Wyler Aerial Tramway - El Paso, Texas - Aerial Cable Car Rides

Situated on roughly 196 acres of rock formations and mountain terrain, Wyler Aerial Tramway is a series of aerial cable cars on the eastern side of the Franklin Mountains. The aerial cable cars are also called tramway gondolas. Wyler Aerial Tramway is located within the Franklin Mountain State Park, which is the largest urban park in the United States.

The parking area for the tramway is located at an elevation of 4,692 feet. To the east of the parking area, there is a magnificent view of El Paso. Visitors can also see the cacti gardens or simply watch the gondolas take off from this vantage point.

Tickets for a ride on a gondola can be purchased at the tramway station. The gondolas transport visitors to the top of Ranger Peak. Tickets are $7 per person for individuals 13 years of age or older. Children's tickets are available for ages 12 and under for $4 per child.

Wyler Aerial Tramway keeps summer hours from Memorial Day to Labor Day and winter hours from Labor Day to Memorial Day. Summer hours are 12:00pm to 6:00pm on Monday and Thursday and 12:00pm to 9:00pm Friday through Sunday. Winter hours are 12:00pm to 6:00pm on Monday, Thursday, and Sunday and 12:00pm to 8:00pm on Friday and Saturday. Tickets sales end one hour before closing. Wyler Aerial Tramway is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday year-round.

The gondolas are Swiss made, and they travel on a steel cable that is 2,600 feet long. While waiting for their ride, visitors can see the machinery and system's mechanisms through a window on the side of the station. While riding the gondola, a cabin attendant provides visitors with descriptions of some of the rock formations and cacti seen along the way. Visitors may also see some of the abundant wildlife in the area, such as a variety of birds and reptiles. The ride takes roughly four minutes, and the gondolas travel above a vast canyon. The canyon is 240 feet deep in some areas.

Once visitor's reach Ranger Peak, they are 5,632 feet above sea level. From Ranger Peak, visitors have a view of three states and two countries (the US and Mexico). The view is comprised on roughly 7,000 square miles. The station at the top of Ranger Peak features ramps and paved grounds that lead visitors to an observation deck. The observation deck has a 360 degree view and offers visitors the use of high power telescopes on a pay per view basis.

Wyler Aerial Tramway is located at 1700 McKinley Avenue in El Paso, Texas. Additional information about the tramway can be obtained by calling 915-566-6622. An easy way to reach the tramway is to take Highway 54 north from Interstate 10 and exit onto Fred Wilson Boulevard. After exiting, visitors would make a left onto Fred Wilson Boulevard (which becomes Alabama Street) and make a right onto McKinley Avenue. The road leading up to the tramway can be a point of interest for drivers that enjoy curving roadways.