Franklin Mountains State Park
Managed by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
27,067 acres132.3 mi of trail
Lower SunsetNorthern PassTom Mays TrailAntler Run+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: WmCheez · CC BY-SA 4.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in El Paso
20% of El Paso’s land is conserved: 32,963 acres
265 miles of mapped trail cross El Paso, 1.0 per square mile of land. 32,370 acres are parks and preserves, 48 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Franklin Mountains State Park (132.3 mi), Lost Dog Nature Preserve (13 mi), Billy Rogers Arroyo (3.1 mi).
Ahead of 93% of U.S. towns · #19 of 642 in Texas. What drives it
Conserved land
20%
32,963 acres · of 258.8 sq mi of land
Trails
265 mi
1.0 per sq mi of land
Park land
32,370 ac
48 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
86%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
204 mi
139 mi lanes · 57 mi paths
Highest peak
7,172 ft
North Franklin Mountain
Lakes & rivers
18
1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is El Paso?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does El Paso have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, El Paso is ahead of 93% of U.S. towns, #19 of 642 in Texas. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; conserved land ranks highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of El Paso’s overall grade.
Conserved land20% of the land · typical TX town 2% · U.S. 4%ATrails1.0 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (265 mi) · TX 0.2 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land48 acres of park per 1,000 residents (32,370 acres) · TX 9 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home86% of residents within a half mile of a park · TX 69% · U.S. 72%B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 93%
LessMore
Texas towns of 2,500+ (642)Ahead of 97%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, El Paso ranks #52 on Outdoors.
Few Texas towns conserve much land (a typical one, 2%; the U.S., 4%), so El Paso’s 20% is ahead of 95% of Texas towns, while its trails per square mile lead 89% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would still be A. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Franklin Mountains State Park, with 132.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Lost Dog Nature Preserve
Managed by The Frontera Land Alliance
1,034 acres13 mi of trail
Wandering DogLost DogEl RefriTom Mays Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trail sign
Billy Rogers Arroyo
Nature preserve
94 acres3.1 mi of trail
Arroyo Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Chamizal National Memorial
Managed by National Park Service
53 acres1.7 mi of trail
Dogs usually limited
Directionsto the parking lot
Blackie Chesher Park
Park
51 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Marty Robbins Park
Park
31 acres1.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Skyline Optimist Youth Park
Park
46 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 205 parks & preserves
Franklin Mountains State Park27,067 acres · 132.3 mi of trail · Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
DirectionsLost Dog Nature Preserve1,034 acres · 13 mi of trail · The Frontera Land Alliance
DirectionsBilly Rogers Arroyo94 acres · 3.1 mi of trail
DirectionsAscarate Park169 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
DirectionsChamizal National Memorial53 acres · 1.7 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsBlackie Chesher Park51 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsMarty Robbins Park31 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
Skyline Optimist Youth Park46 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsCarolina Park10 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
Piedmont City Preserve51 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Ranchos Del Sol Park14 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsGalatzan Park24 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsTravis White Park10 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
