In the 100 miles of arid West Texas desert between El Paso and the Guadalupe Mountains, don’t miss tiny Hueco Tanks State Historic Park (daily 8 am–dusk; $2; 915/857-1135). Located on the eastern fringes of sprawling Fort Bliss, some 25 miles east of El Paso, then eight miles north on Hwy-2775, the 850-acre park was established to preserve the approximately 3,000 pictographs painted on the syenite basalt boulders. The “tanks” of the title are naturally formed rock basins, which collect rainwater and have made the site a natural stop for passing travelers, from prehistoric natives to the Butterfield stagecoach, which stopped here in the 1850s. Unfortunately, sometimes the “historic” graffiti is overwhelmed by more contemporary spray-paint versions, but the site is pleasant enough, with a popular campground and excellent opportunities for bird-watching and rock climbing.
Some 35 miles east of the Hueco Tanks turnoff, the tiny highway town of Cornudas has a nice café—“Home of the World Famous Cornudas Burger”—and a row of false-fronted Wild West buildings.
