The Ernst Tinaja in Big Bend is the largest of a series of tinajas or natural water holes in this canyon. Because it rarely goes dry, it is a reliable source of water for desert wildlife. Photo Tom
West Texas
West Texas is Big Bend. Sandwiched between Mexico and New Mexico, the area integrates Hispanic culture into the American mix. The Pecos and the Rio Grande rivers are just two of the natural attractions in this part of the state, the latter forming a natural border between Texas and Mexico. In Big Bend National Park, one of the largest national parks in the United States, guests can hike, float on commercial float trips on the Rio Grande, camp and birdwatch.
The largest center in the region is El Paso, a city with easy access to its sister city of Juarez, Mexico. Attractions in El Paso include Fort Bliss, the Ysleta, Socorro and San Elizario missions, and the El Paso Museum of Art. Other areas of interest in this region include the Amistad National Recreation Area, Guadalupe Mountains National Park and the city of Del Rio.
Map of West Texas Points
Things to See & Do in West Texas
Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend
Santa Elena Canyon, on the Rio Grande in southwestern Brewster County, is one of the most famous canyons in Big Bend National Park.
Rio Grande River, Big Bend
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico–United States border. According to the...
Flying Over Big Bend
Given it's 801,163 acre size, it's hard to comprehend all that is Big Bend.
Landscapes of the Davis Mountains
The Davis Mountains, originally known as Limpia Mountains, are a range of mountains in West Texas, located near Fort Davis and named in honor of Jefferson Davis, an American politician.
Lake Balmorhea / San Solomon Springs by Drone
A look at a couple of the water holes in Balmorhea.
Marfa, Texas: There’s No Place Like Here
Here's a neat place to visit: Take a trip to the West Texas Chihuahuan Desert, where the road-side town of Marfa is an oasis for everything from stark cubes to crewelwork.
Glass Mountains in West Texas
The Glass Mountains in West Texas extend from Cathedral Mountain in northern Brewster County to Monument Draw in southern Pecos County, roughly between Fort Stockton and Alpine.
The Borderlands of Texas
Crowned with a sky so wide that it threatens to define infinity, the Big Bend region of Texas is situated roughly west of San Antonio, east of El Paso, and north of the mythic Rio Grande river. It...
Rio Grande River in Big Bend
Rio Grande River in Big Bend near Terlingua. Photo by Cornelia Leicht
McDonald Observatory
We traveled to the McDonald Observatory to see the heavens on The Texas Bucket List.
Marfa Lights
If you are ever out in West Texas at night, you should spend an hour or two waiting for the “lights”. Native American residents knew about Marfa Mystery Lights long before the first...
Mount Livermore in the Davis Mountains
Pine forests in the Chihuahua Desert!
Hwy 17 into Balmorhea State Park
Picturesque Highway 17 in West Texas. The road into Balmorhea State Park.
Davis Mountains State Park
Davis Mountains State Park is a 2,709-acre state park located in the Davis Mountains in Jeff Davis County. The park elevation is between 5,000 and 6,000 ft (1,500 and 1,800 m) above sea level.
Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park in Texas.
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
The world's largest coral reef.
Franklin Mountains
Franklin Mountains in El Paso looking Northwest from Hondo Pass and Eclipse St.