Franklin Mountains State Park has grown a leg, gaining 1,054 acres to the east through a new land acquisition.
The addition protects the view of the mountains from the Northeast and will add more trailheads, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
“I am excited about this acquisition,” said Cesar Mendez, superintendent of Franklin Mountains State Park, in an email, “which extends the buffer zone all the way to Martin Luther King Boulevard, adding some lower elevation and flatter land to Franklin Mountains State Park and securing access points (trailheads).”
A male desert bighorn sheep is released at the Franklin Mountains State Park as part of a reintroduction of bighorns into the mountain range on Dec. 4, 2024.
This acquisition provides access to the northeastern portion of the park, including existing trailhead access to world-class mountain bike trails, while also curbing urbanization encroachment by providing a buffer.
In addition, the property helps safeguard the main mountain area of desert bighorn sheep habitat.
Franklin Mountains State Park, just 15 minutes from El Paso, is a high-desert mountain park in the northern Chihuahuan desert, offering great hiking, biking and rock-climbing opportunities for visitors.
As one of the largest urban wilderness parks in the world, it now covers about 28,000 acres – or 43 square miles – to explore, including more than 120 miles of trail and an incredible site for birds, reptiles and other small mammals.
Next up, TPWD park planners and resource specialists will develop a public-use plan to determine the most appropriate use for the new property. The plan may take months to complete.
More: What’s that development coming to Zaragoza Road in far East El Paso?
María Cortés González may be reached at 915-546-6150; mcortes@elpasotimes.com; @eptmaria.bsky.social on Bluesky, and @eptmariacg on TikTok.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Franklin Mountains State Park adds 1,054 acres, will protect views
