Nestled in the heart of West Texas, just 20 minutes from downtown El Paso, the Franklin Mountains State Park is a true hidden gem for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers. With its stunning landscapes, diverse wildlife, and many recreational activities, this park offers a unique and unforgettable experience for all who visit. In this post, I’ll explore what makes Franklin Mountains State Park such a special destination and share my experience camping and hiking at the park.

Franklin Mountains State Park Landscape

Franklin Mountains State Park is located in El Paso, Texas, home to the largest sustained mountain range in Texas. The park covers over 27,000 acres and boasts a breathtaking desert mountain landscape. One of its most striking features is the rugged and rocky terrain, which is composed of ancient, volcanic rock formations. The sight of these towering peaks and unique geological features make it an ideal destination for hikers, rock climbers, and nature photographers.

Hiking Trails for Any Hiker

Whether you’re an experienced hiker or just looking for a leisurely stroll, Franklin Mountains State Park has a trail for you. The park offers a variety of hiking trails, ranging from easy walks suitable for families to challenging routes that will satisfy seasoned hikers. Some of the most popular trails include the El Paso Tin Mines Trail, Aztec Caves Trail, The Thousand Steps Trail, and the Ron Coleman Trail. Although those are some of the popular ones, there are many trails in the park to explore. Each of these routes offers something unique, from panoramic views, encounters with wildlife, and desert plants and environments.

I only had the opportunity to complete two trails while visiting that included the Upper Sunset Trail and the Shaeffer Shuffle Trail.

Upper Sunset Trail

I arrived at the park just in time to set up camp and head out to the Upper Sunset Trail to try to catch the sun setting in the distance. The trail is a 2.9-mile loop that starts near the campgrounds and ends with a circle back to camp on the main entrance road. The map said it was 2.9 miles round trip, and took me about an hour and 15 minutes to complete. I’d say this is a moderate trail, mostly because the beginning of the trail is pretty steep and if you’re heading up to see the sun set, it’ll be very dark on your way down making it difficult to find the trail.

Once at the top, I was stunned by the vastness of the view and the ability to see the sunset on the mountains and over el paso in the distance. It was beautiful. There are 2 small benches close to the top and directly on the top to sit and watch the sun set.

I didn’t see any other hikers while I was on the trail, which made for a very quiet and peaceful hike. I did, however, see a snake on my way down from the top and a bunch of spiders.

Shaeffer Shuffle Trail

I chose Shaeffer Shuffle Trail as my second trail option because it was right next to my campsite and was only rated a moderate 2.6 mile loop hike. The elevation gain on the trail is about 700ft. If you start at the trailhead, you start at quite a decline and then climb up for the views. I started early just after sun up to avoid the heat and I was able to see the sun peak over the mountains which was beautiful.

Overall this trail didn’t feel too strenuous. It took me exactly an hour and a half to complete the loop. The middle of the hike is definitely my favorite when going up the switchbacks and over the top of the mountain. The end of the trail was a flat, very desert terrain that wasn’t too fun to hike.

I didn’t see any wildlife along the trail or in the desert at all.

The park’s well-maintained trails are accessible year-round, and the diversity of the terrain provides ample opportunities to explore, discover, and immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the area.

Wildlife of the Park – The Plants and Animals

Before visiting, I read that nature enthusiasts would be delighted by the rich wildlife found in the Franklin Mountains, but, as mentioned above, I didn’t see any during my visit. I did, however, see one snake along the trail and multiple spiders. I even saw a tarantula walking across the street! My first ever encounter! That was pretty exciting and terrifying.

There is a plethora of typical Chihuahuan Desert plants including Ocotillo, Wheeler Sotols, Prickly Pear, Yucca, and Agave plants throughout the entire landscape which look beautiful in the desert.

Camping at the Franklin Mountains State Park

The Franklin Mountains State Park is unique in that it is entirely primitive. None of the campsites or RV areas have running water or electric hookups. The park is massive, covering over 40 square miles in total, but doesn’t have a lot of campsites. There are only about 20 sites in total and 2 areas for group camping.

Each campsite in the park is unique. I enjoyed driving around to see what made each of them different. Thankfully, I stayed during the week so there wasn’t a lot of competition for spots. I easily reserved a campsite. I chose site 037 because it was close to the outhouse and allowed me to back my vehicle right up to the site.

I only stayed one night and I had a very interesting night. To say the least.

When I arrived and set up my tent, I had some trouble getting my tent stakes in the ground because it was all gravel and the ground was really hard. I broke two tent stakes and decided to just put the tent up without them. There was no wind at all and the weather was supposed to stay pretty still throughout the night, so I set 4 rocks on the corners of the tent.

WELL… IT DID NOT STAY CALM.

In the middle of the night, I woke up because my tent was BLOWING around and sounded like it might collapse right on top of me. I got out of the tent and grabbed a few more rocks to place inside the corners of my tent. This helped keep the tent in place, but the sides were blowing so much and making so much noise I could not fall back asleep.

After about an hour of stressing about it and not being able to sleep, even with earplugs, I decided to call it quits and move into the car. I tore the tent down and just put some rocks on it so it wouldn’t blow away completely in the night. The winds were incredibly strong and I could feel them moving the car throughout the night too, but thankfully, I was able to sleep.

While packing my tent down and moving into the car I did notice that the night sky was incredible! It was so clear and so dark outside I was able to see thousands, probably millions of stars in the sky. I read that the park is a designated International Dark Sky Park, which I didn’t know existed before staying here so I learned something new.

Overall Experience Visiting Franklin Mountains State Park

I was, and am, impressed and wish I had a lot more time to spend here. There are miles and miles of trails that I was not able to explore including some that lead to rock climbing spots and caves to explore. I enjoyed that there weren’t a lot of pedestrians/visitors simply because it provided a lot more private experience.

As a participant in many Facebook groups regarding hiking and camping in Texas State Parks, I was surprised this park had not been brought up even once in conversation! I didn’t know what to expect and now I fully believe it is a hidden gem in West Texas. The park is quite a bit out of the way from where I live, about an 11+ hours drive so I probably wouldn’t have made it out this way if I wasn’t working in El Paso. Thankfully, I was able to take advantage of this opportunity.

With its stunning landscape, diverse wildlife, and well-maintained hiking trails, it’s no wonder that visitors have only positive reviews for this incredible park. So, if you’re looking for a memorable outdoor adventure and a chance to explore the rugged beauty of the Texas desert, I’d encourage you to add Franklin Mountains State Park to your Texas State Parks bucket list! This great park took spot #10 on my list.