Arroyo Park

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Features Birding · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

While occasionally rocky, trail shoes are not as critical in the arroyo as on many other El Paso area trails. Road shoes would work fine.

Because of its central location, hikers and cyclists are often found in the arroyo.

One of the easiest trails found near the often technical Franklin Mountains, Arroyo Park is a loop through an arroyo in one of the town's more affluent neighborhoods. Flat, dull, and generally ugly, it is difficult to recommend when far better options exist a short drive away. Calling the area a "nature preserve" is a stretch; a more accurate description would be "place where they didn't build houses". Wet months tend to be better times to visit, as it brings a little bit of green to the park's creosote bushes and ocotillos.

There isn't a clearly defined parking area or trailhead for Arroyo Park, so most people will use the side of the road near the entry to Palisades Canyon. Look for a path heading over the short dirt berm south of the road, heading into the arroyo.

The trail is generally flat, dirt single to doubletrack, with varying amounts of rocks. While the path isn't really technical, it is still too rocky in most areas to be used as a good area for speedy travel. A few diverting tracks split off at points, but it is impossible to get lost here; one could just as easily cut their own path through the sparse vegetation. The trail winds gently before turning back northeast near the tennis club.

Typical desert vegetation, yuccas, mesquites, palo verdes and cacti. You are likely to see several species of birds and jack rabbits are also present.