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 Reporter |
Summary: From the trailhead proceed to the right past the first cave,then to the left past the second cave . At 0.58 miles as you reach the ridge-line, turn right and follow the trail north. At about 1.45 miles, there is a split in the trail. Follow the slightly lower trail to the left. The trail is hard to find over a few rocky areas as you continue to climb. At 1.75 miles, you will climb a wall to The Window. At The Window, climb the left wall up to find the trail on the top. Continue along the trail past the FAA towers. The descent is steep and loose, be careful. Follow the trail down to the parking area at Smuggler's Pass on the crest of Trans-Mountain Rd. Stay to the left and follow the ridgeline down, do not go down the arroyo. Trailhead: From the junction of US-54 and I-10, proceed north on US-54 to the Fred Wilson Rd. Exit. Turn left (west) on Fred Wilson Rd. Proceed up the hill and around the left bend to the Mc Kelligon Canyon Rd. Entrance. Turn right into Mc Kelligon Canyon. Proceed to the far end of the park. The trailhead is in the back parking lot. (Lat:31.84366 Lon:-106.49121) Trail Guides for FMSP - Ron Coleman Trail: Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Winter, User Groups: Hikers, 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 68 other hikes on this site Trail Reviews Page 1 of 2 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by Viewer on 3/8/2010 Great trail. A bit tough to follow sometimes. Can be rocky/sandy which makes it a bit slippery. Wonderful morning hike in the early spring. 
Reviewed by Jim D on 2/22/2010 I started hiking the trails around the Franklin Mountains in Oct. 2009 with my friend Hector M and just recently we experienced the Ron Coleman trail. Wow it was really the best hike I have done and we were all thrilled when we climbed the wall. Will take our boss Justin up this trail soon.
Reviewed by Hector M on 2/21/2010 Wow what a rush. Two weeeks ago we tried this hike in the rain and fog. We had to turn back due to poor visibility. We set out and tried again in clear conditions. Let me tell you, once we reached the wall i said "ok time to turn back know". but my good friend jim (60) pushed us on. my other friend rene went second. half way up he stopped and started to panic while looking down. i urged him to keep looking forward. i myself began to feel terrified. Our hearts were pounding with joy when we reached the top. We had a great time. we are looking forward in doing it again.
Reviewed by Tai on 6/11/2009 This is actually one of my favorite hikes. I've done it twice this year so far and some friends and are about to hit it up again on Saturday. the first time we did it though there was no chain leading up to The Window so we free climbed it and when i went back last month, low and behold there was a chain! so i used the chain for a few feet and decided it was just easier to free climb. the second time around i did lose the trail between the FAA towers (need more blue dots!!!!) but was able to find it and move along to the mammoth head for a nice lunch stop in the cave. This trail showed me what i'm capable of and i love the views so i always recommend it to my friends b/c it's so challenging and yet so rewarding.
Reviewed by Martha on 5/7/2009 Excellent hike and great views! Would defenetly go back again. Very difficult but it was a great experience.
Reviewed by Viewer on 8/30/2008 Excellent hike, beautiful scenery and challenging. The trail was marked but easy to wander off. Use the TOPO map to help in some areas to ensure you stay on the trail. I recommend walking from McKelligan Canyon to Transmountain Rd. its smoother and the climbing easier. I did a round trip on this trail and the climbing portion was alittle harder coming south and I also lost the trail after the climbing portion. The trail is also marked clearer on the north side as you come down off the top peak. Again very challenging I only recommend a round trip for those in shape. I would do this again for fitness purposes.
Reviewed by GA on 9/15/2007 Hiked from Transmountain. took trail to east rather than standard trail to west and went staight up. With rains, mountain was green. Various critters spotted including frogs, blue jays(?), hummingbirds and squirrels. Practically anyone should be able to do the hike although it will wear you out and some people probably won't be able to do the climb from McKelligan Canyon just below the window.Trail can easily be lost on the east side of the mountain so keep a sharp eye.
Reviewed by CLASS 02-07 14J on 2/18/2007 The hike was awesome ! If you ever want to do this don't do it by yourself . Teamwork was definitely the key to success . We started off at McKelligon Canyon and ended up at Trans Mountain . The most treacherous area had to be the area leading up to and the 40ft wall . Great hike with great views . Good Job Guys ! 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||