Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Can anyone suggest some good herp spots in and close to El Paso, TX? I live on the far east side of the city, and typically go to the area just outside of Hueco Mountains Park. I don't get to go out to the Franklins as much as I'd like, but either way, I was wondering if anyone knew of other areas to go walking around. Thanks.

The Hueco Mts are a great herping area. If you walk around the Huecos at night, you can find a variety of good herps, particularly in some of the canyons.

The Franklins aren't any better, although they have different critters (Huecos have alterna, Franklins have Lyresnakes). If you go up north and cross the state line, much of the area in the northern Huecos and Franklins is BLM land and publicly accessible.

Driving the roads around there on summer nights, particularly now that the rains have started, can be very productive. Try driving along 62/180 or quieter roads up above (east of) the border patrol station in the Huecos at night (make sure you tell them what you are doing so they don't come after you!). Great for several species of rattlesnakes, gophersnakes, glossies, longnosed snakes, desert kings, etc. In the day there are western hogs up there.
-----
Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

Thanks. Yeah, I see quite a few herps over at Hueco, plenty WDBs, Gophers, and spadefoots. But about the roads past the BP checkpoint, are there areas to walk around? What about the new no road collecting garbage? I'd also like to find a trans-pecos rat, if possible. I know they're in the Franklins, but can they be seen around Hueco? And how do I get the canyons around Hueco? Sorry about all the questions, but I really appreciate the help.

But about the roads past the BP checkpoint, are there areas to walk around? What about the new no road collecting garbage?

In theory, you would be violating the law, but would you get a ticket? Extremely unlikely up there.

I'd also like to find a trans-pecos rat, if possible. I know they're in the Franklins, but can they be seen around Hueco?

Sure, they are in the Huecos and any other rocky area around there. I have found them at little roadcuts out along 62/180 even in the grasslands.

And how do I get the canyons around Hueco?

Try driving the Gasline Cutoff road. It is a broken paved road that runs south of 62/180 just before the turnoff to the Hueco Tanks. I haven't been there in 10+ years, but it used to produce Trans-pecos Rats, etc. You could walk from that road along the edge of some of the hillsides, although you should be aware that those hillsides are private land. Noone would probably bother you, but you should be aware of that.

-----
Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

Thanks. Can't wait to give it a shot.

Daniel

Haha, sorry but I can't seem to find this gasline cutoff road on google maps. Does it have another name? I know of a street a little bit before Hueco that leads to a mining site of some sort. It's a gravel/dirt road that goes out into the open sandy areas, but I've never followed it to its end.

>>Haha, sorry but I can't seem to find this gasline cutoff road on google maps. Does it have another name?

It looks like it might be called Connely Drive on the google maps page. It used to be paved, but the pavement was so torn up they graded it back to gravel. I don't know of its current status, but there didn't used to be any buildings or houses or anything along the road and you could get close to the southern edge of the Huecos.

We just used to call the gasline cutoff road, since it went down to the real "gasline road". Gasline road was one of the few roads in the Huecos that could produce alterna. However, in the late 80s they placed a locked gate across it and it was reduced to a "herping legend".

-----
Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas