Last updated February 8, 2005

Photos taken on January 11, 2005.

This section of the road trip had sentimental value for me, since it retraced the first day of the first road trip I ever made as a 19-year-old in 1986. On that road trip, we left Houston and proceeded west on I-10. At Van Horn we took highway 54 to the Guadalupe Mountains National Park where we camped for the night. I remember driving very fast in my Mitsubishi Tredia turbo on route 54, trying to reach Guadalupe Mountains before dark.

Proceeding northbound on Route 54 with the Guadalupe Mountains ahead. The valley landscape is desert scrub. Two coyotes crossed the road ahead of me in this area. Just ahead you can see a concrete section of road at the bottom of the trough. This and other concrete sections looked relatively new. Back in 1986 these troughs were a substantial dip in the road and put a nice G-force on the car when driving at 90 mph.

Getting closer to the Guadalupe Mountains ahead.

(Click for high resolution) Route 54 dead-ends into US 62/180, and then we proceeded northeast on 62/180 to Guadualupe Mountains National Park. There is a steep grade just ahead.

This is the main entrance at Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Just ahead is the campground where I camped in 1986. In terms of national parks, Guadalupe Mountains is probably one of the least visited since it is so isolated and doesn't offer anything truly extradordinary. But lack of crowds can be a good thing for a park.

Further north along 62/180 is McKittrick Canyon. We hiked about 3 miles into the canyon. This area looks a lot like mid-elevation southern California mountains.

Leaving the park and proceeding west on 62/180 towards El Paso, we drove through the salt flats. Recent rains had filled the flats with water, which was definitely a good thing since the high winds in the area can kick up a lot of dust.

This is a view going westbound on 62/180 about halfway to El Paso.

Another view going westbound on 62/180 about halfway to El Paso.