John Lyons Park10 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsCarlos Bombach Park9 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Jorge Almada Park7 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsRio Bosque Wetlands Park414 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Vista del Valle Park19 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Esperanza Moreno Park14 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Lomaland Park10 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Westside Community Park233 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsYucca Park26 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsLionel Forti Park21 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsSal Berroteran Park14 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Sunrise Park7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsMiners Park7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Jim Foster Park5 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Mountain View Park3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsMontoya Heights Park3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Cottonwood Springs Park West3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Eastwood Park39 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Veterans Park39 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsPonder Park15 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsPaseo Del Sol Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Ventanas Willow Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Ventanas Destiny Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Esmeralda5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of El Paso
LTC Robert "Bob" Chisolm Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSummit Fillmore Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Northeast Regional Park56 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsNations Tobin Park36 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Modesto Gómez Park26 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsNorth Open Reserve22 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWashington Park19 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSue Young Park17 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsReese McCord Park15 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Chuck Heinrich Park15 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsGrandview Park14 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsThomas Manor Park14 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Arlington Park10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsEast Cave Park10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Crestmont Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Linda Daw Hudson Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWestgreen Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Haddox Family Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsVentanas Spring Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Tierra del Sol Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
South Dakota Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Newman Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Johnson Basin Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCentennial Plaza2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsYsleta Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCimarron Sage Park #22 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCottonwood Springs Park East2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Murchison Rogers Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsKnapp Land Conservation Easement365 acres · The Frontera Land Alliance
Eastside Regional Park96 acres
Charlie Wakeem/Richard Teschner Nature Preserve of Resler Canyon92 acres · Frontera Land Alliance
DirectionsEl Paso County Sportsplex55 acres
J. P. Shawver Park53 acres
DirectionsWestside Sports Complex50 acres
DirectionsMemorial Park48 acres
DirectionsFeather Lake Wildlife Refuge41 acres
Keisling Park36 acres
DirectionsTierra Del Este Linear Park B33 acres
Argal Park at Las Palmas27 acres
Pueblo Viejo Park26 acres
DirectionsThunder Canyon Conservation Easement19 acres · The Frontera Land Alliance
Edgemere Linear Park19 acres
Bear Ridge Park17 acres
Pavo Real Park17 acres
Lower Tom Lea Park17 acres
DirectionsIrwin J. Lambka17 acres
Capistrano Park15 acres
DirectionsDick Shinaut Park14 acres
DirectionsBurning Mesquite Park14 acres
Blackie Chesher Escobar Soccer Fields12 acres
DirectionsRiverside Vocational Pond Park12 acres
DirectionsBraden Aboud Memorial Park12 acres
DirectionsDelta Park10 acres
DirectionsRainbow Vista Park10 acres
DirectionsMission Hills Park10 acres
Excalibur Stadium at Hanks High School10 acres
Lincoln Park9 acres
Pico Norte Park9 acres
DirectionsHidden Valley Park9 acres
DirectionsSouth Open Reserve9 acres
Franklin Park7 acres
Lancaster Park7 acres
Marion Manor Park7 acres
Walter Clarke Park7 acres
DirectionsBartlett Park7 acres
Ojo De Agua Trail7 acres
Spanish Castle Park7 acres
YWCA Mary Ann Dodson Camp7 acres
DirectionsCielo Vista Park7 acres
Blue Sky Park7 acres
Marcus Uribe Park7 acres
Sgt Jesus Roberto Vasquez USMC Park7 acres
Sapian Ledo Park7 acres
Jorge Montalvo Park7 acres
Stone Rock Park7 acres
