McKelligon Canyon is the location of a 1,503-seat

amphitheater An amphitheatre (British English) or amphitheater (American English; both ) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ...

located in

El Paso, Texas El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the seat of El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the 23rd-largest city in the U.S., the ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

, where the play '' Viva El Paso!'' is presented. The amphitheater is also used for

concerts A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, choir, or band. Concerts are held in a wide vari ...

graduation Graduation is the awarding of a diploma to a student by an educational institution. It may also refer to the ceremony that is associated with it. The date of the graduation ceremony is often called graduation day. The graduation ceremony is a ...

ceremonies, and other special events. Adjacent is the 300-seat McKelligon Canyon Pavilion.

Description

McKelligon Canyon lies on the south eastern side of the Franklin Mountains and surrounded by canyon walls. It is a popular destination known for its rock climbing, hiking, running, walking and biking. Visitors have a variety of rock climbing routes to choose from and the symmetric terrain is filled with crevices and cracks. All hiking trails including the Ron Coleman Trail begin at the end of McKelligon Canyon and are open year round. McKelligon Canyon is part of the

Franklin Mountains State Park Franklin Mountains State Park is a Texas state park in El Paso, Texas, in the United States. Park headquarters are located at an elevation of with the highest peak reaching . It is one of the largest urban parks in the nation lying completely ...

and is subject to fees and restrictions from the

Texas parks and Wildlife Department The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) is a Texas state agency that oversees and protects wildlife and their habitats. In addition, the agency is responsible for managing the state's parks and historical areas. Its mission is to manage ...

History

Ownership of the area of McKelligan Canyon was in dispute until El Paso County purchased the land in 1931. The area was named after

realtor A real estate agent or real estate broker is a person who represents sellers or buyers of real estate or real property. While a broker may work independently, an agent usually works under a licensed broker to represent clients. Brokers and agen ...

, M.J. McKelligon, who grazed

cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ...

in the area. The long road into the canyon was built using federal relief funds, included a dam, and cost around $150,000. In the 1950s, it was rumored that

uranium Uranium is a chemical element with the symbol U and atomic number 92. It is a silvery-grey metal in the actinide series of the periodic table. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons. Uranium is weak ...

could be found in the canyon, but this turned out to be untrue.

References

Citations

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mckelligon Canyon Amphitheaters in Texas Culture of El Paso, Texas Canyons and gorges of Texas Buildings and structures in El Paso, Texas Geography of El Paso, Texas Tourist attractions in El Paso, Texas Landforms of El Paso County, Texas