The only true mountains in Texas rise to 8,749ft at Guadalupe Peak, the state's highest point. Home to part of the most extensive Permian limestone fossil reef in the world, this terrain ranges from lowland desert to a high-country conifer forest. Mescalero Apaches hunted these mountains beginning in the early 16C.At Pine Springs' Headquarters Visitor Center, a slide show and exhibits delineate the ecology and geology of the mountains. There are other exhibits at Historic Frijole Ranch. Visitors may hike more than 80mi of trails; most popular are those to El Capitan limestone formation and to McKittrick Canyon, where maple, walnut, ash, oak and madrone trees provide some of the best fall color in the Lone Star State.