Hueco Tanks State Park and Historical Area

Art panel in Comanche Cave/Hueco Tanks

HuecoTanks sneaks up on you and works its way into your heart. At first glance, it’s just another high desert area with small, barren mountains that look black in the distance. The first thing that clues you into the fact that Hueco is different, is that once at the park you have to stop and view an informational video before you can camp or walk around. In fact, if you want to explore, you have to get a pass from the ranger’s office for that day. There is so much history in this park, but unfortunately it has not been well cared for through the years. Many of the pictographs have been defaced and Native American burial sites have been trampled. Several years ago a multi-agency effort to protect this sacred place created a strict game plan for the park’s future use. Park restrictions now require obtaining a pass to climb or hike on North Mountain. A limited number of passes are available at the visitor center when it opens each day. Passes are free for campers and $7 for daily users.

Kristy Bouldering at Hueco Tanks

Hueco Tanks is a world-renowned bouldering area and North Mountain is open for climbers and for people like us who just want to wander the mountain and enjoy the views. Small groups of college students on winter break were in the park bouldering and it’s fun to watch them climb and maneuver on the rocks. They put big square pads on the ground for protection if they fall so you see groups of climbers walking in the park with these large, colorful pads strapped on their backs. We called them Sponge Bob Square Pants, but from the back our camp host pointed out that they also look like giant walking popsicles.

Checking out one of the masks in Kiva Cave/ Hueco Tanks

Several masks in Kiva Cave/ Hueco Tanks

While visiting the park in December, we did not have any problem getting a hiking pass. We hiked and explored North Mountain on our own and played around the rocks which are pock-marked making it easy to find hand holds for climbing. Our camp hosts, Tim and Carol, offered to take us to the famous and well-hidden Kiva Cave to see the Jornada Mogollon paintings of masks. We began by hiking along the trail from the Interpretive Center toward North Mountain scrambling up the flank until we came to a dead tree. From the dead tree, we looked up at the rocks until we located a balanced rock which resembles a duck. At the duck, looking off to our right we spotted a rock formation that kind of looks like an alligator. The head of the alligator points to the cave. To enter the low cave opening, one has to belly crawl. Once inside, the cave opens into a bigger room where eight masks can be found painted on the upper wall and ceiling.  We lay on the floor of the cave talking and telling stories and imagining other people through the centuries doing the same thing.

To see the other two mountains at Hueco Tanks several different tours can be pre-booked. Each tour cost $2 per person. Led by trained volunteers or park staff, tours provide visitors with an opportunity to see more caves and rock art, learn about the history, geology, and biology of the area and to experience the magic of Hueco up close. 

Winter camping: We enjoyed pleasant daytime temperatures in the 50s and 60s while camping here December 17-22, but be ready for night time temps that dip into the teens and low 20s.