Montwood Heights Park7 acres
North Skies Park5 acres
Pebble Hills Park5 acres
Paul Harvey Park5 acres
Todd Ware Park5 acres
E. L. Williams Park5 acres
DirectionsBrisa Del Este Park5 acres
Vivid Dreams Park5 acres
Enchanted Hills Park #35 acres
William Haddad WWII Memorial Park5 acres
Tierra Buena Park5 acres
Dolphin Park5 acres
Hawkins Park5 acres
Roger Brown Park5 acres
DirectionsLogan Heights Park5 acres
Sunset Terrace LT Park5 acres
Artcraft Estates Linear Park5 acres
Barron Park3 acres
Ventanas Cove3 acres
Palm Grove Park3 acres
DirectionsH T Ponsford Park3 acres
McKelligon Canyon City Park Area3 acres
Desert Garden Park3 acres
La Puesta de Sol Park3 acres
DirectionsCimarron Park3 acres
Wellington Chew Park3 acres
Cimarron Canyon Park3 acres
Alethea Park3 acres
DirectionsStiles Park3 acres
Riverside Park3 acres
Piedra Volcanica Park3 acres
Dreamland Park3 acres
Eddie "Hirby" Beard Park3 acres
Cactus Point Park3 acres
Cielo Dorado Park3 acres
Student Memorial Park3 acres
Mesquite Hills Park3 acres
Mesquite River Park3 acres
Loma Linda Park3 acres
Roadrunner Park3 acres
Coyote Cave Park3 acres
DirectionsTres Palms Park #13 acres
Buena Vista Park3 acres
DirectionsTres Palmas Park #23 acres
Mesquite Hills LT Park3 acres
Borderland Park3 acres
Promontory Area Park3 acres
Sunny Brook Park2 acres
Madeline Park2 acres
Thorn Park2 acres
White Spur Park2 acres
Redstone Village Park2 acres
Ylairam Ruby Morgan Park2 acres
Upper Tom Lea Park2 acres
DirectionsNolan Richardson Park and Recreation Center2 acres
Mc Carthy Park2 acres
Milagro Park2 acres
Kip Hall Park2 acres
DirectionsSweet Dream Park2 acres
River Park West2 acres
Indian Ridge 102 acres
Inca Dove Park2 acres
Edgemere Pond Park2 acres
Summerlin Park2 acres
Ysleta Pedestrian Plaza Park2 acres
DirectionsDe Vargas Park2 acres
Colonia Verde Park2 acres
Keystone Heritage Park2 acres
Pacific Park2 acres
Amber Sun Park2 acres
Houston Park2 acres
DirectionsStanton Heights Park2 acres
Loma Chica Park2 acres
Boardwalk Food Park2 acres
DirectionsSchweitz Park2 acres
Mc Arthur Park2 acres
Mundy Park2 acres
DirectionsJohn R. Karr Park2 acres
Tyrone Park2 acres
Suffolk Park2 acres
Arbor Green Park2 acres
Autumn Sage Park2 acres
Little River Park2 acres
Boys Club Park2 acres
DirectionsGran Vista Park2 acres
Hunters Creek Park2 acres
Eagle Vista Park2 acres
Hueco Mountain Park2 acres
Leona Ford Washington Park2 acres
Estrella Rivera Park2 acres
Cleveland Square Park2 acres
DirectionsThe Bite Food Park2 acres
Montana Park2 acres
Who protects it
32,963 conserved acres
20% of El Paso’s land. Who manages El Paso’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Other state land28,329 ac
State parks27,156 ac
Town or city4,330 ac
Joint1,955 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits1,383 ac
County914 ac
Bureau of Land Management65 ac
Conservation Easement · 31,071 acState Park · 27,156 acLocal Park · 1,837 acLocal Recreation Area · 1,657 acRecreation or Education Easement · 1,329 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1,707 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 2 of 494 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Mountains State Park State Park | State parks | 27,156 | Open |
| Ascarate Park Local Recreation Area | County | 407 | Open |
| Rio Bosque Wetlands Park State Conservation Area | Other state land | 404 | Open |
| Knapp Property Local Park | Town or city | 366 | Open |
| River Trail 2 - Ascarate to Rio Bosque Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 260 | Open |
| McKelligon Canyon Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 120 | Open |
| Eastside Regional Local Park | Town or city | 96 | Open |
| Billy Rogers Arroyo Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 91 | Open |
| Charlie Wakeem / Richard Teschner Nature Preserve Of Resler Canyon Local Park | Land trusts & nonprofits | 87 | Open |
| Westside Open Reserve Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 79 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
204 places to go in El Paso
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in El Paso
Nations Tobin Swimming PoolIn Nations Tobin Park
DirectionsTennis West
DirectionsPlus 1 public pool without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in El Paso
Capistrano Park PlaygroundIn Capistrano Park
DirectionsChico’s Playground
DirectionsFrancisco Delgado Playground
DirectionsMcDonald's PlayPlace
DirectionsThunderbird Playground 2
Directions147 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in El Paso
MUTTZ El Paso
DirectionsNortheast Region Dog ParkIn Northeast Regional Park
DirectionsPlus 5 dog parks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in El Paso
1 boat launch without a name on the map.
