pinery trail

This trail starts at the Pine Springs Visitor Center and ends at what remains of the Pinery - one of 200 stations along the 2,800 mi Butterfield Overland Mail Coach Route. It was an easy and short trail and there was a very informative brochure available near the Pinery about the history and significance behind the building. We love historical details and enjoyed this trail. Along the way there were also interesting signs introducing various plants seen in the area. The view along the hike was not spectacular, but it was serene and beautiful with very few (if any) other visitors to be seen.

The Pinery Trail is easy and ends at the ruins of the Butterfield Overland Mail Station. At the Three monuments erected to commemorate the station, be sure to pick up the brochure for later reading. The brochure recounts little known history of Butterfield and his vision of opening the west. There are lots of facts about running the Mail Line as well as a recounting of the first trip, an nightmarish ordeal.

This is a nice nature walk of you want to stop by the park on the way somewhere else. It takes between 30-45 minutes and the scenery is nice.

If time is limited or you have trouble walking long distances, this is the trail for you. You can leave your car parked at the visitor center and take this paved trail over to the barely visible ruins of The Pinery, a Butterfield Stage Station. You will be able to see El Capitan (elev 8749') and get a flavor of the terrain. Allow 30 minutes or so to make the round trip.

We drove to Guadalupe Mts. National Park coming from Van Horn and you get to see El Capitan from several road stops along the way to take photos. We didn't have time to hike an extensive trail but the visitors center here is very helpful in giving out info to parties who want to hike or camp. The ranger suggested we walk the pinery trail which is outside of the main visitors center and is less than a half of a mile one way and on flat terrain to see vegetation and the ruins of the old stagecoach location. Not very exciting but the drive up to the mountains gives you wonderful views if you don't have time or the skill level to hike.

This trail leaves from right behind the visitors center and is only a total of like .66 miles round trip. It leads to an old stagecoach stop on the Pinery Butterfield line. They had a couple of good markers that were good to read but there was not much of the structure left.