http://www.summitpost.org/franklin-mountains/472740
This mountain range is located in El Paso, TX . It is a beautiful desert mountain range and unique due to the fact that its southern end divides the city of El Paso and its peaks sit more than 3,000ft above the city. It also is home to the largest urban park in the United States. However, urban sprawl and development are rapidly consuming this beautiful desert mountain range. A new freeway was just put up going through the middle of the range causing the closing of the park entrance. As far as I know a new entrance has yet to be made.
New neighborhoods are within less than a mile from the park. The west side of the city has already developed as far up the west side of the range as possible, mainly gated communities. Westward development is almost at a beautiful sight seeing area next to South Franklin Mt.In this area people can park, picnic and in the past enjoyed beautiful desert views and views of west ELP in the distance, however development is closing in and within a few years only roofs of homes will be viewable.
Also, the main portion of the park which includes North Franklin Mt. bike paths, camping area, rock climbing, and picnic tables is rapidly being closed in on by new community developments. On the East side of the mountains the famous Tramway (only public tramway in all of TX) & Mckelligon Canyon are also in danger. A large quarry sits right next to the Tramway and also next to the canyon entrance and this quarry is getting larger & larger every year. It is digging deeper into the range and it has already destroyed the aesthetics of Mckelligon Canyon and the Tramway. Sugarloaf Mt. already has a huge gash at its base due to this quarry and without Sugarloaf mt. there is now Mckelligon Canyon.
I believe developers want to envelope the park into their plans. New gated communities would conjoin the park much like in the west side of the range. It would be a good selling point for land developers that's for sure. These new communities would basically have the park as a backyard. Easy access to all the parks amenities and they would probably develop there own private entrance.
Please go to this petition and sign up to protect these mountains from further damage before it is too late!
Download and print the documents below and get started today. For more information contact Jim Tolbert by email at diegotolbert@gmail.com or call 915-525-7364.
http://www.iloveparks.com/fmwc/2015p.pdf
Most people do not know this, but El Paso is home to two mountain ranges, the Franklin Mts and to the east of El Paso the Hueco Mts. The Hueco Mts are longer and wider than the Frankin Mts, but not higher in elevation. The highest peak is beautiful Cerro Alto Mt (6,787ft). This range is also home to Hueco Tanks State Park, which is home to the best boulder climbing in the world.
Sorry to say this range is in danger of development too. Whether it be oil, gas development or quarries but the range is slowly being torn down. The park will soon be surrounded by quarries. And once the City has no more room to expand westward El Paso will look to incorporate many parts of this range too and what has happened to West El Paso will soon happen to far East El Paso county.
The range also sits right next to the great Otero Mesa and the Cornudas Mts. The Otero Mesa is the largest grasslands in the US and the Cornudas Mts sit right in the middle of these grasslands. I am sorry to say this beautiful area is also in danger of development. Within the past several yrs oil & gas developments have been fought off, but the forces of destruction are now making an attempt at mining the Cornudas Mts. This entire area, the Hueco Mts., Cornudas Mts., and the Otero Mesa are home to many species of plant and wildlife. Big horn sheep, pronghorn antelope are just two of the many species that live in this area. Please go to this site and read more of what can be done to save these precious lands.
http://www.oteromesa.org
http://www.nmwild.org/our-work/otero-mesa-campaign/
