Hueco Tanks, or as we refer to them, Way-cool Tanks, lies just thirty-four miles east of El Paso. Hueco (say WAY-co) means hole or hollow in Spanish and refers to the depressions in the rock formations in which water collects and forms holding tanks. This water sustains a surprising amount of plant and animal life, and it is the reason that humans have used the area for centuries. The site is considered sacred to many native peoples and access is controlled and restricted for that reason. Camping reservations are only accepted by phone and are limited to three days at a time (you can stay longer if space is available but may only book three days at one time.) Half of the park is explorable only by guided tour, and the other half is restricted to 70 people at any given time. You must call a week in advance to reserve a spot on a guided tour, and you need to check in/out for any day use activities (even if you’re camping.) Visitors must watch a 15-minute video before being granted permission to stay or explore.
All of that seems utterly exhausting, doesn’t it? But it’s really not as tedious as it sounds, and we were so glad we listened to our friends Raven & Chickadee‘s advice and took our turn there. It also happened that we were able to cross paths again with mutual friends, The Lowes, who we serendipitously ran into at Guadalupe Mountains, which I’m sure you all remember as the cliffhanger from my last post, reading and committing to memory every word I type as you do.
We had to arrive prior to camping check-in so that we could make the 10 a.m. guided tour. We stowed Essie in the visitor lot while we toured and until our campsite was ready.
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| “Tour-schmour! I go where I want!” |
Our tour guides were a very knowledgeable volunteer couple, and they led us to see several of the park’s famous pictographs.
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| It was mandatory to dress in blue for this tour. |
Just kidding! Pure coincidence that so many of us were wearing blue, but don’t we make a fine-looking group that way?
It involved a bit of rock climbing, which surprised me for a public tour. We had little trouble with it, but three more elderly members of our group had to miss out on this cave because they were unable to scale the rocks. There wasn’t any other way to access it, so there was nothing anyone could’ve done differently, but it was a shame because this cave was chock-full of pictographs depicting the physical coming of age “ceremony” for females (brutal by modern standards), where to find water (snakes point to water), directions (the star & arrow picture is a map), and battle scenes.
After the tour, which we liked but thought was a tad too long — not surprising considering there were 15 people in the group — we retrieved Essie and settled into our beautiful site.
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| We are #1, hey! |
Our new friends were directly across from us, and we were invited to dinner at their place. If I had paid closer attention to my texts, we wouldn’t have barged in a bit too early, but our hosts were very forgiving and accommodating, and man alive, they cheffed up some delicious food! We enjoyed homemade lumpia, risotto, and Royal Red shrimp which they had recently gotten in Louisiana, capped off with my ‘signature’ chocolate pie for dessert. The late-afternoon weather was ideal, allowing us to dine al fresco. We talked and laughed the evening away, lamenting that we didn’t have more time to spend together at this location, but vowing to find each other again down the road.
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| Very happy campers! |
The Lowes stopped by the next morning to say farewell, and after we dried our tears — OK, OK, I exaggerate, but only a little. Anyway, we ran a few errands, then set out to find Cave Kiva. In order to find it, you must check in at the office to let them know you’ll be out hiking and also to get a picture map (for which you leave your ID in exchange.)
On our walk to find the access point where we needed to start climbing the rocks, we noticed something exciting. The prickly pear cacti, very definitely not blooming the day before, had suddenly begun to explode.
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| yay, more cacti blooms! |
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| Watch your head! |
This cave isn’t entirely enclosed, but you have to slide in on your back or belly before you can sit up inside without hitting your head. Well, for non-giant people anyhow.
The floor of the cave, the only part you’re allowed to touch, is worn slick from years and years of people sliding over it, and it was difficult to gain purchase in order to maneuver around.
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| TBG gazes out, contemplating life, as the ancient artists had. |
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| Getting out was tricky. |
After cooling off in the cave, walking back down the rocks, and returning our map, we walked the park road to its terminus, enjoying all the cacti blooms and watching actual rock climbers.
