When on a trip to explore some national parks in New Mexico and West Texas, we stumbled upon a great state park near El Paso.

The park gets its name from the many rock pools that hold water. It’s believed that people have used it as a water sourced for over 10,000 years.

There are historic pictographs on many of the rock faces, and therefore the park is heavily protected. Upon arrival all visitors are required to watch a short orientation video on the history and perseveration of the area.

You can do self guided hikes or do a guided tour to see more areas of the park. We opted to do a hike on our own since we were just stopping through, and it did not disappoint.

We did the Chain Trail that led us up the north mountain for some spectacular views.

Quick Tips:

• $7 entry fee per adult
• Pack plenty of water and wear a hat, the mountain is very exposed to sun
• Pets are not allowed on the trail
• Only so many people are permitted in everyday, so you may want to make a reservation during busy times