Franklin Mountains State Park - Tom Mays Unit — Attraction in El Paso

We had a memorable time camping in the Franklin Mountains State Park this weekend. The scenery is unmatched if you're looking to reconnect with nature, and even though there are other campers nearby, it still feels pretty isolated compared to other places we have camped, which is awesome. The trails are never-ending and it is such a peaceful overall camping experience. Watch for rattlesnakes, and enjoy other wildlife sightings as well. There are trails for all levels of hiking experience. Just make sure to bring plenty of water. We chose to hike early morning and early evening to avoid the scorching sun and it made all the difference in the world. We camped with our little Casita, a generator, and our two dogs though there were plenty of people roughing it in tents around us. The campsites are pretty nomadic (no hookups, no street lights at night, etc) but there is an outhouse for doing your business. If you are looking for a phenomenal camping experience that truly puts you in the center of nature's majesty, this is the place you have been searching for. If you're looking to be lined up beside other campers in neat little rows, have no privacy, but have slightly more amenities, this is not it. The only suggestion I would notation for the park to improve upon is the gate for after hours coming/going. We were given a code for gate access if we needed to go anywhere outside of the parks normal operating hours of 8-5. The code is for an actual padlock and you have to manually swing open the gate, drive through, and then get out and close it behind you. While this is a pretty straightforward process and we are not lazy individuals, the issue arose when we were bombarded by other patrons trying to gain access to the park at 6:30 AM on a Saturday morning. People showing us receipts where they had paid for access online, people trying to follow our vehicle through the gate, etc. This put us in a very uncomfortable position since we are not supposed to let anyone in. With an automatic gate that requires keypad code entry and operates on a timer to only let 1 vehicle through at a time, this issue could be remedied. The office/facilities seem new/updated so my only suggestion for improvement would be to update the gate/ how campers and patrons are able to enter the park. Overall, best camping experience we have ever had, even with the...

An unexpected gem, on a trip through the National Parks of the Southwest.

After 3 days exploring White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks, the final day in El Paso was about to prove to be a bust. Thank goodness for Franklin Mountains SP. For only $5 per person, this massive State Park, just minutes from El Paso has multitudes of trails, campgrounds and scenery to explore.

We took the afternoon to hike the short nature trail, with the absolutely beautiful bird garden at the end. We sat in awe as we watched all different kind of song and garden birds, feeding and bathing amongst themselves, and we... we were just an afterthought to them, thanks to the bird blind which gave us an unobtrusive viewpoint into their afternoon rituals.

From there, we hiked to the Aztec Caves, a short but intense uphill climb to the 3 caves which are visible from the trailhead parking lot. It isn't a long hike by any means, but the last portion of the trail heading to the caves can be steep going up. Which of course, means to be extra cautious on the way back down. Views of the peaks and the surrounding region make for a worthwhile trek. You'll burn your daily calories and conquer your exercise goals for the day, while only taking up 90 minutes of your morning. Not a bad payoff!

Finally -- and I stress, that of all the cool things this park had to offer us that afternoon, this was the best part -- I had a conversation at the park gate for sunset, with a park ranger named Matt. Matt was not only accommodating, as I sat down next to him to watch the sun go down, but he was also super knowledgable and obviously passionate about his job. We spoke at length about the park, other areas in the region to recreate, parenting, the importance of land conservation and so much more. My only regret, is he was off shift at 5 PM and I had to head to the airport for a 7:30 flight. Otherwise, this super informative conversation could have carried on another hour.

Without a doubt, I'll find my way back to this park someday. Who knows if Matt will still be working there, but the beauty of preserving natural areas like this, is that due to the efforts of Matt & Co., this park will still be around for...

My much better half and I have established a routine of welcoming every New Year’s Day with a hike. Despite my “ageing out” and formerly strong taunt muscles are now thin, saggy & baggy; additionally, I don’t walk so well anymore. Thankfully, I have a new hiking stick, a stout length of bamboo, wry light and very strong, which was essential for me to maintain my balance as well as carefully selecting everyplace I put my feet. Anyway, Texas Parks & Wildlife have organized hikes at many of its parks around the state on the first day of every New Year. I had read about this hike in Franklin Mountains State Park; we were both excited about exploring another aspect of our “Hidden Gem of the World, Crossroads of North America, anchored by El Paso, Cd. Juarez & Las Cruces!” [which is also better explored from a bicycle seat whilst pedaling the “International Ft. Hancock - Las Cruces I-10 Bicycle Bypass”, and if you have a valid passport, visit MAGNIFICENT MEXICO!] Unfortunately, there are several distinct access points to this wonderful mountain park, and I had missed the instruction that the (10:00) meet-up at the trailhead was on the WESTSIDE, at the Tom Mays unit. Sooooo, we were late, but, just as we’ll because I am quite slow, especially as I pick my way along the gravel & rock path. We had ascended as far as the jump off point for paragliding/hang gliders when the surface wind was increasing, along with the wind chill. Another indicator was my bamboo pole—the wind whipping across the open end emitted a bass flute-like sound. Time to turn around! A highlight was meeting & having an extended conversation with a retired radiologist, originally from YorkshireUK. What made it of particular interest to me s man had had both knees and a hip replaced—something that my aging body is rarely wanting, but maybe inevitable in a few years....! This state park is the largest in-city mountain expanse in the USA, and well-worth enjoying, whether hiking, (mountain)biking, camping or just visiting. I highly recommend it and give it my hearty “Wheel...