There’s nothing more beautiful than an El Paso sunset, painting the sky in vibrant reds, pinks and yellows, made even more spectacular by the silhouette of the Franklin Mountains towering below.
It’s a phenomenon that leaves all who witness it in awe, and some claim El Paso has one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world.
According to Anthony Brown, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, the reason the skies are so spectacular at dusk and dawn is because of clouds and a phenomenon called “virgas,” which means rain never reaches the ground.
“We get a lot of high and mid-level clouds here, and a lot of light coming through the clouds,” Brown said. “These clouds scatter the sunlight late in the day or early in the morning and reflect it back into our eyes.”
Brown explained that the predominant component of the light that reaches our eyes at sunrise and sunset is red, while the rest of the spectrum is absorbed by the atmosphere, turning clouds red, orange, yellow and pink.
Cloud placement is also important.
“To capture clear sunrises and sunsets, you need clouds to cover a lot of the sky, but not so much that they block out the sun,” Brown says.
Here are some of the best places to watch the sunset or sunrise in El Paso.
Scenic Drive
Witness the wonder of the sky from the summit – no hiking required – as the winding Scenic Drive leads to Murchison Rogers Park, offering stunning views of El Paso and Juarez. Stay after sunset to experience the bright lights of the two countries sparkling against a dark sky.
Trans Mountain Drive
The Northwest-Northeast road is framed by the Franklin Mountains, offering panoramic sunrise and sunset views. Covered picnic tables line the roadside, allowing El Paso residents and visitors to rest and take in views of Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico. The Tom Mays Unit entrance to Franklin Mountains State Park is also located along Trans Mountain Drive, where visitors can stop and hike to watch the sunrise.
Cattleman’s Steakhouse
3450 S. Fabens Carlsbad Road. Fabens, TX 79838
Located on an authentic ranch, our family restaurant boasts some of the best desert views in the Southwest, with vibrant sunsets reflecting on the ranch’s lake and lighting up the sky behind the children’s zoo and playground. Featured on the Food Channel and voted “Best Steakhouse” in El Paso, Cattleman’s Steakhouse offers great food and great views.
Hueco Tanks State Park
6900 Hueco Tanks Road 1st place
At dusk and dawn, the sun peeks through the rock formations of the historic park, creating a picturesque escape into the desert. According to the National Park Service, the site was formed 34 million years ago and has been a refuge for nature and humans for over 10,000 years. When the lighting is just right, the sun’s rays also reflect off the natural rock formations, or huecos.
