North Franklin Mountain, Summit and mountain trail in El Paso, Texas, US

North Franklin Mountain is the highest peak in the Franklin Mountains, rising 7,192 feet within El Paso, Texas. Its summit has been flattened to the size of a small parking lot and holds a 10-foot ham radio repeater and ELT receiver. The mountain's reddish color comes from oxidized iron in volcanic rocks on its upper slopes.

The Franklins are probably named after Benjamin Franklin Coons, who bought a ranch in the El Paso area in 1849; the settlement was called Franklin by 1851 and locals kept the name through the 1850s even after the town became El Paso in 1852. From 1909 to 1915 the El Paso Tin Mining and Smelting Company ran a tin mine on the northeast slope, the only tin mine ever located in the U.S., and an economic failure. Pictographs and mortar pits record a human presence in the mountains going back more than 12,000 years.

The mountain draws visitors who come to experience the desert landscape and outdoor recreation near El Paso. The Franklin range holds meaning for locals as a natural landmark and gathering place for hiking.

The best time to hike is early morning or late afternoon when temperatures are cooler and more manageable. Bring plenty of water and be prepared for rocky, uneven terrain along the trails.

Between 1909 and 1915, the northeast slope contained a tin mining operation that was the only one of its kind in the United States. The site was eventually abandoned and few traces remain visible on the mountainside.