Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site

Registration and orientation video as you enter. They carefully track how many people are in the park at any time; day users as well as campers. Prior to arrival, we were notified of a water well project taking place in the park. Due to the water shortage, they were asking campers to help conserve water through May 31st, 2022. We were given the option of canceling with full refund or rescheduling without penalty. We opted to do as they requested: “please make sure to fill up your water tank before arrival to the park, we can’t guarantee access to water.” Outstanding customer service!

Site #2 was spacious with good separation by distance and natural buffers from neighbors. This site had two tent pads as well as a shelter with table. Levelers required. North Mountain was our back yard.

ATT and Verizon reception good enough for email and internet access.

The park closes at six and no one is allowed inside the park other than registered campers; and we were restricted to the campsite area beyond the yellow entrance gate.

Guided Tour

Nicole, our tour guide, shared her love and knowledge of this park during a walk that last just over 2.5 hours. That was shorter than promised at the beginning; however Nicole paced our group of 10 based on the strengths of what the weakest could accomplish. Our group ranged in age from late 70s to a couple of infants (that’s a whole other issue that should be addressed). This necessitated by-passing a sharp ascent over boulders to the dam and access to Mescalero Canyon.

Worth the time and money ($2 pp) to access off limit areas of south mountain.

We loved this park. The sites are private with good space in between. The landscape is enchanting. We went on a 4-hour ranger-led pictographs tour that was outstanding. It was so quiet - great sleeping. The history of the place is intriguing.

Only 2 negatives: the lighting & heat in the campground bathroom was inadequate. And the one men’s shower stall had a serious drain blockage, backing up dirty shower water into both the men’s and women’s showers. (my wife was in the women’s at the time.) However, after I advised a camp host, two maintenance staff came quickly.

And we got no cell service at our campsite - only if you lurked outside the bathroom where some signal came through.

Because of the historical significance of the rock paintings, camping is limited and controlled. Reservations are handled differently than other state parks in Texas. When you arrive, you have to view a short video about the area and protecting the paintings. Site 1 was fairly level and asphalt with electric and water. There was no shade until the sun got lower and the rocks cast a shadow. The picnic table is covered for shade. Sites 1,3 and 5 have a rock formation as your backdrop which we liked. Sites 6 and 7 are reserved for camp hosts. There was no wifi but there is wifi at the bathhouse. I had 2 bars there. We signed up for a guided tour which I would recommend. The tour took us on the Chain trail, the Site 17 trail and the Pond trail. These are all trails that you can hike on your own but I don't think we would have found some of the paintings if we had not had a guide. To view some of the paintings we had to crouch/crawl through some rock openings and lay on your back. We would love to return in the spring or fall when it isn't 100 degrees outside.

Amazing place. Only 20 campsites and very tightly controlled. Nice and quiet. Electric and water, with a dump station. Needed to use my booster to get a decent Verizon signal. The park is full of hueco rocks, which you can hike around and scramble all over. You need to get a hiking pass for each day, since they only allow 70 hikers in the park. Some areas require a guide, which was a good experience as well. Great park for people who like to hike and climb around on the rocks.

This was one of the nicer state parks we have seen. The staff were friendly and informative, there were multiple trails for hiking, the facilities functioned very well and were well kept and clean, and the rv sites were extremely nice. They were paved, in a wonderful setting, and included shade structures. The physical features of the park were outstanding

We’ve encountered so many great accommodations by parks for pandemic travel but this place was not one of them. Cumbersome system requires much advance planning and call to a special number In Austin, then when you arrive, you start all over. In-person check in is required EACH DAY, using a pencil from a pile handled by others, no sanitizer at hand. Then an orientation by yet another park volunteer who clearly didn’t know how far 6 ft was. Then maskless encounters with other rangers and volunteer hosts, a closed gate in and out of campground that had to be handled, bathrooms stinking of old fashioned disinfectant, and no oversized vehicle parking anywhere. Half the park roadway is closed to driving entirely and dogs are allowed only on the pavement, when there are long gravel trails that don’t go anywhere near fragile rock sites. Even staying two nights in this very off the grid location, you must get in line at 730 am to try and get a permit for self guided hiking due to limited visitors allowed — which I totally get, but couldn’t camping reservation ensure you at least one day? No one ever checked the permit either. Petroglyphs are faint and other than ascending the chain trail (steep and strenuous) hikes are somewhat unrewarding. The rock climbing concessionaires seem to have this place sewn up though. It could be a remarkable experience for others as well, but unorganized procedures, underfunded infrastructure, and largely indifferent staff didn’t help. One young ranger was warm and helpful just to give credit where due. And the rocks are amazing, almost worth the dreary drive out from El Paso. Been there, done that and won’t make the detour again.