Plan with
Confidence
Tom Mays Unit is open from 8 am to 5 pm daily. Off-hours access is permitted and is via a small parking area at the gate off of Transmountain. Overnight camping is available.
A ranger station, usually only staffed on weekends in the warmer months, is located a mile inside the entrance. Adult entrance fees are $5 per person, or $2 in groups; children 12 and under are free. When the station is not staffed, use the pay box next to the station.
Path Type
Point to Point
Schaeffer Shuffle, one of the Franklin Mountains State Park's more challenging trails, is a short mile and a half diversion off of Lower Sunset.
From the eastern trailhead, which is marked by a sign, Schaeffer Shuffle heads northeast around the base of a large foothill. Keep left at a fork shortly after the entrance; the right path leads to a small rest area. The path enters a creekbed briefly before heading up the hill on the opposite side. A rock cairn marks the way.
The climb starts off easy but quickly becomes a challenge, traversing large areas of talus at steep grades. Some brief respite can be had at the top, where hikers are rewarded with an impressive view of the Rio Grande and New Mexico. The trail's descent is as steep as the climb; use caution as footing can be very slippery among the small rocks. Schaeffer Shuffle then flattens out into an area with small ups and downs, crossing two washouts and merging back into Lower Sunset. A smaller sign and wooden structure mark the trail for hikers beginning from this side.
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