Early westering explorers were awed by it. Archeologists have studied it for a century. Indigenous people have long known the site, of course, and continue to revere it. Today, as a Texas state park, tens of thousands tour it each year.
Hueco Tanks, east of El Paso, will always inspire wonder. Its red volcanic mountains create a desert oasis. And the prehistoric imagery painted on its cliffs and cave walls is deeply evocative.
Yet as well-loved as Hueco Tanks is, we’re only beginning to take its true measure. Archeologists are making discoveries here that defy expectation…