Scenic views in El Paso
Scenic Drive OverlookIn Murchison Rogers Park
DirectionsScenic Drive Viewpoint (Upper)
DirectionsPlus 11 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in El Paso
North Franklin Mountain7,172 ft elevation · In Franklin Mountains State Park
DirectionsAnthonys Nose6,827 ft elevation · In Franklin Mountains State Park
DirectionsSouth Franklin Mountain6,791 ft elevation · In Franklin Mountains State Park
DirectionsThe Mammoth6,503 ft elevation · In Franklin Mountains State Park
DirectionsMount Franklin6,135 ft elevation · In Franklin Mountains State Park
DirectionsRanger Peak5,614 ft elevation · In Franklin Mountains State Park
DirectionsComanche Peak5,226 ft elevation
DirectionsSugarloaf Mountain5,226 ft elevation · In Franklin Mountains State Park
Directions6 more peaks
Crazycat Mountain4,567 ft elevation
DirectionsFlag Hill4,521 ft elevation · In Franklin Mountains State Park
DirectionsGold Hill3,878 ft elevation
DirectionsCaisson Hill3,852 ft elevation
DirectionsEngineer Hill3,842 ft elevation
DirectionsPoint 5150In Franklin Mountains State Park
DirectionsPlus 3 peaks without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in El Paso
16 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 18 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 130.4 miHorses · 61.8 miUnpaved · 169.8 mi
Lower Sunset9.1 mi
Tom Mays Trail4.2 mi
Northern Pass3.5 mi
Antler Run2.7 mi
Wandering Dog2.6 mi
Lazy Cow2.5 mi
Hitt Itt2.5 mi
Down Under2.4 mi
Spotted Cow2.3 mi
Mundy's Gap East2.2 mi
15 more trails
Lost and Found
2.2 miUpper Foothills
2.2 miMad Cow
2.2 miNewman
2.2 miLechuguilla
2.1 miCardiac Hill
2.0 miRon Coleman Trail
2.0 miGoon's Loop
2.0 miSotol Forest
1.9 miEl Refri
1.8 miMammoth Trail
1.7 miNorth Franklin Peak
1.7 miThousand Steps Trail
1.7 miSierra Vista Trail
1.6 miAgave Loop
1.6 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Album Vernal PoolpondAscarate LakelakeGrandview PoolGrandview Splash PadMimosa North PondpondMimosa South PondpondOxidation PondpondPortland Cement ReservoirreservoirRattlesnake TanksreservoirRiver street reservoirreservoirRiverside ReservoirreservoirSummit ReservoirreservoirThomason ReservoirreservoirUnderwood Gold PondUnderwood Golf PondUnderwood Good Golf PondWoods ReservoirreservoirRio Grande
Biking & sports
204 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
139 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
57 mi
off-road bike paths
8.0 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
337Tennis
226Basketball
129Baseball
45Soccer
34Football
18Golf
11Skate park
11Tracks
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →44 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 63 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Magoffin HomesteadBuilding · listed 1971
About itOld Fort BlissSite · listed 1972
About itYsleta MissionBuilding · listed 1972
About itChamizal National MemorialDistrict · listed 1974
About itEl Paso Union Passenger StationBuilding · listed 1975
About itHenry C. Trost HouseBuilding · listed 1976
About itFirst Mortage Company BuildingBuilding · listed 1978
About itHotel Paso del NorteBuilding · listed 1979
About itToltec ClubBuilding · listed 1979
About itWomen's ClubBuilding · listed 1979
About itAbdou BuildingBuilding · listed 1980
About itBassett, O. T., TowerBuilding · listed 1980
About it32 more on the History page.
When to get out
April is the best month for walking in El Paso
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.3 | 11.0 | 11.9 | 12.9 | 13.8 | 14.2 | 14.0 | 13.3 | 12.3 | 11.3 | 10.5 | 10.1 |
| High (°F) | 59 | 64 | 72 | 80 | 89 | 97 | 96 | 94 | 89 | 80 | 68 | 58 |
| Rain (in) | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.6 |
April is the driest month (0.2 in) and June the warmest (highs of 97 °F). 2.0 inches fall in July, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 97 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in El Paso →
Next door
El Paso and its neighbors
El Paso has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
El Paso265 miChaparral15 miSunland Park12 miFort Bliss9.4 miSocorro4.6 miAnthony3.7 miCanutillo1.8 miWestway0.1 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Paso | 20% | 1.0 | 48 | 86% | A |
| Socorro | under 1% | 0.2 | 2 | 74% | C− |
| Canutillo | 3% | 0.7 | 10 | 31% | B− |
| Fort Bliss | 1% | 0.5 | 9 | 71% | C+ |
| Westway | under 1% | 0.1 | 1 | 80% | C− |
| Anthony | under 1% | 0.6 | 7 | 85% | C+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in El Paso
Where can I hike in El Paso?
The longest trail networks: Franklin Mountains State Park, 132.3 miles; Lost Dog Nature Preserve, 13 miles; Billy Rogers Arroyo, 3.1 miles; Ascarate Park, 1.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of El Paso is conserved land?
20% of its land, against a typical 2% for a Texas town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on El Paso’s trails?
Franklin Mountains State Park and Lost Dog Nature Preserve don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in El Paso?
204 miles of bike routes are on the map: 139 of painted or protected lanes, 57 of off-road paths and 8.0 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near El Paso?
123,728 acres of parks and open public land lie inside El Paso or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 33,286 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does El Paso have?
Ahead of 93% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #19 of 642 in Texas. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from El Paso neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →