Today, the park’s interpretive center is located in the family’s adobe house. [6], This site had originally attracted people due to its critical resource needed to survive life in the desert-water. [14] El Paso County took over the land in the mid-1960s. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [26] The park is home today to mule deer, black bears, bobcats, gray fox, coyotes, badgers, ringtails, skunks, raccoons, mountain lions, black-tailed jackrabbits, desert cottontail, eastern cottontail, six species of bats and twenty species of rodents. [9] An El Paso businessman, Juan Armadariz, purchased much of the Hueco Tanks land to use for ranching in 1895. [23] The paintings themselves became bound to the rock through the aging process. Jan. 2008. [citation needed], "Hueco Tanks." Human habitation of the area dates back 10,000 years with the arrival of the Desert Archaic Culture. [34] Since implementation of the Public Use Plan in June 2000,[35][36] following a brief closure of the entire park due to the park service's inability to manage the growing crowds of international climbers, more than two-thirds of the park is restricted to tours by volunteer or commercial guides. After many years of work and a long application and nomination process, Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site was recently designated as a National Historic Landmark. People left clues to their stories in the pictographs and petroglyphs found here. Read more. [20], Modern graffiti by Anglo people started appearing when someone painted "1849" over some of the original pictographs. At Hueco Tanks, you can hike, rock climb, bird watch, study nature and history, picnic and stargaze. The most renowned images are “masks” or face designs. [9] In addition to the tanks, there are several permanent springs and seasonal springs in the area. [9] Between 1858 and 1859, the Butterfield Overland Mail kept a stagecoach station in the area, but left when a better location was found to the south. [26] In 2002, 222 different species of bird were documented at the site during the year. The tanks were once capable of containing a year's supply of water. Their ranch, which began as a cattle and horse operation, became a tourist attraction by the 1940s. History. Our primary goal is accuracy and completeness. —Ed Woton, Interpretive Guide, Hueco Tanks State Historic Site, Oct 17, 2010. Hueco Tanks is about 32 miles northeast of El Paso, off U.S. Highway 62/180 on the way to Carlsbad, New Mexico. The Kiowa, Mescalero Apache, Comanche, Tigua and the people of Isleta del Norte Pueblo consider the site to be a meaningful part of their heritage. [16] It was made a Texas State Park in 1970. The Hueco Tanks Climbing History Timeline is a work in progress. The Climbers of Hueco Tanks Coalition is dedicated to preserving and enhancing rock climbing at Hueco Tanks Historic Site. Also available are guided and self-guided tours to view rock imagery. Helpful. The Waco were a division of the Tawakoni people.The present-day Waco, Texas is located on the site of their principal village, that stood at least until 1820. This significance is partially manifested in the pictographs (rock paintings) that can be found throughout the region, some of which are thousands of years old. [22] Most of the colors used in the paintings came from minerals in the area. The huge rocks and boulders have cracks and are pocketed with holes-huecos that trap and hold rainwater for months at a time. Loop Site # Looking for. [9] The park was named the Hueco Tanks State Historic Site in 1998. [13] The earliest known modern graffiti dates back to the 1840s. Length of stay: Search Available. Other trees found in the area include netleaf hackberry, Texas mulberry, Mexican buckeye, Gregg acacia and Arizona oak. Hueco Tanks State Park will have it's 22nd annual Interpretive Fair Oct. 15 and 16. [19] The Jornada's religion was influenced by Mesoamerican religions. Visitors must walk to see many features. After many years of work and a long application and nomination process, Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site was recently designated as a National Historic Landmark. The federal designation, as recognized by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, acknowledges that the site holds cultural and historical significance to the entire United States. The surface of the rock is covered with huecos—Spanish for hollows—formed through millions of years of erosion. When it comes to rock art, Hueco Tanks, east of El Paso, is in a class by itself with rock art that dates back 6000 years. Local historians and area residents worked for years to convert Hueco Tanks to a park. Enjoy, but do not disturb historical places. Find your spot. Hueco Tanks is mainly a day-use park. Previous Next. Remains of their agricultural life include pottery shards, stone tools and water control features. Because the huecos hold water, this oasis has attracted humans for more than 10,000 years. The park store at headquarters sells gifts and other items. However, they do have 20 campsites. [14] The ranch went on the real estate market in 1956 and during this time, members of archaeological and historical societies raised awareness of the area's significance. [9] Also using the area were Comanche, Kiowa and Tiguas. Little did I know that it actually was not. Stop by the interpretive center, in a historic ranch house, to learn about the park and its history. Hueco Tanks’ history of human habitation dates back to 1150 AD, when the Jornada Mogollon people lived in the area, using the water that collected in the mountains’ large huecos (hollows/cisterns). [14] Fort Bliss leased land from the Escontrías family for training purposes in the 1940s and 50s. The cattle ranch became a tourist attraction by the 1940s. It has also studied and inventoried the pictographs, petroglyphs and other historical features.