The slot canyon goes dark around 10am. Not from clouds, but from limestone walls rising 100 feet on either side, narrowing to 15 feet across. Devil’s Hall Trail delivers this shadowed drama 2.1 miles from the trailhead, where most Guadalupe Mountains visitors never walk. February brings 45-degree mornings and empty parking lots. The rock scrambles stay dry. The canyon stays quiet.
Pine Springs sits at 5,800 feet in west Texas, 110 miles east of El Paso. The trailhead shares parking with Guadalupe Peak Trail, the park’s most popular route. Turn right at the first fork, 0.1 mile in. Devil’s Hall goes the other direction, through desert scrub and juniper, toward the slot that gives this hike its name.
The approach through Pine Spring Canyon
The first mile follows a dirt path through creosote and yucca. Golden limestone cliffs appear ahead, framing the canyon mouth. The trail drops into a dry wash around mile 1.5. Boulders replace dirt. You scramble over rocks the size of refrigerators, using hands for balance.
This is Class 2 terrain when dry. After rain, the wash turns slick and dangerous. Flash floods carved these rounded stones. The park sees 200,000 visitors yearly, far below Zion’s 5 million. Most stay on the Guadalupe Peak route. Devil’s Hall gets maybe 50 hikers on a busy weekend. Winter weekdays see single digits.
The canyon walls close in past mile 2. Sunlight fades. Temperature drops 5 degrees in the shade. The wash narrows to a corridor, then to the slot itself. Vertical limestone on both sides, golden-tan in the filtered light. The silence feels physical.
Hiker’s Staircase and the slot beyond
The natural staircase appears at 2.1 miles. A 50-foot pour-off of layered limestone, eroded into steps you can climb. Water carved these during flash floods over thousands of years. The Permian fossil reef beneath this park dates to 250 million years ago, when shallow seas covered west Texas.
Beyond the staircase, Devil’s Hall opens slightly. The slot runs 150 feet before widening again. Walls stay vertical. Most hikers turn around here, making the round trip 4.2 miles with 440 feet of elevation gain. Total time runs 2-3 hours at a steady pace.
Winter conditions in the slot
December through February brings the best hiking weather. Daytime highs reach 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit, nights drop to 25-35 degrees. The slot stays shaded and cooler, around 45 degrees even at midday. No snow at this elevation, though higher trails like The Bowl see partial cover above 8,000 feet.
Wind stays calm inside the canyon. The park averages gusts above 70 mph during spring storms, but winter mornings feel still. Bring layers anyway. The 30-degree temperature swing from dawn to afternoon catches unprepared hikers.
What the scrambles require
Sturdy hiking boots matter more than trekking poles. The boulder field demands ankle support and grippy soles. Smooth-soled shoes slip on rounded rocks. Poles help on the descent, less so during the scrambles themselves. Both hands stay free for balance over larger obstacles.
No water sources exist on trail. Carry 1 liter per person minimum, 2 liters for slower hikers or warm days. Desert air dries you out even in winter. The park sits in the Chihuahuan Desert, where humidity stays low year-round.
Planning your Guadalupe Mountains visit
Pine Springs Campground sits adjacent to the trailhead. Sites cost $20 per night for 2025, with 39 spots available first-come basis. Paved parking, restrooms, and RV hookups exist. No reservations. Winter sees plenty of availability mid-week.
The nearest town, Van Horn, sits 60 miles west with motels running $100-150 nightly. Carlsbad, New Mexico lies 55 miles northeast with similar rates. El Paso offers cheaper options but adds 2 hours of driving each way. Most visitors camp or stay in Van Horn for easy morning starts.
Other winter trails worth hiking
McKittrick Canyon runs 6.8 miles round trip to Pratt Cabin through a riparian corridor. Bigtooth maples turn red in October, but winter brings frost-coated oaks and flowing creek water. The trail stays easy to follow with minimal elevation gain. Texas grottos and waterfalls offer similar cool-weather hiking across the state.
Smith Spring Trail loops 2.3 miles through desert springs and pine forest. Easy terrain, good for families. The Bowl via Tejas Trail climbs 1,700 feet to subalpine forest at 8,500 feet, where Douglas fir and ponderosa pine grow. Snow dusts the upper elevations December through January. Colorado canyons provide similar winter access with dramatic elevation changes.
Costs and access details
Park entry runs $35 per vehicle, valid 7 days. No additional permits needed for day hikes. Gas from El Paso to Pine Springs costs roughly $25 round trip at 2025 prices. Meals in nearby towns average $15-25 per person. Total weekend trip costs run $200-300 including camping, food, and fuel.
The park entrance lies on US-62/180, paved and accessible year-round. No public transit serves the area. Rental cars from El Paso International Airport cost $50-80 daily. The drive takes 2 hours on straight highway through desert.
Your questions about Devil’s Hall winter hiking answered
When does the slot canyon get direct sunlight?
The slot stays shaded most of the day due to narrow walls and east-west orientation. Morning light reaches the canyon floor briefly around 8-9am in winter when the sun angle stays low. By 10am, the walls block direct rays. Afternoon light never penetrates the deepest sections. Photographers find the best conditions at the Hiker’s Staircase around 9am, when golden light hits the limestone.
How does this compare to Utah slot canyons?
Devil’s Hall requires no permits and sees far fewer hikers than Zion’s Narrows or Antelope Canyon. The scrambling stays moderate, Class 2 difficulty versus technical routes requiring ropes. Death Valley’s Golden Canyon offers similar moderate scrambles with fewer crowds. Guadalupe Mountains receives 200,000 annual visitors compared to Zion’s 5 million. Winter weekdays often mean solo hiking.
What makes February better than summer?
Summer temperatures reach 95-100 degrees Fahrenheit with no shade on the approach. The boulder scrambles become exhausting in heat. Flash flood risk peaks during July-August monsoons, making the slot dangerous. February averages 50-degree days, dry conditions, and very low visitation. Badlands formations show similar seasonal advantages for winter hiking. The rocks stay dry. The crowds stay home.
The limestone glows pale gold in late afternoon light, visible from the parking lot as you return. The slot stays dark behind you. Most visitors to Guadalupe Mountains climb the peak and miss this canyon entirely. The staircase waits, carved by water that only flows a few days each year. The walls stand 100 feet high. The silence holds.