Name: Del Sol Ridge
Rating: 3.0

Toolbox

Save to Apple Watch
Plan in onX Backcountry

Driving directions
Download GPX File

Know This Trail?

Upload a photo

Dogs Leashed

Features Views · Wildflowers

Like North Clyde's Trail to the south, the nearest parking access to Granola Bowl and Del Sol Ridge requires crossing through cleared land that will eventually be developed into housing. Access to the trail may change from the description here, but thankfully, the terrain and park boundary limits further expansion into the trail system.

Please respect property owners when parking. Be a good trail user

Runner Notes

Trails around the Franklin Mountains are often rocky and technical, so runners unfamiliar with rough terrain should use caution. Trail shoes with rock plates are strongly recommended.

El Paso is in the desert, so be wise about the climate. Summers are regularly in the 90's or above, winters will drop to the 30's and 40's. Lightning storms are frequent in the late afternoons during the warmer months. Winds are frequent and gusts over 50 mph are not unusual. Dust storms, strongest in the late spring, can be hazardous and reduce visibility to less than a quarter mile. Check the weather before you go, and let someone know where you will be.

Mountain biking is popular in the Lost Dog area, and while runners have right of way over cyclists, it's often the safer option to step or run to the side to allow them to pass. Sometimes you'll get thanked, but usually not - but better to be a good user of the trail than to end up in a cactus, tangled in some guy's derailleur.

Description

A newer section of the Lost Dog trails, Del Sol Ridge traverses a hill towering over the houses below and provides a connection between numerous neighborhood access points and trails to the east.

The trail begins about two hundred feet from the parking at the end of Franklin Ridge Drive, climbing from the dirt road and proceeding to the northwest. A brief rollercoaster segment follows as the route moves along the top of the hill. The Del Sol Valley loop is visible below. At the end of the hill, a brief and steep descent marks the end of the trail at the loop's upper portion.

Flora & Fauna

The Franklins are filled with desert wildlife and you'll have the chance to see all sorts of plants and animals on trail. Vegetation is best during the rainy months around summer, when the desert blooms and the plants turn green. Jackrabbits, lizards and roadrunners are common, occasionally snakes will be on or near the trail. Watch for rattlers and give them a wide berth. If you get caught out past sundown, you may hear a few coyotes. Their howls are unnerving, but they generally leave people alone.