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| You see ’em? |
While Cave Kiva is one of the park’s most famous sites, we liked our experience at the top of the Chain Trail even more.
At the top, we were greeted by great rock formations to clamber over and through and around and between. The above photo showcases three different “problems,” a problem being what a bouldering route is called.
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| over |
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| through |
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| around |
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| between |
The cave in the above photo was a seemingly perfect place for a little artistry, but oddly, there were no ancient drawings on these walls. More recent “artists” had obviously left their signatures, however. In a few thousand more years, perhaps those will be marveled over as well. “Early humans used to visit here to climb the rock faces in feats of strength and a test of their will. They carved their initials into the stone to claim bragging rights for having scaled these walls.”
With beautiful scenery, a lovely little campground, great rock-walking, sacred pictographs, and wonderful friends, there was everything to love about our three days at Hueco Tanks.
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| The end. |
COMMENTS
Chasing Dirt Thanks for stopping by and the nice words! We had such a fun time meeting Rusty and sharing our story. This lifestyle has brought so many great people into our lives, both in person and virtual. 🙂
As you said, I was kind of shocked the first time we did Tour #1 that no one was warned about the steepness of the hike and some of the precipitous drop-offs. We were fine, but there were a couple of people who had to be helped a lot (they should NOT have been on that tour). Speaking of help, you need to show me your route to Cave Kiva, because somehow I always get myself into a place where it’s a significant scramble. Probably because I pick out the worst route, LOL!!
Exploring at the top of the Chain Trail is a blast—love your photos of your adventures there! Plan for a return trip to Hueco Tanks and we’ll meet you there. I want to do Tour #2 again. :-))
Chasing Dirt We really did love it there, and such a lovely campground, too. So very peaceful and pretty.
They really should give more of a caution about those tour routes. Eek!
I don’t know that our route to Cave Kiva was really any different than the one pictured on the map. TBG was a bit better at picking our way over the rocks, and I was the one who was able to discern the animal shapes in the rocks (I don’t think he was ever able to see The Duck 😀 )
I wouldn’t dream of going back without you and definitely to do the other tour so we can see Starry-eyed Man!
Chasing Dirt At first, it does seem like an annoying amount of rules, but trust me, it’s not anywhere near as strangling as it sounds writing it all out. AND it makes the campground so, so peaceful. We learned that you can stay longer than three days, but can only reserve three at once, so you’d take your chances at busier times. The park worker said that April is a non-busy time (weird because it’s beautiful weather at that time) and the campground was never full while we were there. I know you guys would really like it, and even if you only stay the three days, the park is small enough to take a good bite out of in that amount of time. The picnic spots are really cool, too, and would be worth it for a day-trip and short hike or walk. 🙂
We had a great time with you, and we could have fun together climbing in
and around those cool rocks! I know we will cross paths again, so its a
done deal we will hike together!
Nice “butt” ending 🙂
Chasing Dirt My kindred shortie!
Can you believe that is *my* photo of the lizard? TBG tried, but the little guy posed best for me.
I am sad our tour wasn’t the one to Starry-eyed Man, too, but it leaves something to do if we ever go back. I forgot to tell you guys that Steve’s bird was very upset when you left and took his food away 😀
The End photos — it’s what you get when your better half is always hiking behind you! I guess it’s motivation not too eat too much chocolate pie!
Chasing Dirt You can stay longer than three days
(which we learned only after hearing another camper in the office) but
can only reserve three at a time, which could put a crimp in
route-planning for sure if you need to squeeze in time between or alter
other plans/reservations. But three days isn’t as bad as it seems since
the park isn’t too big, and you can get most of it covered in that
amount of time. I can’t wait to see your photos from your visit later in
the year. It will be a totally different landscape then, and gorgeous
in another way.
Isn’t it fun to have someone plan your route for you? 😀 We wouldn’t
find half the places we’ve been if not for the gracious sharing of other
bloggers/travelers. From Hueco we went to Oliver Lee S.P. in New
Mexico, but I think you’ll want to save that one for a May visit — the
cacti are outrageously stunning in early May!