Passport to Texas

Franklin Mountains State park

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Franklin Mountains State Park is the largest metropolitan park in the United States. Its majestic peaks overlook the cities of El Paso and Cuidad Juarez. For years the park’s headquarters has been located off site, but that’s all changing with a brand-new visitor center.

What we were trying are trying to achieve with Franklin Mountains visitor center is a place to experience this wonderful geologic feature.

Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Ben Obregon is the Design Manager on the project. His team ensured the new center would highlight the natural beauty of the park.

You walk in. You’re facing the registration desk and to your right are full height picture windows that frame the biggest peaks in the mountains. So, the views of the mountains from the location are just beautiful.

The new facility features a learning center and a very special interpretive exhibit. According to State Park Exhibit Planner Eric Ray, it’s a first for Texas state parks.

One of the things that we’re doing that we haven’t done before is build this very large terrain model, giving visitors a way to explore the entire mountain range. They can walk around a 3D map of the mountains. See different features of them and either decide what they’re going to do with their day or weekend or decide what they might want to do in the future.

The new visitor center at Franklin Mountains State Park is expected to open this fall.

Our series receives support in part by RAM Trucks: built to serve.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.