Franklin Mountains State Park

The hike was definitely well worth it! Some of the cliffs are pretty dangerous because of drop offs and loose stone.
My Advice:
–Bring more water than what you are used to consuming
— Bring along and short sleeve shirt because of the wind up there
–Bring gloves because you will have to grab and crawl across terrain
–Definitely take your time
–Coming down is a lot harder than climbing up because of how steep it is
–Bring a decent camera

They say that the mountains are an underutilized resource here in El Paso and that’s probably a good thing. But for outdoors enthusiasts and those who love and care about nature this is a must! Franklin Mountains State Park is a truly magical place and there is always something interesting to be found here. The rangers here are wonderful and it’s obvious that they love what they do. I’ve been hiking around here on several occasions. My favorite hike is the Ron Coleman Trail. Be sure to check out El Paso Hiking Group on
and you can find ranger led hikes in this park.

Franklin Mountain is interesting. There is a $ 5.00 parking admission. If you don’t pay you will be ticketed. They check multiple times a day. I’m not sure how much the tickets is, however, my guess is it’s much more than $ 5.
The views are great. I’d say during my hike I noticed that most have been hiking off the main trail. It’s easy to miss the signs if you go off the main trail. There are many trails. If you stick to the main trail you’ll be find. Just be prepared for high winds when you get near the peaks. It’s worth the hike. Just plan for enough time. The hike is great especially for young ones and pets. I took my dog and she handled the hike like a champ.

Hitt Canyon Loop — Dog and I just finished our 5 mile loop hike walking on the old ranch roads and arroyos with a short stretch of single track thrown in to connect all. Hadn’t been there in several months. With Jimmy Bowen gone, didn’t see any cattle and grass was high in spots. Parked in New Mexico by driving in from the Anthony Gap road and then walked south. Bought the annual pass for Texas parks.

Great place to go on a hike or to get some exercise done outdoors in El Paso. As an enlisted solider at nearby Fort Bliss, we come here often to do a company run and the surrounding areas are truly breathtaking. Only downside might be that if you’re a beginner in trekking, the pathways can be tricky and bit of a challenge. So make sure you bring good shoes and wear airy clothing. One thing to remember is that this is a desert environment and there are many rattlesnakes that inhabit the area. You’ll hear the rattles so always be careful where you step.

Franklin Mountains State Park is a big park. There are many entrance areas and a variety of hiking trails, ranging from easy to difficult. Most trails begin easy enough but progressively increase in difficulty the higher you go. You can «hike» in sneakers on the easy to partially medium trails as long as you watch your footing. For the tougher trails, I would recommend hiking boots. Some trails branch off and are not easily recognizable so be sure to bring a buddy or go during a high peak time. All of the trails have loose rock, some worse than others. You’ll want to bring water and sunscreen as well. The wind can make the sun deceiving.
The price of entry is $ 5 per person. You can purchase a yearly pass that includes yourself and your guests for $ 70. At some entrances a ranger will collect fees (cash only) as you enter and in other areas there is a kiosk self-​pay. Dogs are welcome too (no fee).
Overall the park is clean but in many of the higher areas there is a lot of ugly graffiti. A real bummer if you are wanting to snap a cool photo… BUT the aerial views are amazing. There are some cool desert plants and the occasional lizard roaming around. Summer months supposedly bring snakes so keep an eye out.

First hike my husband and I went to, and it was pretty great! This isn’t one of those easy, paved trails. It’s rocky, sandy, and will get slippery if it rains. We went around 930am and it was pretty chilly, but you’ll work up a sweat climbing. Lol. There are parking spaces and small picnic tables here. On the trail there are caves for resting stops.
My only suggestion is that be aware of your surroundings and bring water. There aren’t any markers to indicate where the «right» trail is. A couple other hikers said others have been lost here, so look for frequent hiking trails.
It does get steep and possibly will be on your hands to climb those rocks, so be careful! Other than that, it was a breathtaking scenery! :) we’ll be back again!

Well kept park thanks to the park service. Although access is only limited to certain areas of the mountain. Always make sure to leave the entrance fee in the bulletin board with your license plate number or you may get ticketed.
Make sure to always take essential items like water and sunscreen and a buddy!

I was visiting family in NM, and being the crazy hiker that I am I found this trail not too far from where I was. It was pretty easy to find, although once inside the park there are different parking lots. It was definitely intense! I’m used to the dirt and clear trails of SoCal. This trail is not only steep, but rocky as hell! It took me 3 hours to do 5 miles. I didn’t get to the top, since I was a little pressed for time. I will definitely try this again during my next visit.

Had a great time. Not for the weak. I was just bring some sunglasses, 2qt of water, a lunch, cash and a buddy.
Hard to follow where the trails are. Definitely a fun day.

Note the tom mays and ron coleman trail heads on transmountain rd. Hiked mckelligon canyon — strenuous!!! Bring lots of water and sunscreen. The peak was windy but nice. Never made it to the window :(not for the out of shape.
The day I went (saturday) the booth was closed so I couldn’t buy a pass and had to use the pay box at the trail head. Also, I COULDN“T FIND A TRAIL MAP TO TAKE WITH ME SINCE THE BOOTH WAS CLOSED — still haven’t found one even online.

I had the pleasure of spending time with my family from California there. I drove all the way from San Antonio and got to finish off an extreme weekend with my family hiking up these Mountains. The views from the top of these Mountains are Amazing. Lets just say my dad and mom were extremely sore after this hike. I am looking at doing this again in the near future.

5 stars to what WASNT man made!
I LOVE the Aztec cave, but I only will go from OCT-​APRIL when the weather is cooler and the snakes arent running around.
This is just the perfect way to get out and enjoy life and all it has to offer!

I went on the hike today from the parking lot at the top of Transmoutain. I have made this hike numerous times and admit it is my favorite in town. It doesn’t show the trail on the web page but it is an official trail. There is a little container by the trail head to pay your fee and get a receipt to put in your car windshield.
The trail starts out pretty tame but gets progressively steeper as you go. I have only made it to the part where the signs start saying «most difficult» and then I hang a right up to what I refer to as the «nubby thing» and others refer to as the elephants trunk. I brought my dog along and he makes the climb just fine. He is content to sleep the rest of the day. Win — win. I believe if you stay on the «most difficult» trail it takes you up to the antennas on the top. Even without the full accent there are great views of both east, west and south.

Heading out today!