October at the Tom Mays Unit of Franklin Mountains State Park runs on a schedule that ends early. The gate opens at 8 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m. Every ranger-led program on the park's October calendar starts by 11:30 a.m., and the month's biggest family event ends at noon. For anyone in High Ridge, the mountain's best hours this month come before lunch.
That shift happened quietly in early September. Here is what it means for the next four weekends.
The early gate is done for the year
Texas Parks and Wildlife lists the Tom Mays gate at 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the park office open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. From the first Saturday in April to the first Saturday in September, the gate opens at 6:30 a.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. That window has closed, so a Saturday hike now starts ninety minutes later than it could all summer.
The 5 p.m. close counts just as much. The evening routine that made sense in August, catching the light over the Franklins after work, doesn't work inside the park now, because the gate shuts before the day is over. The park's October programming follows the same clock.
Day-use admission is $5 for visitors 13 and older, and children 12 and under get in free. TPWD names spring, summer and fall as busy season at Franklin Mountains. It says the park often reaches capacity and strongly recommends reserving day passes ahead of time to guarantee entry. You can still buy a pass at the park if any are left. On a cool October Saturday, betting on that is riskier than spending two minutes reserving online.
Five mornings on the park calendar
KTSM published the park's October lineup on Sept. 26, 2026. Every guided hike and tour needs a reservation, and they're all booked the same way, by calling the park office at (915) 444-9121.
| Date | Program | Start | Distance and difficulty | Meeting point | Adult fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Oct. 10 | Peak Challenge to North Franklin Peak | 8 a.m. | About 8 miles, very strenuous | West Cottonwood Springs trailhead | $5 |
| Sun., Oct. 11 | Copper/Prospect Mine tours | 8:30 a.m. lantern-lit, 11:30 a.m. flashlight | Capped at 14 people per tour | West Cottonwood Springs trailhead | $8 |
| Sat., Oct. 24 | Women Hike at Agave Loop | 8:30 a.m. | About 1.3 miles, easy to moderate | West Cottonwood Springs trailhead | $5 |
| Sun., Oct. 25 | Last Sunday Hike, Lower Sunset Loop 1 | 8:30 a.m. | 2.5 miles, moderate | End loop in Tom Mays | $5 |
| Sat., Oct. 31 | Halloween Fest | 9 a.m. to noon | 0.75-mile walk, 1.2-mile bike loop | Visitor center area | $5 for hike or bike |
Each one has its own catch.
The Peak Challenge starts at 8 a.m., the same minute the gate opens. The route climbs over scree and loose rock to the ridgeline and then to North Franklin Peak, the highest point in the park. KTSM's listing says the summit looks out over Mexico, El Paso and New Mexico. The park recommends carrying 2 to 4 liters of water, and anyone with less than 1.5 liters or inadequate gear won't be allowed to attempt the hike. Since the start time and the gate time are the same, ask about arrival when you call to reserve. The hike is free for Texas State Park Pass holders and children 5 to 12.
The mine tours are the hardest spot to get. The mine is small enough that each tour is capped at 14 people, so the two Oct. 11 tours hold 28 people between them. Pass holders pay $3 and children 5 to 12 pay $1, and you pay at the visitor center as you drive into Tom Mays. If oil-lamp smoke bothers you, the park suggests a face mask for the lantern-lit tour, and a helmet or hardhat is optional.
The Agave Loop hike is led by a female ranger or volunteer and is open to women of every experience level. The route climbs gently to open views west, passes the paragliding launch site, and connects to the Mundy's Gap trail. The walk back down crosses scree, which KTSM's listing notes some people find challenging.
Lower Sunset Loop 1 starts with a steep drop down an old jeep road, climbs out of the canyon past rock outcroppings, and finishes with a steeper push up to a scenic overlook. Check in with the ranger at the visitor center on your way in, pay there, then drive to the loop at the end of the road. Children 12 and under go free.
