupe Peak, Shumard Peak, Bartlett Peak, and Bush Mountain solidifies my love for these mountains. Most of this hike is on established trails, but the long section that is not (the part linking Guadalupe to Bush) is not easy. Expect your legs to be torn up if you don't have pants, and do your best to stay on the absurdly gorgeous cliffy ridge, not only because it has incredible views, but also because that will ensure you avoid much of the unnecessary bushwhacking of which I subjected myself. The traverse might be a little slow-moving because there are only hints of a trail, but it's very enjoyable.

Start on the well-traveled Guadalupe Peak Trail and once you get to the summit, enjoy the views of the ridge you'll be doing all the way out to Bush Mountain. There might be a way down from Guadalupe's north ridge from the summit, but I decided to head down the more obvious east ridge and double back to avoid potentially Class 5 terrain. With decent route planning, tthe entire route won't exceed Class 2. From the ridge under Guadalupe Peak's summit, continue toward Shumard, then Bartlett, and onto Bush, trying to stay along the rim as often as possible. Bartlett Peak is likely the steepest and has some dirty rocky sections, but it's nothing crazy. From Bush Mountain, find the official trail that leads south along the opposite side of the canyon. You'll get views of the traverse from here all the way until you meet up with the Tejas Trail. Take this back down to the Pine Springs Trailhead to complete the loop.

I didn't put a ton of photos for the route up on the Guadalupe Peak Trail, or the route down along the Tejas Trail because I've documented both on other hikes.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Guadalupe Peak
8749 ft
3029 rise
2
Shumard Peak
8615 ft
655 rise
3
Bartlett Peak
8508 ft
428 rise
4
Bush Mountain
8631 ft
911 rise

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!

Starting up toward Guadalupe Peak from the Pine Springs Trailhead.
Starting up toward Guadalupe Peak from the Pine Springs Trailhead.
Lots of switchbacks.
Lots of switchbacks.
Hunter Peak on the right.
Hunter Peak on the right.
Image 3 from gallery
False summit of Guadalupe Peak ahead.
False summit of Guadalupe Peak ahead.
Short meadowy section on the way to Guadalupe Peak.
Short meadowy section on the way to Guadalupe Peak.
Guadalupe Peak ahead.
Guadalupe Peak ahead.
Looking back along the Guadalupe Peak Trail, Hunter Peak on the left.
Looking back along the Guadalupe Peak Trail, Hunter Peak on the left.
El Capitan on the right.
El Capitan on the right.
Guadalupe Peak summit, Shumard Peak on the left, the next peak along the ridge.
Guadalupe Peak summit, Shumard Peak on the left, the next peak along the ridge.
From the northern base of Guadalupe along the ridge, looking back toward Guadalupe Peak, El Capitan center right.
From the northern base of Guadalupe along the ridge, looking back toward Guadalupe Peak, El Capitan center right.
Continuing the bushwhack toward Shumard, ahead.
Continuing the bushwhack toward Shumard, ahead.
About halfway to Shumard, looking back toward Guadalupe.
About halfway to Shumard, looking back toward Guadalupe.
Shumard ahead.
Shumard ahead.
Another view of the ridge from Guadalupe to Shumard.
Another view of the ridge from Guadalupe to Shumard.
Crazy cliffs along the rim to Shumard.
Crazy cliffs along the rim to Shumard.
Steep and trailless up to Shumard.
Steep and trailless up to Shumard.
Shumard Peak summit, looking toward Guadalupe Peak.
Shumard Peak summit, looking toward Guadalupe Peak.
Close-up of the incredible cliffy rim.
Close-up of the incredible cliffy rim.
Shumard summit looking toward Bartlett (center) and Bush (far right). There's a couple little sub-peaks along the ridge, but they aren't named.
Shumard summit looking toward Bartlett (center) and Bush (far right). There's a couple little sub-peaks along the ridge, but they aren't named.
Bushwhacking toward Bartlett.
Bushwhacking toward Bartlett.
Bartlett ahead on the right
Bartlett ahead on the right
A bit past halfway on the way to Bartlett, looking back toward Shumard.
A bit past halfway on the way to Bartlett, looking back toward Shumard.
Bartlett Peak ahead.
Bartlett Peak ahead.
Easy Class 2 to gain the summit of Bartlett.
Easy Class 2 to gain the summit of Bartlett.
Almost at the Bartlett summit, looking back toward Shumard. Guadalupe is behind it somewhere.
Almost at the Bartlett summit, looking back toward Shumard. Guadalupe is behind it somewhere.
Looking north toward Bush Mountain from the Bartlett Peak summit.
Looking north toward Bush Mountain from the Bartlett Peak summit.
The very serious sheer cliff face along the rim on the way up to Bush Mountain.
The very serious sheer cliff face along the rim on the way up to Bush Mountain.
Looking southwest at the sheer cliff.
Looking southwest at the sheer cliff.
Bush Mountain on the right, a sub-peak with no name just ahead. I decided to climb that to avoid the steep and brushy nonsense I'd have to deal with by avoiding the extra elevation gain. It was worth it.
Bush Mountain on the right, a sub-peak with no name just ahead. I decided to climb that to avoid the steep and brushy nonsense I'd have to deal with by avoiding the extra elevation gain. It was worth it.
Bush Mountain ahead!
Bush Mountain ahead!
Looking back toward Bartlett. you can see Shumard peeking out just behind it.
Looking back toward Bartlett. you can see Shumard peeking out just behind it.
Coming down from Bush Mountain on the official Bush Mountain Trail, heading southeast. You can see Bartlett, then Shumard, and finally Guadalupe peeking out way back there.
Coming down from Bush Mountain on the official Bush Mountain Trail, heading southeast. You can see Bartlett, then Shumard, and finally Guadalupe peeking out way back there.
Looking back along the Bush Mountain Trail. You can see the traverse you just did the whole way.
Looking back along the Bush Mountain Trail. You can see the traverse you just did the whole way.
Continuing along the Bush Mountain Trail.
Continuing along the Bush Mountain Trail.
Bush Mountain Trail, Hunter Peak on the left.
Bush Mountain Trail, Hunter Peak on the left.
Heading down the Tejas Trail, Guadalupe, Shumard, and Bartlett visible.
Heading down the Tejas Trail, Guadalupe, Shumard, and Bartlett visible.
Tejas Trail.
Tejas Trail.
Tejas Trail, Guadalupe Peak on the right.
Tejas Trail, Guadalupe Peak on the right.
Close-up of the Tejas Trail, Devil's Hall below down there somewhere.
Close-up of the Tejas Trail, Devil's Hall below down there somewhere.
The Tejas Trail leads back down on the opposite side of the Guadalupe Peak Trail.
The Tejas Trail leads back down on the opposite side of the Guadalupe Peak Trail.
Looking back along the Tejas Trail, just before the trailhead.
Looking back along the Tejas Trail, just before the trailhead.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!