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Summary: Follow the trail up the canyon. At 0.45 miles, the main trail keeps right. DO NOT follow the wash up. At 0.5 miles the trail will zig-zag up the hillside covered in red rhyolite rock to the ridgeline. On the ridgeline at 0.80 miles, turn left and follow the trail up to the Elephant's Trunk at N31.86502 - W106.49520. There are a few small caves at the trunk. There are several possible trails up and down, so pick your route as you like. Trailhead: From the junction of I-10 and Trans-Mountain road, go east on Trans-Mountain road over the peak at Smuggler's Pass (5280 ft). As you start down the east side, enter the parking lot on the right. Stop and pay the park fee at the pay station on the west side of the parking lot. The trail begins just beyond the pay station. (Lat:31.87758 Lon:-106.49403) Trail Guides for FMSP - Mammoths Trunk: Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Winter, User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Ranger Contact: Texas Parks and Wildlife, Franklin Mountain State Park. (915) 566-6441 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Michael P. Olbrisch, who has posted 71 other hikes on this site Trail Reviews Page 1 of 3 Submit your own review I've hiked this a few times, love it. The trail strenuous enough that you can still get some excitement from it but it's not a long trail. The "Mammath" rock feature is definitely enchanting to me. Love the trunk and back left side wall. It's a shame however how much tagging there is once you reach the top though - a major turn-off for me. My dog loved, loved, loved this hike. One of my favorites in the area. awesome We started out at 8:00 AM and the temp was about 70 degrees. The hike has plenty of great views which offer many opportunities for pictures. There are areas of the hike that are strenuous and you will need at least 2 liters of water to make the trip in September. The mountains make for a great place to see many shapes. Aside from the Mammoths Truck there are many other animals’ shapes formed by the mountains. There is nothing like being on top of the mountain watching a Hawk hunt. This is a recommended hike but go early and when the temps will not get over 80-85 degrees. It was an awesome time. Took my brother-in-law, daughter(8) and son(3) up to the elephant's trunk. The kids enjoyed the entire hike. Great hike to get a friend into hiking I took a couple of friends and 6 girls between the ages of 9 and 10. We got some incredible pictures of the view from atop El Paso. It took us 3 hours up and back with stops. Beautiful hike, walking stick recommended and good shoes. Trails are rocky so watch footing. Went up to the peak from smugglers pass and then back the same way. Took my polar hear rate meter, average heart rate for 3 hrs was 144, with peak at 180. Total calories consumed was 3200. So be prepared! I am not that atheletic, but do aerobics 3-4/week and weights 2-3/week and have a resting hear rate of 60. Wonderful views, my foavourite hike so far. I love this hike! The view is spectacular. I always take visitors & newbys and they are truly amazed by the view! I highly recommend taking out of town visitors. Even if they don't make it up to the top; there's always the view from the picnic tables. For those out of shape, take plenty of water & frequent breaks...it's worth it! Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: Texas Hiking, Texas Trails, Texas Hikes, El Paso County Hiking, El Paso County Trails, El Paso County Hikes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||