A Fatal Crash Just Closed Transmountain Road: Your Guide to El Paso's Mountain Crossing

Introduction: El Paso's Only Mountain Crossing, Closed at Its Foot

Transmountain Road is not just a shortcut across El Paso. The roughly 11-mile stretch of Loop 375 is the only road that crosses the Franklin Mountains, climbing about 1,200 feet from the city's west side to Smugglers Pass at 5,280 feet before dropping to the northeast side. It is a commuter artery, a scenic drive, and the gateway to Franklin Mountains State Park, all on the same four lanes.

On Monday, October 19, that crossing shut down at its western foot after a major crash involving a semitrailer and several other vehicles. One man was killed and nine other people were injured, and the closure, listed as lasting until further notice, forced traffic onto detours. If you are driving Transmountain this week, read the status section first. If you are planning it for later this fall, the rest of this guide covers the drive itself.

What Happened: The October 19 Crash and Closure

El Paso police responded at about 10:30 a.m. on Monday, October 19, to a collision at Transmountain Road and North Desert Boulevard in West El Paso, near the Interstate 10 interchange. According to the El Paso Times, police spokeswoman Detective Judy Oviedo said one man died in the collision, which involved a semitrailer and about five other vehicles. Fire Department spokesman Hector Gonzalez said there were 10 patients at the scene: one person was flown to a hospital by the department's Fire STAR helicopter, four were transported to a hospital, and four refused transportation.

Debris from the crash littered the roadway, and the department's Special Traffic Investigations Unit took over the investigation. Police have not released a cause, so drivers should treat any early speculation about what went wrong as just that: speculation. What is confirmed is the road status: TxDOT closed all westbound lanes of Loop 375 at Exit 11A (Northwestern Drive), closed Loop 375 East at the I-10 overpass, and closed all lanes of North Desert Boulevard at Transmountain, diverting traffic back onto I-10. TxDOT listed the incident as critical and the closure as lasting until further notice.

The practical detour is straightforward but slower: I-10 across the south side of the city and US 54 up the east side form the long way around the Franklins. Before any trip, check the live map at Drive Texas, TxDOT's official road conditions site, and the TxDOT El Paso District closures page. On this road, the official map, not a headline from yesterday, decides your route.

One more thing drivers should know: the westbound lanes fall steeply from Smugglers Pass toward I-10, and residents have previously raised concerns about heavy trucks on that grade, where a runaway truck ramp has been installed. Whatever investigators conclude about this crash, the geography is not in dispute: this is a real mountain grade at the edge of a city, and it deserves to be driven like one.

The Drive: Crossing the Franklins on Loop 375

Built in the 1960s, Transmountain Road runs between I-10 Exit 6 on the west and US 54 on the east. Its higher section passes through Franklin Mountains State Park, nearly 27,000 acres of high-desert terrain with more than 100 miles of trails, just 15 minutes from downtown. Rocky slopes enclose the road for most of the climb, and on a clear day the views run from the Rio Grande valley to the mountains of Mexico.

Stops and sights along the crossing, west to east:

• Tom Mays Unit, Franklin Mountains State Park — the park's main west-side entrance, about 3.5 miles east of I-10. Trailheads, campsites, and the trail network up toward North Franklin Mountain, at 7,192 feet the highest peak in the range.
• Smugglers Pass — the 5,280-foot summit. TxDOT pull-offs here give you the big two-sided view: El Paso and the Rio Grande behind you, the northeast side ahead.
• Ron Coleman Trail — a rugged hiking route from the Transmountain corridor that climbs toward South Franklin Mountain.
• El Paso Museum of Archaeology — at the eastern foot of the road, a small, worthwhile stop on the peoples and plants of the Chihuahuan Desert, next door to the National Border Patrol Museum.
• Scenic Drive — El Paso's other famous viewpoint road, winding along the mountainside above downtown. While the pass is closed, its sunset overlook is the easiest way to still get the classic panorama, and Visit El Paso lists it among the city's signature stops.

Budget about 20 minutes for the crossing without stops, an hour or more with the pass views or a short hike. It is the same family of driving as Colorado's Million Dollar Highway, traded from alpine switchbacks to desert granite, with a major city at both ends instead of two mining towns.

Driving It Safely: Practical Tips

1. Check the closure status before you leave, and use I-10 and US 54 as your detour while the pass is closed. Loop 375 closures after crashes can last many hours. Confirm the road is open on Drive Texas the same morning you drive; the official diversion is back onto I-10.
2. Respect the westbound descent. Coming down from Smugglers Pass toward I-10, use a lower gear, brake in firm intervals instead of riding the pedal, and leave extra following distance. This is the grade where the October 19 crash occurred at the bottom.
3. Watch for the runaway truck ramp and merging traffic near the bottom. The busiest part of the road is not the summit; it is the last mile into the I-10 and North Desert Boulevard interchange.
4. Carry water, even for a 20-minute crossing. This is Chihuahuan Desert; a breakdown or an unexpected closure wait in summer heat is a genuine safety issue.
5. Time the drive for morning or late afternoon, and slow down for wildlife. Midday glare washes out the views, late-day light on the range is the drive at its best, and mule deer, coyotes, roadrunners, and training cyclists all share this road. Mountain roads everywhere, from El Paso to Trail Ridge Road in Colorado, share the same rule: the scenery is the point, so there is no prize for hurrying.

When to Go

Transmountain Road is a year-round drive, but fall through spring is its season: October to April brings mild temperatures, sharp desert light, and the best hiking weather in the state park. Summer crossings work early in the morning, but midday heat above 100 degrees is common, and winter occasionally brings snow or ice to the pass that can close the road briefly. Whenever you go, the same-day status check is non-negotiable.

The Bottom Line

Transmountain Road does two jobs at once: it is how El Paso crosses its own mountains every day, and it is one of the finest short scenic drives in Texas. The October 19 crash is a sobering reminder that a beautiful road is still a working mountain highway, with a steep descent and heavy traffic at its base. Check the closure, use the detour while investigators work, and once the road reopens, drive the pass the way it asks to be driven: slowly enough to see it, and carefully enough to get home.