El Paso Tin Mines - El Paso (TX)

5 /5 Andrey Solovyev: The trail itself is not difficult, with nice views of the city, mountains, and yuccas, but the highlight is of course the old tin mines. The end of the AllTrail route is not the entrance to the mines. As you climb the mountain, you will pass metal grates on the left. The first entrance is behind the bottom (left) grate. Once you get under the grate, you will see the metal railings and the entrance to the tunnel. To find the second entrance, follow the wooden steps in the ground down the slope and soon you will come to a small door. You have to crawl to get inside, but the tunnels themselves are quite high. At 5 ft 9 in, my brother was able to stand and walk freely most of the time. There were no truly claustrophobic sections. The tunnels are dark, dusty, and have sharp rocks on the floor, so bring flashlights or headlamps and sturdy boots. The tunnels aren’t very long, and while there are a few forks, it’s not a maze in which one can get lost. It took us a total of 3 hours to get there, explore the mines, and return back to the car. On a weekday morning in May, we encountered only one mountain biker. We paid the fee ($5 per person) in cash using an envelope at the trailhead at Chuck Heinrich Memorial Park, but we could have paid it online and written the reservation number on a permit.

5 /5 Surge: Nice hike from Chuck Heinrick Park. Took about 1.5 hours. This is a moderate hike that needs good hiking shoes as there is plenty of loose gravel. Getting to the mines can be a bit challenging for some folks. The mines themselves are not long but it was a cool visit after a good hike. You need flashlights.

5 /5 Brian: A neat 6.6 mile hike to see some abandoned tin mines. It took about 3.5 hours at a leisurely pace with some time to explore. Total elevation gain is about 1,000 ft, and the end is pretty steep. The miners quickly realized there wasnt much tin to be found, but the mines are safe for hikers to explore. It takes a bit of crouching and bring a light (phone flash is ok as long as you dont drop it on the rocky floor, headlamp is ideal). Since this is within Franklin Mountains State Park, theres a pay box at the parking lot, which is shared with Chuck Heinrich Memorial Park. If the parking lot is full, it looks like there is also street parking available in the neighborhood. State parks should have free admission - Im from Ohio and our state parks are free. Texas doesnt really value the few public lands they have.