The mine tour is the latest start of the month, at 11:30 a.m. Nothing on the list runs into the afternoon.
Halloween Saturday fits the same clock
Oct. 31 falls on a Saturday this year, and the morning-first pattern holds into the holiday. The park's Halloween Fest runs from 9 a.m. to noon at the visitor center area. The City of El Paso's free Halloween carnival at Don Haskins Recreation Center, 7400 High Ridge Drive, runs from 3 to 6 p.m., according to El Paso Matters' Sept. 25 fall events roundup. Between them is a three-hour gap, long enough for lunch and a costume repair.
Here's how the day lays out for a High Ridge family:
- By 8:45 a.m. Carved pumpkins for the park's contest have to be on display. The park doesn't provide pumpkins, and you need to call ahead to sign up. With the gate opening at 8, you have 45 minutes from the gate to drop-off.
- 9 a.m. Halloween Fest opens with educational booths about the animals that live in the Franklins, plus spider races and "Boo-wling."
- 9:30 a.m. The guided Halloween hike, an easy 0.75-mile nature walk, sets out, and costumes are encouraged. Guided rides on the 1.2-mile beginner bike loop also run during the fest. Bring your own bike and call ahead to sign up.
- Noon. Pumpkin contest winners are announced.
- 3 to 6 p.m. The carnival at Don Haskins has costume contests, games, candy, jumping balloons and music, and it's free.
Two cautions. The Halloween Fest charges $5 per adult 13 and older, and pass holders and children 5 to 12 are free if they join the hike or bike ride. The 2026 carnival time comes from local news coverage. The only city listing for the Don Haskins carnival is from 2024, and it showed different hours that year, so check with the rec center before you build the afternoon around it.
Don Haskins keeps its own regular schedule too. The city calendar lists yoga there on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 a.m. and again at 10:30 a.m., plus Tuesday and Thursday evening sessions from 6 to 7:30 p.m., running through August 2027. Those Tuesday and Thursday sessions are one of the few organized outdoor-season activities nearby that run past dark.
The morning after, on North Mesa
Sunday, Nov. 1, carries the late-morning rhythm down the hill. A local event calendar lists a free Día de los Muertos edition of the Upper Valley Market at Mesa Plaza, with vendors, food and family activities, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The market's own site confirms the regular weekly Sunday market at the same hours in the Hobby Lobby parking lot at Mesa Plaza, 7930 N. Mesa St. The operator's pages don't describe the themed edition, so the regular market is the safe bet and the Día de los Muertos extras are a bonus to check for.
Getting to the gate this month
The usual route to Tom Mays from I-10 has a wrinkle. TxDOT's Oct. 1 update says the westbound I-10 exit ramp to Transmountain has been closed around the clock since March 9, with a temporary secondary exit ramp to Transmountain open in its place. The same update lists daytime work this week:
- Oct. 5 to 9, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Alternating lane closures on I-10 in both directions between Redd and Transmountain, and a full closure of the eastbound I-10 exit ramp at Redd.
- Tuesday, Oct. 6, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. A westbound right-lane closure on Loop 375, Transmountain Road, between US-54 and Picnic Tables.
The week's lane work is weekday-only and wraps up Friday, Oct. 9, the day before the Peak Challenge. The ramp closure has no end date, so plan your route to Tom Mays around the temporary ramp for every October visit.
The park's alert page listed no named trail closures when we checked. It does recommend reservations even for park pass holders, and it asks visitors to carry their pass, printed or digital, while in the park. For the full program details, KTSM's October rundown and the TPWD park page are worth bookmarking, and TxDOT posts weekly updates to its west area closures page.
Being close to Tom Mays is a big part of what makes a High Ridge address what it is, and fall shows that off. If you'd like to know how that location shows up in your home's value this season, Longenbaugh Group is happy to walk you through it. Get Your Instant Home Valuation, and we'll follow up with a neighbor's read on the numbers.
